Constant exercise and stretching is something that is critical for good back health. I know that when I had problems, I went to Andy Haas www.andyhealth.com for treatment. He is an exercise specialist and is an expert in massage. There were time where it was very painful for me to move and Andy truly helped me. I strongly recommend him to whoever needs his help.

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This interesting article is about dental archeology ancient dentistry

A 6,500-year-old tooth packed with beeswax could represent the
earliest evidence of a dental filling, newly-published research has
announced.

Found in part of a human jaw excavated in a cave near Lonche,
Slovenia, the tooth is a left canine, thought to have belonged to a
man aged between 24 and 30.(dental archeology)

Research led by Federico Bernardini and Claudio Tuniz of the Abdus
Salam Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy examined a vertical
crack in the tooth, which had been filled with a resinous substance.

Now analysis published in the journal PLOS ONE has revealed this to be
beeswax, possibly used to alleviate pain and sensitivity when chewing
on the broken tooth.

The team used a range of scientific techniques including 3-D
high-resolution x-rays, radiocarbon dating, and infrared spectroscopy,
to determine the age and composition of the filling. They suggested
that the wax may have had a therapeutic purpose, though they could not
rule out it being applied after the individual’s death.

‘This finding is perhaps the most ancient evidence of prehistoric
dentistry in Europe, and the earliest known direct example of
therapeutic-palliative dental filling so far,’ said Federico
Bernardini. ‘Bee products were used by prehistoric communities for
technological, artistic, and medical purposes, but it is thanks to the
Lonche finding that we can now imagine people doing dentistry in
Neolithic Europe.’

I hope you enjoyed this article on  dental archeology

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OCTOBER 8, 2012, 3:00 PM

I was chewing a piece of steak on a Saturday night last month when an old filling shattered. Suddenly, along with steak I had chunks of gray amalgam and shards of tooth in my mouth. I felt the hole with my tongue — it seemed as large as a crater.

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My dentist later confirmed that I now had a big hole in a molar, too big for a filling. But, the dentist said, if I could spare an hour he could make a crown and put it in, right then and there.

An hour? Aren’t crowns — those tooth-shaped caps that fit over teeth — supposed to require at least two visits? First, the dentist numbs the area and drills the tooth, filing it down to make room for the crown. Then, he or she makes an impression of the tooth to send to a lab. The hole in the tooth is covered with a temporary filling while you wait for your crown.

It arrives at the dentist’s office two or three weeks later. You return for another appointment. The dentist numbs the area, removes the temporary filling and glues the crown in place.

Now, new technology has produced a better way. My dentist happened to be one of the approximately 10 percent who use CAD/CAM — computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing — to create a crown while a patient waits. The result is a ceramic crown that can be glued in place. You are done less than an hour after you first sit down in the dentist’s chair.

Maybe you think that dentists are stuck in the technological dark ages, waving pliers and babbling about fluoride. In truth, the profession has quietly embraced sophisticated technology, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon a prime example.

The process starts the same way it used to: The area is numbed, and the dentist drills the tooth to shape it for the crown. But instead of making an impression of the tooth, the dentist uses a tiny camera to create a three-dimensional image of the drilled tooth. A computer program uses that to construct an image of what the tooth will look like with the crown in place. I could see it on the computer screen — a tooth that looked just like mine would when I left the dentist’s office.

Then all the details — the size and shape, the little ridges and indentations — are transmitted to a machine in an adjacent room that mills the crown from a chunk of porcelain. The result is an exact replica of what I saw on the computer screen. When the crown is ready, about 15 minutes later, the dentist glues it in.

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A lot can happen to your mouth in eight hours — especially when you’re sleeping and bacteria are gathering on your teeth. But don’t let the thought of nasty plaque, cavities, tartar, or gingivitis stop you from getting a good night’s rest. There are many ways to maintain your oral health and oral hygiene while you sleep. Here are eight tips to get you — and your mouth — through the night.

1. Brush before bed. Brushing your teeth before you go to sleep at night helps protect against plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you are particularly susceptible to cavities and gum disease, dentists recommend that you brush immediately after dinner for good oral hygiene, then again right before bedtime.

2. Use good form. According to dentists, the best way to clean your teeth is to brush back and forth gently in short strokes. Brush the outer tooth surfaces first, then the inner tooth surfaces, followed by the chewing surfaces. To clean the backs of your front teeth, use the tip of the brush and stroke gently up and down.

3. Switch to an electric toothbrush. The rotating and oscillating movement of the electric toothbrush head removes plaque from your teeth more efficiently than a regular toothbrush. Be sure to choose an electric toothbrush that’s comfortable to hold, easy to use, and has the rotating-oscillating head.

4. Don’t just brush — floss! Flossing removes food particles and plaque buildup while it’s still soft. If this debris stays on the teeth, bacteria will increase throughout the night and feed off them while you’re sleeping. Furthermore, if the plaque is allowed to harden, it will turn into tartar, and tartar can only be removed by a hygienist or dentist during a professional cleaning. Flossing only at night is fine for most people, but if you’re prone to gum disease or tartar buildup, dentists recommend that you floss in the morning as well.

5. Rinse with mouthwash. Mouthwash isn’t just for fresh breath — therapeutic mouth rinses contain special ingredients that strengthen teeth and help treat certain oral hygiene conditions. Rinsing with a therapeutic mouthwash before bed will help keep your teeth free of plaque and cavities and your gums safe from gingivitis. On the contrary, most commercial, over-the-counter mouthwashes — known as cosmetic mouthwashes — are designed to mask bad breath and they won’t do much to contribute to your oral health. Talk to your dentist about which mouthwash is right for you.

6. Be aware of teeth grinding. If you experience worn tooth enamel, increased tooth sensitivity, or torn cheek tissue, you may be grinding your teeth in your sleep. Though dentists can’t stop you from doing it, they can make you a mouthguard that you can wear at night to protect your teeth from the effects of grinding.

7. See your dentist regularly. Be sure to schedule regular dental checkups and cleanings. Your dentist and hygienist will help you keep your teeth clean and your gums healthy over the long run. Remember, preventive care and maintenance are just as important for a healthy mouth as good daytime and nighttime oral hygiene.

This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2008 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

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Why Breastfeeding Is So Important

Breastfeeding is one of the most natural and beneficial acts a mother can do for her child. From antibodies which protect an infant starting at birth, to the exclusive nutrients in mother’s milk which have been shown to prevent a number of childhood diseases, the benefits are incalculable. In fact it can arguably be said that there is no other single action by which a mother can so impact the present and future health of her baby.

Nevertheless, breastfeeding is often thought of in today’s society as unnecessary. Young mothers are mistakenly led to believe that formula milk is an adequate replacement for breast milk. But nothing can duplicate the properties of breast milk, no matter how many vitamins, minerals and supplements are added to what is basically a chemical formulation.

Breast milk remains the one and only natural, complete and complex nutrition for human infants. It is nature’s formula for ensuring the health and quality of life for infants, as well as on through childhood to adult life.

Reason Breast Feeding Mother’s Milk Is Better Than Formula

For most babies, especially premature babies, breast milk is much easier to digest than formula. The proteins in formula are made from cow’s milk and it takes time for babies’ stomachs to adjust to digesting them. Not only that, but the cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness. This protection is unique, as formula can never match the chemical makeup of human breast milk.

And then there is the emotional advantage to breast feeding. Breastfeeding promotes a special bond between mother and child that only a mother can provide, which includes physiological and psychological benefits for both mother and child. It creates emotional bonds; physical contact can help them feel more secure, warm, and comforted. Mothers can benefit from this closeness, as well, as breastfeeding requires that a mother take some quiet relaxed time to bond.

Breastfeeding Difficulties

Occasionally there are difficulties with a baby breastfeeding. One such common problem is infants who have tongue-tie, also known as ankyloglossia. Their predicament is that they are not able to move their tongue freely to be able to breastfeed effectively, because of the placement of the frenulum, the membrane that connects the base of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. In tongue-tie, the frenulum is attached too tightly to the tongue, anywhere from the base of the tongue to the very tip. Tongue-tie can lead to low milk production problems, since the baby cannot effectively remove milk from the breast. Another painful problem is candidiasis infection of the nipple causing pain.

Tongue Tie and Breastfeeding Problems

Jerusalem dentist Dr. Ari Greenspan is very familiar with the problem, and the solution. Treatment for tongue-tie consists of “clipping” the membrane with surgical scissors or by laser to release the tongue. This procedure is called a frenotomy, a procedure that takes only seconds, after which the baby can usually be put to the breast within a minute or two, where he should be easily soothed. Should your baby have any problems breastfeeding, Dr. Greenspan will diagnose the problem and repair it, and bring relief and satisfaction to you and your baby.

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see this article from mishpacha magazine for information  on child & speech development – speech development

Speech development is something that concerns every parent. We often hear our children lisping or making other speech mistakes. There are many reasons why this can take place. In Israel, many times parents will give their child a non anatomical pacifier which can cause the speech  to be altered. The bones of the face actually grow in a distorted manner as a result of this.

Oral habits like thumb sucking and finger nail biting can also be a factor in oral and articulation development. The bottom line is try and keep you children from developing these habits in order to prevent such problems.

for more info see: Speech sound development – Jackie Myland Seltzer, Speech-Language Pathologist

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Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is not so much a disease but rather a symptom of disease. It often is a result of medications that a person is taking. There tends to be an increase in xerostomia with age, but many feel that is due to the medications older people tend to take.

Normal saliva flow is based upon complicated chemical and nerve reactions. When the mouth or taste buds are stimulated and or smell is stimulated, the body produces or shuts off saliva production.

 Functions of Saliva

There are many things that saliva does for us. It keeps the mouth from being too acidic which can cause cavities. It functions to remove food debris, lubricate the tissues, prevent wounds, and it is antimicrobial to boot.

 Problems due to xerostomia

Anything that impairs the functions of sailva, will cause problems. Tooth decay can soar in the mouths of people without healthy saliva. Dry foods can be difficult to eat and swallowing in general may be tough. Oral ulcers and oral fungal infections, like candidiasis may flourish. Bad breath is likely to be more common as saliva plays an important role is cleansing the body of dead tissue that add to the volatile sulfur compounds (VLC’s) responsible for bad breath.

 Medications responsible for dry mouth

Many different types of drugs can cause dry mouth. They include diuretics, antihistamines, anorexiants, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, anti-Parkinson agents, anticholinergics, antidepressants, and sedatives. Other drug classes that commonly cause xerostomia include antiemetics, antianxiety agents, decongestants, analgesics, antidiarrheals, bronchodilators and skeletal muscle relaxants.

 Oral Cancer and radiation therapy

Radiation as a way of treating cancer cells in the mouth, can cause permanent damage to salivary cells impairing the ability to produce saliva. Often these patients will describe a thick ropey saliva and a difficulty with swallowing. Occasionally the damage is temporary and sometimes there is an improvement over time. Oral Hygiene is critical for these patients.

Treatment of Dry Mouth

Unfortunately, if the underlying cause can not be addressed we need to deal only with the symptom. Symptomatic treatment typically includes four areas: replacing lost secretions, increasing existing saliva flow, control of dental caries and specific measures such as treatment of infections.

 Advice to patients with xerostomia

• Review the self-care measures discussed earlier in this article (with emphasis on minimizing caffeine and smoking).

• Give suggestions about good oral hygiene.

• Encourage adequate fluid particularly water intake, avoiding caffeine and sugar-containing products and alcohol.

• For her allergic rhinitis, suggest nonsedating antihistamines and avoidance of products containing decongestants.

• Quit smoking.

• Consider the use of an artificial saliva and/or OTC saliva stimulant.

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Men in their thirties with inflamed gums caused by severe periodontal disease are three times more likelyto suffer from erection problems, according to a study
published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
1
Turkish researchers compared 80 men aged 30 to 40
with erectile dysfunction with a control group of 82
men without erection problems. This showed that 53%
of the men with erectile dysfunction had inflamed
gums compared with 23% in the control group.

When the results were adjusted
for other factors such as age and
BMI, the men with severe periodontal disease were 3.29 times more
likely to suffer from erection problems than men with healthy gums.
Lead author Dr Faith Oğuz said:
‘Many studies have reported that
chronic periodontitis (CP) may
induce systemic vascular diseases
which have been linked with erection problems. To our knowledge,
erectile dysfunction and CP are
caused by similar risk factors, such
as ageing, smoking, diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.’ 

See 7 nighttime hints for oral hygiene

for  a relationship of prostatitis and psa levels that are high and periodontal disease, look here 
1.  Oğuz F, Eltas A, Beytur A, Akdemier E,
Özay Uslu M, Güneş A. Is there a relationship between chronic periodontitis
and erectile dysfunction? J Sex Med 2012;
DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02974.x

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[flagallery gid=1 name=Gallery]

Dental Trauma Cases Before  And After Gallery

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By Lisa Collier Cool
Feb 15, 2013

Yahoo Health

As Maine and other states are voting to ban BPA from baby food and formula, worry has surfaced about the effects of the now-notorious toxin in children’s dental fillings – BPA and sealants.

A new study—the first to analyze the effects on dental fillings on children’s mental health–links a widely used type of filling that contains BPA to worse behavioral and social functioning in kids five years after the filling is placed, compared to children whose cavities were treated with other materials.

The researchers found that kids ages 6 to 10 who received dental  fillings – BPA with the BPA-based material had drops in behavioral scores on measurements of such issues as depression, anxiety, acting out, paying attention, attitudes towards teachers, and self-esteem. However, the decrease in behavioral scores after dental work was small.

Should parents worry about these fillings? To find out more, I talked to Jonathan Shenkin, DDS, MPH, a faculty member in health policy and pediatric dentistry at Boston University and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA).

What Fillings Contain BPA?

There are two main types of fillings: metal ones known as amalgam and tooth-colored fillings called composites, that are made from glass or quartz filler and bonded into cavities. Because composites match the color of the patient’s teeth, they’ve become very popular, says Dr. Shenkin.

In the study, the problematic dental fillings – BPA were a type of composites that include the resin bis-GMA, which can contains small amounts of BPA (bisphenol-A), used in the manufacturing process. This dental material is also used in sealants (a protective covering that’s applied to kids’ teeth to reduce risk for cavities).

What Are the Health Risks of BPA?

BPA was banned from baby bottles and sippy cups last year because it mimics the effects of estrogen, and may harm health. (The FDA expressed concern about the potential effects of BPA on the prostate glands, brains and behavior of infants and young children.)

Used to make plastics, BPA is found in some food packaging, which can include food or beverage cans. A recent study linked prenatal exposure to hyperactivity and anxiety, especially in girls. In addition, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, including BPA, may be associated with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, according to a literature review of 17 studies.

Children with higher levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to be obese, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year. BPA exposure in kids has also been tied to higher risk for kidney and heart problems.

How Much BPA Do Kids Get from Dental Treatment?

The amount of BPA in composites is very small, says Dr. Shenkin. “The amount in dental material is only a fraction of what’s found in food containers. Usually, there’s only a one-time exposure to traces of BPA residue when the cavity is filled.”

According to the ADA, if a child gets six dental sealants containing bis-GMA, the estimated one-time exposure is about 5.5 micrograms, which is two to five times lower than the estimated daily exposure to BPA from food and environmental sources.

Another type of composites, which contain bis-DMA (which also uses BPA as a starting ingredient during manufacture), can cause ongoing exposure to BPA since salvia can break down that type of resin. However, bis-DMA composites are rarely used in dental practice, says Dr. Shenkin.

How Was the Study Conducted?

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, looked at data collected from 534 children aged six to 10 in six different dental clinics between 1997 and 2005. (434 children were observed during the follow-up phase of the study.)

Kids with cavities were randomly assigned to be treated with amalgam (metal) or composite fillings, then were tracked via reports from their parents using checklists to rate emotional symptoms and psychological adjustment.

Compared to kids who received metal fillings, those treated with composites had:

A higher rate of problem behaviors (16.3% versus 11.2 percent)

More difficulties with social relationships (13.7 percent versus 4.8 percent)

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How Much Effect Did Composite Fillings Have on Kids’ Mental Health?

“On average, the difference in social behavior scores were very small and would probably not be noticed for each individual child,” lead study author Nancy Maserejian, ScD told HealthDay. “But imagine a huge group of children around the country; you’d probably notice a difference.”

The behavioral problems were associated most strongly with higher exposure to BPA, and fillings in the back of the month. This may be because these fillings suffer the most wear and tear when kids chew their food. As the fillings wear down, they may release chemicals that are swallowed.

However, there could be another explanation for the findings, says Dr. Shenkin. “Typically, kids who get cavities drink a lot of sugary beverages, such as soda, from cans that can contain BPA, so if this chemical causes anxiety and other behavioral problems, the culprit could be the kids’ diet.”

The researchers didn’t measure BPA levels before and after the fillings.

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What About Metal Fillings?

Amalgam fillings are generally considered safe. Although they do release some mercury vapor, these levels are widely believed to be low enough to avoid brain and kidney damage, linked with higher amounts of the vapor. Therefore, there’s no need to replace this type of filling, a practice that’s grown in popularity due to fears about mercury.

“Removing sound amalgam fillings results in the loss of healthy tooth structure, and exposes you to additional mercury vapor released during the removal process,” the FDA explains on their website.

Prevention Is Key

The best way to avoid having to make decisions about which fillings to use is to take steps to prevent cavities:

Limit sugary snacks and beverages—including fruit juices.

Makes sure that your child brushes with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flosses once.

Get regular dental care, starting when your child reaches age one.

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