A new year means a fresh start. It’s also a wonderful time to implement new resolutions to improve your quality of life. But some resolutions are easier to achieve than others. One of the most difficult resolutions to stick with is quitting smoking. Smoking statistics are scary ones. An estimated 15 of every 100 Americans smoke cigarettes. That’s about 36.5 million people! Worse yet, an estimated 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related illness, such as lung cancer or emphysema – and these diseases are completely preventable. Smoking also prematurely ages you, gives you bad breath and stains your teeth.
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A recent study by the American Academy of Geriatrics has found a link between the presence of gum disease, tooth loss and frailty in senior citizens. Conducted in the United Kingdom, the study of nearly 8,000 people found that more than 60 percent of citizens over the age of 65 had some form of periodontal disease, and many more were missing more than one tooth. Another common side effect experienced by respondents was dry mouth.
Do you suffer from frequent canker sores? Do you always seem to have dry mouth? These could be caused by many things that are no cause for alarm, but they could also be warning signs of a bigger problem: celiac disease. Celiac disease has several of what are known as "oral manifestations" – physical symptoms that occur in the mouth that may indicate the presence of celiac disease in the body. If you are experiencing any one or more of these indicators, you may have the condition.
For most people, dry mouth is a minor annoyance that can be easily fixed by having a glass of water. But what happens when water isn’t enough, and that dry mouth never really goes away? For the estimated 4 million Americans who suffer from an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren’s Syndrome, this problem can be an uncomfortable reality.
For the 23.1 million Americans with known cases of Type 2 diabetes, living with this often-debilitating blood glucose disease can be detrimental to overall health and well-being. Not only does Type 2 diabetes affect blood sugar and insulin production, but it can also cause damage to the heart, eyes, kidneys, feet and gums. But now, a startling report out of Harvard University has revealed that one common activity many people do to protect their gums could be increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
In the United States, an estimated 48,000 new cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed this year, and of those cases, only about half will survive beyond the five-year mark. With oral cancer, early detection is key to survival, so it goes without saying that knowing the warning signs could truly save your life.
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that affects approximately 22 million people in the United States. It is categorized as the starting and stopping of breathing during sleep. Often, people with sleep apnea stop breathing for more than 10 seconds at a time, anywhere from five to 100 times an hour. Worse yet, because they are asleep, they don’t realize it's happening, making a bad situation potentially deadly.
When a 57-year-old woman from Hunan Province, China, recently sought help for her chronic sinus congestion and nosebleeds, she received quite a shock from her doctor. While there are a variety of medical problems that can cause chronic congestion, the woman’s scan revealed none of those "usual suspects" were to blame. Instead of a deviated septum or sinus infection, her scans showed a small round object blocking the nasal passage. But what that object ended up being was the biggest surprise: a tooth!
Whether you’ve just gotten your first set of dentures or you’re a seasoned pro at wearing them, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because you have dentures you no longer need to care for your oral health. In fact, improperly cleaned or poorly fitting dentures can be just as dangerous to the mouth as failing to care for natural teeth.
The holiday season is fast approaching, but before you get to the business of relaxing and enjoying it, don’t forget about the other important thing that happens at this time every year: the expiration of your flexible spending account (FSA). An FSA account is a payroll tax-free health care spending account you can use for one calendar year to pay for things like doctor copays, prescription medications, medical procedures, eyewear and some dental services and products. These accounts are great for families and people with lots of medical expenses, but the downside is if you don’t use it, you lose it. This may not seem so awful until you consider that the money that vanished with the old year was money you earned - so you’ve essentially thrown away your hard-earned money, simply because you didn’t spend it.
According to the University of Michigan’s "National Poll on Healthy Aging" released in September 2017, an increasing number of older Americans are worried about caring for – and paying for – their teeth as they age. The poll, which was conducted by the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan, worked in partnership with the AARP and Michigan Medicine.
The benefits of exercise to the body are seemingly endless. From stronger muscles to lower body weight and decreased risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke, the pluses of staying fit go way past just looking good. But did you know that one fitness plan in particular can help ward off the gum disease gingivitis? It’s called HIIT, and it could take a swing at this common early-stage gum disease.
Yo-yos, matchbox cars, dolls and tin robots - they’re all classic toys, but one of them could soon be changing the way we practice dentistry. Today’s robots do way more than the robot toys of yesteryear - today we use robots for everything from cleaning floors to diffusing bombs - but a new wave of robots could soon help care for your oral health.
Made only in certain regions of Italy, prosecco is having its moment in the sun with wine enthusiasts lately. Made from at least 85 percent glera grapes, this versatile sparkling wine can be used for everything from pre-dinner aperitivo to celebratory dessert toasting and everything in between. Touted as the less expensive alternative to champagne, this delicious bubbly beverage may be causing an unexpected side effect to your teeth: enamel erosion.
There are few things on earth as tasty -- or addictive -- as sugar. But as delicious as it may be, sugar has also been found to be extremely bad for you. From cavities to obesity and diabetes, excessive consumption of sugar can cause a host of dangerous and even deadly problems. Unfortunately, it can be very hard to cut sugar from your diet. If you’re ready to ditch sugar for good but aren’t sure how to do it, try these tips to help make your sweets surrender as easy as possible!
An artificial sweetener called Xylitol is making a lot of headlines lately. It looks and tastes just like sugar but has 40 percent fewer calories and will not increase blood sugar levels like sugar. That also means it’s a lot better for your teeth than sugar!
It seems like baby predictors and pregnancy wives’ tales are a dime a dozen. The ring test, the Chinese Gender Chart and even the Internet favorite "nub theory" are all fun ways people can try to predict whether they’re pregnant or not, or what the gender their baby might be. But now a new trend is making the rounds, and it could be setting you up for a lot of confusion. 
Idioms. They’re one of those elements of everyday language that we often use without thinking about or really understanding what they mean. Curious about where some of the most common tooth-related idioms come from? Keep reading, and we’ll "spill the beans!" 
In many cultures, a baby’s first tooth eruption is a celebrated milestone in their life. Here in the United States, there is usually even a line to mark the occasion in most baby books. But what happens after that first tooth appears can be a little confusing. For years, toothpaste manufacturers have marketed fluoride-free cleansing pastes and gels to help keep those early baby-teeth clean without running the risk of babies ingesting too much fluoride during brushing. But while fluoride-free toothpastes certainly help keep babies and children’s teeth clean, without added fluoride, children using these pastes are missing out on the added protection fluoridated toothpaste provides.
