Patient Education

• 50% consider the smile the first facial feature they notice.
• 80% are not happy with their smile.
• 32% of Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait of their co-worker.
• A smile increases your face value.
• Smiles never go up in price or down in value.
• You’re never fully dressed without a smile.
• 83% of people believe their teeth are more important to their appearance than hair and eyes.
• 33% of Americans have untreated tooth decay.
• People who drink 3 or more sugary sodas daily have 62% more dental decay.
• 78% of Americans have had at least 1 cavity by age 17.
• More than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque.
• A decayed tooth or diseased gum is an open door for bacteria to pass from your mouth into your body. 
• All the money in the world is useless without health. 
• Research says that people with periodontal disease (Gum disease) are at higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, pre-term births and respiratory disease.
• Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections.
• People with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without disease.
• According to the recent American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Survey, 92% of Americans believe that an attractive smile is an important social asset. 
• Silver dental fillings contain mercury which is harmful to your health.
• The fillings, formally known as dental amalgams, "contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses," reads the FDA Web posting.

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The Mouth & Body Connection

• Heart Disease and Stroke
• Diabetes
• Pregnancy Problems
• Respiratory Diseases
• Osteoporosis

It is not our purpose to be melodramatic with the following personal account. Rather it emphasizes the point we are trying to make in sharing this informative brochure with you. Too often teeth, gums, and oral disease are taken too lightly. Unlike many medical conditions, dental problems do not hurt until they are very advanced or severe. Our goal is prevention. Although our job includes restoration of damage, we are more interested in preventing disease and destruction in the first place.

A decayed tooth or diseased gum is an open door for bacteria to pass from your mouth into your body. Don’t take your oral health for granted. Don’t let fear cause you to make foolish decisions. Find a way to stay healthy. All the money in the world is useless without health. Our Glendale dentistry will help you overcome whatever stands between you and good oral and dental health. That’s what we are here for. Share this with your family and friends and let us help you help yourself.

In July Of 1998, the American Academy of Periodontology launched an effort to educate the public about new findings which support what dental professionals had long suspected: Infections in the mouth play havoc elsewhere in the body.

Since July of 1998, evidence has continued to mount to support these links. Research says that people with periodontal disease are at higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, pre-term births and respiratory disease. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection, and all infections are cause for concern.

Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections. Research suggests that this may:

• Contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death.
• Increase the risk of stroke.
• Increase a woman’s risk of having a pre-term, low birth weight baby.
• Pose serious threats to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory disease, or osteoporosis.

Do Not Ignore Your Oral Health

The only way to diagnose periodontal disease is through frequent periodontal evaluations. This is especially important if you:

• Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant..
• Have swollen, bleeding or itchy gums.
• Have heart or lung disease, diabetes or osteoporosis.
• Have a sore or irritation in your mouth that does not get better within two weeks.
• Have a family member with gum disease. Research shows that the bacteria that cause gum diseases can pass through saliva. This means common contact of saliva in families puts children and couples at risk for contracting and passing bacteria within the family.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Diseased heart vesseld have thickened walls due to the buildup of fatty proteins. Research indicates that oral bacteria enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the arteries of the heart, contributing to swelling of the arteries and clot formations. Clots obstruct normal blood flow to the heart, restricting the heart’s oxygen supply and leading to heart attack.

Periodontal bacteria can complicate existing heart conditions such as murmur by causing infection of the heart valves. Such pre-existing conditions require antibiotic protection prior to dental procedures. Your dentist and cardiologist can advise you if you think you have concerns on this matter.

People with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as thos without disease.

Gum disease was found in more people who had suffered a stroke than the control group that had not suffered a stroke.

Diabetes

Because diabetics are more susceptible to infection in general, they are more likely to develop gum disease. In fact periodontal disease is considered one of the complications of diabetes.

Severe periodontal disease creates an open door to the blood stream, thereby increasing the entry of sugar into the blood, making it more difficult for diabetics to control blood sugar levels.

Uncontrolled diabetics are especially at risk. The elimination of gum disease is imperative for diabetics.

Pre Term Low Birth Weight Babies

We have known for some time the risk factors associated with smoking, alcohol and drug use during pregnancy, and the relation to babies being born prematurely and low weight. Evidence is gathering to add gum disease to the list.

Pregnant woman who have gum disease are seven times more likely to have a baby born too early and too small.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase a woman’s susceptibility to gum disease.

Respiratory Disease

Bacterial respiratory infections are thought to be acquired through aspiration (inhaling) droplets from the mouth and throat into the lungs. These droplets contain germs that can breed and multiply within the lungs to cause damage. Recent research suggests that bacteria found in the throat, as well as bacteria found in the mouth, can be drawn into the lower respiratory tract. This can cause infections or worsen existing lung conditions. People with respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, typically suffer from reduced protective systems, making it difficult to eliminate bacteria from the lungs.

Scientists have found that bacteria from the oral cavity can be aspirated into the lung causing respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, especially in people with periodontal disease.

Osteporosis

Researchers have suggested a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw. Studies suggest that osteoporosis may lead to tooth loss because the density of the bone supporting the teeth decreases.

Hormone replacement therapy may offer some protection. A study published in the August 1999 Journal of Periodontology, concludes that estrogen supplementation in woman within five years of menopause slows the progression of oral bone loss following menopause. The study concluded that estrogen supplementation may lower gingival inflammation and the rate of attachment loss (destruction of the fibers and bone that support the teeth) in women with signs of osteoporosis.

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Nutrition & Health News Alert

The April-May-June Nutrition & Health News Alert highlights current dairy-related studies and recent nutrition recommendations.

Want a Great Smile? Brush, Floss…Eat Yogurt

Findings of a New Study Indicate Eating Fermented Dairy Foods, like Yogurt, May Contribute to Gum Health

Researchers in Japan found that daily intake of dairy foods containing lactic acid, such as yogurt, is associated with a lower prevalence of severe periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss in non-smoking adults. Periodontal examinations and dietary surveys were analyzed from 942 Hisayama residents, age 40 to 79 years. The participants’ dairy intake was examined and classified into four groups: milk (low-fat and full-fat fluid milk), cheese, lactic acid foods (yogurt) and other dairy products (fat-free milk and coffee creamer). Those with the highest intake of lactic acid foods had a 60 percent lower risk for generalized deep periodontal disease and a 50 percent lower risk for tooth loss than those who ate no lactic acid foods.

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