Project focuses on oral health in Oklahoma

BY SUSAN SIMPSON
Published: March 7, 2009

The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry will pilot a national project to educate rural Oklahomans about preventative oral health.

The college is among three selected by the American Dental Association to train a new type of worker — community dental health coordinators.

OU will train 18 coordinators as part of a five-year pilot program to raise awareness of preventative health and catch dental problems before they become severe.

"Our community doesn’t want dental health unless they have a toothache. That’s what we are trying to address,” said Jessica Johnson, a dental assistant from Clayton who will take 12 months of online courses from OU to become a community dental health coordinator. She won’t get paid as a coordinator, but her college courses are free as part of the pilot project.

For complete news visit: Project focuses on oral health in Oklahoma

Green tea may improve dental health

Updated: 3/6/2009 5:00:11 PM

Before administering a nightly teeth cleaning, one may want to make a cup of green tea as a way to promote good dental health.

A new study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, has found the routine intake of green tea may promote the health of teeth and gums.
Researchers examined the periodontal health of 940 men and found those who drank green tea had significantly better dental health when compared to those who drank less green tea.

For complete News click here: Green tea may improve dental health

Health Highlights

Jan. 31, 2009 01.30.09, 08:00 PM EST

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

FDA Experts Recommend Banning Darvon

Darvon, a decades-old painkiller chiefly marketed as Darvocet, should be banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, an expert panel advising the agency recommended Friday.

The advisory panel voted 14-12 to recommend withdrawing Darvon, first approved in 1957. Earlier Friday, the agency said it was reviewing the drug after critics charged it provided little relief and posed a risk for overdose and suicide, the Associated Press reported. The full FDA usually follows the recommendations of its expert panels, but isn't bound to do so.

Darvon, which includes a dose of acetaminophen, is among the top prescribed medications. More than 20 million prescriptions were written in 2007, the wire service said. Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals and Qualitest/Vintage Pharmaceuticals, two firms that market Darvocet, called the medication safe and effective when used as directed.

But critics complained that the government review was too long in coming. "[The drug] has unique risks and no unique advantages," Dr. Sidney Wolfe, a drug safety expert with the consumer group Public Citizen, told the AP. "It has been a big drug of abuse for quite a long time." Public Citizen first sought a ban on Darvon in the 1970s, and the United Kingdom banned its version in 2005, the AP said.

Besides an outright ban, the FDA's other options include requiring stiffer warnings, additional studies or education efforts to alert doctors and patients of potential misuses, the AP reported.

Chewing Through a Smoking Habit

ESSAY By JOHN G. SPANGLER, M.D.
Jan. 31, 2009

Okay.

It was your New Year's resolution.

You were going to quit smoking but did not stick to it very long.

Not only that, you've tried many times in the past and haven't quit.

In fact, you've tried the nicotine gum, the nicotine patch, Zyban, Chantix, maybe even hypnosis or acupuncture -- some of which helped a little, maybe, some of which did not help at all.

You were constantly nagged by the need for a "nicotine fix," the craving that hampers smokers' ability to stop smoking.

Dang it! I need a cigarette!"You finally relented.

You're not alone. You are what I call, in my smoking cessation clinic, the "I've-tried-everything" patient.

The good news is you have lots of company.

The even better news?

Stopping smoking is something you can do, and many, many smokers just like you have done it.

Maybe you just need a novel way to do it, something to help start the ball rolling, something to ease you into becoming 100 percent smoke-free.

A new study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine by Dr. Saul Shiffman and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh might just be what it takes this time.

Shiffman and his co-workers noticed that many smokers want to quit smoking, but stopping abruptly -- even if they use stop-smoking medications -- is just too hard for them.

So they designed a study in which smokers gradually began using the nicotine gum and gradually cut down on the number of cigarettes they smoked over the course of eight weeks.

The study was "controlled," meaning that that the subjects were randomly assigned either "real" nicotine gum or "placebo" ("dummy") gum designed to look and taste the same as the real thing.

Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was taking what until the end of the study. This made it a much stronger study design because it factored out the "placebo effect" -- the thought that, "I am taking something, so it must be helping me."

Crest Whitestrips: Revolutionary New Teeth Whitening Technology

Crest Whitestrips is proud to introduce its most advanced innovation in teeth whitening technology: New Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal. This groundbreaking adhesive formulation temporarily molds the strip to users' teeth, allowing them to easily talk and even drink water for convenient whitening anywhere, anytime. The secure fit comes off clean after whitening, leaving no mess behind. Achieving a beautiful, whiter smile is now easier than ever.

"We developed the new Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal to address the unmet consumer need for teeth whitening that truly fits every consumer's smile and life," says Sunny Jain, Associate Marketing Director, North American Oral Care. "Because this revolutionary new technology allows for a great fit and seal, users can have the confidence to whiten anywhere, anytime. Whether you're on-the-go, talking on the phone or drinking water, new Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal allows you to go about your day without interruption, all while achieving your most beautiful, whiter smile."

Crest Whitestrips has leveraged innovative Corplex technology to create a moisture-activated, solid-gel formulation that provides advanced adhesion to fit every person's unique smile, all while delivering the same level whitening results as the existing family of Crest Whitestrips products. These new strips provide three significant benefits:

1. High-performance whitening with the same safe and effective whitening ingredient that dentists use to remove surface stains and those below the tooth enamel;

2. A better fit with instant adhesion to teeth allowing users to go about their daily lives including talking and even drinking water;

3. No mess left behind thanks to the new, advanced design. Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal is the perfect fit for any life and every smile!

New Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal technology features four unique layers in one thin, flexible strip to deliver Crest's dramatic whitening and an improved user experience: The special outer layer holds the strip securely on teeth; The whitening layer delivers the same high-performance whitening ingredient used by professionals; The inner mesh layer keeps the whitening ingredient firmly on teeth, preventing gel from spreading to other areas of the mouth; The final release liner provides the strips with stable backing for easy application. Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal is designed to conform and mold to the shape of your teeth and is worn for 30 minutes a day, for two weeks, anytime, anywhere - even while talking and drinking water!

"By using Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal, you can whiten your teeth while going about your daily life without interference," says Dr. Robert Gerlach, Global Clinical Research Scientist at Procter & Gamble. "Advanced Seal combines the best of physics, chemistry and biology. The Corplex mesh and polymer combination are a perfect balance to hold the strip in place. Activated by natural mouth moisture, the Advanced Seal technology provides instant adhesion and immediately molds to teeth. After use, it is easily removed with no mess."

Beginning in January 2009, Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal will be available nationwide anywhere Crest products are sold for a suggested retail price of $45.00. Each kit will contain 14 doses of whitening.

By: Crest Whitestrips - Mon, 01/26/2009 - 12:26

Feeling Attractive Thanks to a Cosmetic Dentist

A cosmetic dentist holds the important job of making peoples beautiful smiles even more beautiful. While a general dentist takes care of the functionality and condition of teeth, a cosmetic dentist is responsible for improving the appearance of the teeth and mouth. The jobs of a cosmetic dentist are many, and some consider even fillings a cosmetic repair. Fillings had always been traditionally gold, silver, or amalgam, leaving dark, very noticeable spots on the teeth. Today many people opt for the enamel colored fillings to improve the appearance of their teeth. This indeed falls into the category of appearance that the cosmetic dentist is responsible for.

Two of the many services that a cosmetic dentist can provide is the smile makeover and the full mouth reconstruction. A smile makeover improves the appearance of the overall smile using veneers, dental implants, and teeth whitening. Full mouth reconstruction is a very involved set of procedures which usually takes several dentists to accomplish. With full mouth restorations, the cosmetic dentist makes sure that the repaired mouth looks great when all is said and done.

Many procedures that a cosmetic dentist can do are bonding, fillings, teeth whitening, dental implants, and dental veneers. Bonding is a procedure used to repair broken teeth. A composite that is the color of the tooth is applied to the surface, and is sculpted and shaped to appear like a natural tooth. Veneers, whether porcelain or plastic, are bonded to the teeth to fill in gaps of the teeth or to enhance the whitening of teeth when bleaching has been unsuccessful. A cosmetic dentist is a pro at teeth whitening, which is the most recommended dental procedure, reversing the stains that teeth take on from smoking, drinking tea or coffee, and eating. Dental implants are basically prosthetic teeth, root and all. The prosthetic tooth is screwed into the jaw, taking the place of a tooths root system.

Once you have decided that a cosmetic dentist may be able to help you achieve the smile you have always wanted, your first job is to find the right cosmetic dentist for you. The first thing to consider in finding the perfect cosmetic dentist is to make sure he has had training in the procedure that you are interested in. Just because he is a cosmetic dentist does not necessarily mean he specializes in every single cosmetic procedure. Next, schedule a consultation appointment with that dentist. Ask to see before and after pictures of his work, and make sure that you feel confident in his abilities to perform the procedures that you need. Be sure to ask any questions regarding his strategies and any scenarios and cases that he has had experience with. Convey any specific concerns that you may have regarding these cases.

A great smile improves confidence, appearance, and the overall well being of a person. The face is usually the first thing that others notice when first seeing someone, and improving the look of the mouth, whether it be a drastic change or a slight change, can truly alter a persons personal and social life for the better. A cosmetic dentist can be a real confidence booster.

About the Author

For more information and help in finding a cosmetic dentist in Philadelphia, please visit our website.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Wide gap in teeth blamed on private rebates

Mark Metherell
January 12, 2009

THE Federal Government, which has stalled on plans to introduce a dental scheme for the disadvantaged, faces calls to abolish rebates that go to patients with private health insurance.

The Public Health Association has demanded the Government redirect $400 million that is now paid in rebates to people with ancillary health insurance for private dentistry.

In a submission to the Government's Preventative Health Taskforce, the association says the 30 per cent rebate on insurance for dental care "mainly benefits middle- and high-income Australians".

"This should be abolished and the funding redirected to oral health services for Australians on low incomes."

Low-income Australians receive no direct federal funding for dental care, the association says.

Yesterday its chief executive, Michael Moore, told the Herald that widespread inequities made dental service a pressing priority for the Government.

The Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, has delayed the reintroduction of a national dental scheme for the disadvantaged because the Coalition refused in the Senate to dump the dental Medicare scheme, which the previous government had introduced just before the election.

Dental Medicare, which provides up to $4250 in private dentistry for those whose dental problems exacerbate a separate medical condition, has grown in popularity this year.

Ms Roxon has said the continuation of the Medicare program means $290 million over three years will have to be withdrawn from the new Commonwealth dental health program.

If the Medicare service continued, she would have to reduce spending on the federal program, she said, and NSW patients would lose about 327,200 services valued at more than $90 million.

Ms Roxon has argued that the Medicare scheme is poorly targeted because patients must have a chronic medical illness to qualify for the benefits.

Mr Moore said he had proposed a compromise to senators in an effort to end the impasse. Under his plan, dental Medicare would continue, but in a more tightly controlled way.

He said one procedure that had gobbled up funding was the provision of expensive, but not medically necessary, crowns for patients who had received root canal treatment.

"The stand-off means thousands of people who cannot afford dental care are not getting what Labor promised, and this has been a debacle."

In its submission to the Preventative Health Taskforce, the association lists 12 features of oral health care in Australia. It says poor oral health is most common among indigenous people, refugees and elderly Australians.

Dental services are mainly financed - about 85 per cent - by private funding, even though dental admissions are the highest cause of acute preventable hospital admissions among children.

It has been estimated that about 500,000 Australians are in urgent need of dental treatment but do not get it because of cost.