Dental Did You Know: Dental Magnets

A small rare earth dental magnet (the size of a pulp chamber, typically 0.2g) can easily suspend a 37g steel weight...a force to weight ratio of 185:1!


Source: Neilburger E, Death by magnets: An unrecognized danger in dentistry, General Dentistry, May/Jun 2008, Vol 56, No 4, pg 346-7.


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Tooth Bleaching Using 10% carbamide peroxide and Enamel Hardness

In a recent study, it was shown that bleaching teeth with 10% carbamide peroxide can reduce enamel surface microhardness. It was recommended by the authors to either add professionally administered or self-administered fluoride to remineralize the enamel.

Source: Leandro G et al, Effects of 10% Carbamide Peroxide Treatment and Sodium Fluoride Therapies on Human Enamel Surface Microhardness, General Dentistry, May 2008, Vol 56, No 3, pg 274-277.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Kids and Brushing on their own.

When is a good time to let kids brush on their own? When they have the ability to tie their own shoes.

Source: Dr. Kelly Blundell (Pedo), Victoria BC Canada, What's Up Kids, Spring 2008. pg 54-56.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Amalgam and Brain Development

According to a study in the Journal of the American Dental Association, dental amalgam fillings do not affect children's brain development and neurological status. The study tracked 507 children between the ages of 8-12 for seven years.

Source: FYI Health, AGD Impact, March 2008, pg 24.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Phenytoin and Gum Enlargement

Anti-epileptic drugs like phenytoin can cause severe gingival (gum) enlargement.

Source: Lucchesi J et al, Severe Phenytoin-Induced Gingival Enlargement Associated with Periodontitis, March 2008, Vol 56, No 2, pg 199-203.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Nicotine as a Psychoactive Drug

Nicotine is a reinforcing drug which causes users to crave the drug despite the knowledge of the negative health effects.

Source: Clinical Tobacco Intervention Bulletin, Vol 7, No 1, pg 1, March 2008, http://www.ctica.org

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Smoking and Life Expectancy

You lose 3 months of life expectancy for every year of smoking past the age of 40.

Source: Clinical Tobacco Intervention Bulletin, Vol 7, No 1, pg 1, March 2008, http://www.ctica.org

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Smoking and Doses of Nicotine

A person who smokes a pack of cigarettes will inhale approx 70 000 doses of nicotine per year.

Source: Clinical Tobacco Intervention Bulletin, Vol 7, No 1, pg 1, March 2008, http://www.ctica.org

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Smoking and Nicotine

When delivered by smoking, nicotine reaches the brain in 7-10 seconds.

Source: Clinical Tobacco Intervention Bulletin, Vol 7, No 1, pg 1, March 2008, http://www.ctica.org/


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Dental Amalgam

Dental Amalgam is a mix of metal that is composed of mercury, silver, tin, copper and (in certain cases) other metallic elements. It is extremely durable, and is the most widely used and researched material for fillings. It has been in use for over 150 years.


Source: Fact Sheet-Amalgam, What's in a Filling, AGD Impact, March 2008, Vol 36, No 3, pg 52.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Saliva Testing

Saliva (spit) can be tested for (among other things): salivary chemistry, oral bacteria counts, quantity, viscosity, pH and buffering capacity. A DNA sample can also be retrieved.

Source (partial): Feldman B, Upfront, OD Editorial: A Different Approach, Ontario Dentist, Vol 85, No 2, pg 6.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Hair Loss and Dental Infections

Alopecia (a loss of hair of unknown origin) may be linked to infections in teeth according to researchers from the University of Granada in Spain.

Source: FYI Research, AGD Impact, Feb 2008, Vol 36, No 2, pg 20.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Ibucodone

Ibucodone is a new class of narcotic pain killer that combines ibuprofen (200mg) with hydrocodone (7.5mg). Clinical trials have shown a synergistic effect that is greater than the individual components. It has its maximal effect when taken before a procedure.

Source: Kermalli J and Tenenbaum H, Prevention and Management of Acute Orofacial Pain; Treating the Whole Spectrum, Feb 2008, Vol 98, No 2, pg 29-37.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a good pain killer for dental pain, but has minimal to no anti-inflammatory effects. It also has anti-fever properties.

Source: Kermalli J and Tenenbaum H, Prevention and Management of Acute Orofacial Pain; Treating the Whole Spectrum, Feb 2008, Vol 98, No 2, pg 29-37.


Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: February is National Children's Dental Health Month

February is National Children's Dental Health Month. The American Dental Association (ADA) has a nice web page discussing their recommendations for proper pediatric dental care. Here's the teaser quote:

The ADA recommends regular dental check-ups, including a visit to the dentist within six months of the eruption of the first tooth, and no later than the child's first birthday. Preventive care such as cleanings and if necessary, fluoride treatments, provide children with 'smile' insurance. Routine dental exams uncover problems that can be easily treated in the early stages, when damage is minimal.

Read the rest of the article here: February is National Children's Health Month

Source: American Dental Association, Online Media Release, Feb 4, 2008, http://www.ada.org/public/media/releases/0802_release01.asp

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Whole Grain Intake and Periodontitis

Men who had a higher whole grain intake were 23% less likely to develop periodontitis than those who had less intake.

Source: Sevels I, Clincal Abstracts, Ontario Dentist, Jan/Feb, Vol 85, No 1, pg 16-17.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Bad Breath is More Prevalent in Obese People

In a recent study, bad breath seemed to be more prevalent in obese people, a trend that was also found in alcoholics.

Source: Discovery News Podcast, Dec 21, 2007, Friday News Feedbag http://blogs.discovery.com/news_feedblog/

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: Forensic Dentistry

The hard outer shell of teeth can help protect the inner pulp where DNA is stored...even in extreme conditions. The specific anatomy of the tooth and the DNA may allow investigators and forensic dentists to identify individuals.

Source: Forensic Dentistry: The Key to Unlocking Many Mysteries, March 2007, Academy of General Dentistry, http://www.agd.org/public/oralhealth/Default.asp?IssID=332&Topic=T&ArtID=1332#body

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: The Four Types of Dental Fear

1. Specific Fear: These are patients who have 1 or 2 specific issues that bother them; usually procedural or physical. This situation is relatively easy to identify and control.
2. Loss of Control: usually due to adverse events during their life, these patients typically need high levels of sedation.
3. Catastrophe: A small percentage of dental patients really don't fear dentistry, but fear the consequences of dentistry. An example may be a patient with bladder control problems fearing an incident due to a long appointment.
4. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This is typically the most common underlying cause of dental fear. Unlike the previous categories, this is a recognized medical disorder. These patients have problems dealing with the stress of everyday life, not with dentistry per se. Minimal to moderate sedation can help in these situations. A medical referral would be great to help the patient.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Dental Did You Know: The Canadian Forces Dental Service

The Canadian Forces Dental Service was first established on May 13, 1915 as the Canadian Forces Dental Corps and currently provides oral health services for our troops in operations far from home.

Source: Feldman B, War and Teeth (OD Editorial), Ontario Dentist, Sept 2007, Vol 84, No 7, pg 8-9.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100