Dental Did You Know: Oral Cancer Mortality Rate

The rate of mortality from oral cancer has not significantly changed in 50 years, even with our advancement in clinical therapies.

Source: Benjamin S, It's More than an Oral Cancer Exam, It's a Quality of Life Exam!, Oral Health, July 2008, Vol 98, No 7, pg 36-38 & 62.

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: Oral Cancer Survival Rate

Even with today's technology, five year survival for oral cancer is less than 50%.

Source: Benjamin S, It's More than an Oral Cancer Exam, It's a Quality of Life Exam!, Oral Health, July 2008, Vol 98, No 7, pg 36-38 & 62.

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

Technology Rules for a Dental Practice

Hi everyone,

I saw this mantra in the latest issue of Oral Health.

Once a new technology is acquired:
the entire dental team must adopt it. Then its parameters should be adapted for individual clinicians in the office. Finally, the dental team must work to be adept at the technology or process.

Hmmm...adopt, adapt and adept. Great key words

Source: Freedman G, New Technology: Do I need it? Strategies for the Successful Practice, Oral Health, July 2008, Vol 98, No 7, pg 3.

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

New Sign!

I've always hated the tombstone-style sign just in front our practice. Thankfully, through the help of management (especially Dean Amini) and the cooperation of all the health practitioners in our building, have a new sign:

I'll be looking to improve the signage at street level in the near future too.

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

Great Dental Quote

From Dr. Sam Kherani:

The best and cheapest dentistry is when the right thing is done extremely well the first time and it lasts.

Source: Kherani S, Being a Star Dental Professional in the New Millennium, Aurum Ceramic Continuum Vol 21, Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2008 pg 4-6.

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

Reduction in fluoride in Edmonton's Public Water Supply

Edmonton, on the advice of Health Canada has reduced the concentration of fluoride in the public water supply to 0.7 ppm (parts per million) from 0.8 ppm based on an expert panel's recommendation. Here's the teaser quote from the Edmonton Sun:

Edmonton-area residents will soon have less fluoride in their tap water, thanks to Health Canada.

Capital Health's Dr. Gerry Predy told Sun Media that he will ask EPCOR, which provides water to the city and surrounding communities, to reduce the maximum amount of the chemical that it adds to the water supply, from 0.8 parts per million to 0.7 ppm.

You can read the rest here: Fluoride Cut Eyed

Source: The Edmonton Sun Online July 30/08
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2008/07/30/6303976-sun.html


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

Public Financing of Dental Care in Canada

According to the Canadian Dental Association, the percentage of publicly funded dental services is about 4.5% (data from 2007). This amounted to 513 million dollars spent by the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Source: Papadopoulos C, Publicly Financed Dental Care in Canada: Room for Growth, JCDA, July/Aug 2008, Vol 74, No 6, pg 507-8.

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

Oral B Counterfeit Toothbrushes

There has been a recall of counterfeit Oral B 40 toothbrushes from Dollarama stores. Here's the teaser quote from the CBC:


Health Canada issued a recall Friday of counterfeit Oral-B Classic 40 Medium toothbrushes because they may pose a choking hazard.

The federal agency said it has learned of one incident in which bristles became stuck in a consumer's throat.

Procter & Gamble Inc. and Health Canada have determined the toothbrush is a counterfeit product. Procter & Gamble have not manufactured this model of toothbrush in almost a decade.

Read the rest of the article here: Counterfeit Oral-B toothbrushes recalled for choking hazard

Source:http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/07/18/oralb-recall.html

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

Vacation Schedule

Hi everyone,

Jodie and I will be off on vacation until July 28th, 2008. If you have an emergency, please call the practice number to leave a message or call my emergency number (also given at our practice number). New patients can call in and leave a message telling us which day they prefer for an initial appointment.

We will answer all our non-emergency messages on the 28th.

Take care and see you soon.

Hans.

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 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

Happy Father's Day!

To all the dads out there (especially my father): Happy Father's Day!


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

Patient Question: Sensodyne-F and Insomnia

Recently, a patient asked whether there was any relationship between using Sensodyne-F (a desensitizing toothpaste) and insomnia. I couldn't answer him definitively. However, a quick literature search on the Pubmed database including some of the major medicinal components of the toothpaste revealed no known relationship. I did find an anecdote on Google, but no scientific literature.

Take care

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

OraVerse: Reversal of Dental Anaesthesia

Hi everyone,

The FDA in the US has approved OraVerse, the first reversal agent to reduce the length of effect of dental anaesthesia. Here's the teaser clip from CBS online via WebMD:

According to Novalar Pharmaceuticals, the drug company that makes OraVerse, the FDA approved OraVerse's use in adults and children based on several clinical studies in which patients got an injection of OraVerse or a placebo after undergoing dental procedures under local anesthetics.

In the clinical studies, the patients who got OraVerse regained normal sensation in their lips faster than those who got the placebo. Within an hour after getting OraVerse, 41% of the patients had normal sensation in their lower lip, compared with 7% of those who got the placebo. And 59% of the OraVerse patients regained normal sensation in their upper lip within an hour after getting OraVerse, compared with 12% of those who got the placebo.

Read the rest of the article here: New Drug Reverses Dentists' Anesthesia
Source:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/12/health/webmd/main4088132.shtml

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

Cosmetic Dentistry: Before and After Part 2

Sometimes patients desire just subtle changes. In this case, the patient wanted his small maxillary laterals (upper teeth beside the two central teeth) to be enlarged to be more reflective of the general size of the rest of his teeth. The colour match was outstanding. Our thanks to Krest Labs for their work.


Before:





After:











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

Blooming Tree - Promenade Court Dental in Mississauga May 2008

Blooming Tree - Promenade Court Dental in Mississauga May 2008
Originally uploaded by Promenade Court Dental Mississauga

Hi everyone, just testing the flickr to blogger interface (can a Yahoo service work with a google service...stay tuned.) This is the blooming tree in front of Promenade Court Dental in Mississauga.

The Amateur Photographer: May 2008

I've always liked this little tree in front of the practice in full springtime bloom.

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