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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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)

10 Ways To Improve Your Smile

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.

The post Do Dental Fillings – BPA Negatively Affect Children’s Behavior ? appeared first on Dr. Ari Greenspan Dentist.

Diseases that are transmitted through sex are called STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) The diseases are passed on through intimate contact (oral, anal or vaginal) and bodily fluids. Some have great health implications for life and you should understand

what the problems are and know how to protect yourself, should you engage in any high
risk activity.

You can   not get an STD from a person who does not have one. Having multiple partners with unprotected sex is the way you catch an STD. Contrary to what many people think, you can catch an STD by having unprotected oral sex.

STD’s That You Can Catch

There are four main categories of diseases. Bacteria, Fungal, Viral, Parasite and Protozoal. Each is contracted and treated differently and there are many factors affecting your chances of catching it. Below are the most common STD’s.

Chlamydia – Is a bacterial infection and can be cured with antibiotic, ONCE it has been diagnosed. Unrepairable damage however, can be done before diagnosis. It can be transmitted to babies during childbirth causing great health issues or premature birth and blindness to the baby. Main symptoms are discharge and pain upon urination.

Gonorrhea –Is a bacterial infection, known as  “the  clap” and treatable with antibiotics. However, there are many strains today that do not respond anymore, making this a problematic disease with no treatment available in many cases. Symptoms are pelvic pain, discharge and pain on urination. Left untreated it can cause permanent damage and heart valve damage.

Syphilis – Is a bacterial infection that is treatable with antibiotics when caught in time. It have 4 states that are not always easy to detect. some of the symptoms are skin ulcerations, rash and ultimately years after contraction neurological disease including dementia. It has many bad symptoms including pain, eye and vision problems,kidney problems and more.

Candidiasis – Is a fungal disease that affects mucosal membranes and causes great discomfort, pain and itching. While it rearely causes complications it can be a source of discomfort.

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As described in part one, many different disease types can be passed from one person to another during unprotected sex with a person carrying an illness. One of the more important categories of disease are viruses.

There are a number of common viruses that one can catch .

Viral Hepatitis B – causes inflammation of the liver. If the body is not able to fight it, in close to 15% of the cases it becomes a chronic disease and is an STD. It can cause cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. A vaccine exists for hepatitis B

Herpes – is a viral infection. The virus lives in nerve cell bodies and when the become periodically reactivated, the will once again produce symptoms. The oral form of herpes is called a cold sore or fever blister. It presents as a blister or sore on the lip.  It exists in the body for life. This STD can be painful.

HIV – is a virus and is the cause for  AIDs. AIDS allows for the failure of the human defense system and for opportunistic infections to thrive.

HPV – Human Pappiloma Virus. can cause warts on skin or mucous membranes. It has been associated with various cancers including cervix,vulva, penis and the oropharanx . A vaccine does exist for this virus.

STD’s are an important category of diseases greatly affecting human kind. Transmission can be prevented if proper protective measures are used.

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Generalized inflammatory processes affect the body and mouth. Erectile dysfunction has a relationship to gum disease. Benign Prostatic hypertrophy an PSA levels that are elevated , are common as men age. They can be benign or could be an indication of prostatic cancer,

Recently, a correlation has been found between, prostatitis and psa levels and  gum disease.

see this recent article on the correlation.

Periodontal disease and high PSA levels

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We all know flossing is important to keep your mouth healthy. However, recent studies have found a much greater link between oral hygiene and general health. The debris and bacteria that lurk in between the teeth, an area that brushing does not reach, can have a great impact on your general health.

Pancreatic cancer

Studies have shown that the inflamed and infected gums cause the bodies inflammatory system to kick in, causing a host of different actions and flooding the blood system with inflammatory hormones. We have seen how there is a relationship between periodontitis and heart disease, erectile dysfunction, prostatitis and other medical problems. Now the scientists see a connection between gum disease and pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a very severe one. Almost 1/4 of the deaths from cancer in the US are from pancreatic cancer. It also  has a very poor prognosis. Even being discovered at stage 1, there is only a 25% 5 years success rate. while definitive causes for this cancer have not been clearly defined, smoking seems to be a major factor accounting for 30% of these tumors.

Flossing Benefits

Flossing has many benefits. Besides making your gums healthy it also plays a role in preventing bad breath. The American Diabetes association says that gums disease is a causative factor in diabetes and can certainly make the diabetic worse. Bacteria in the

Benefits Of Flossing

mouth also can affect the respiratory system.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston surveyed more than 50,000 male health professionals (about half of them dentists) to determine who had periodontal disease, then followed them for 16 years; 216 eventually developed pancreatic cancer. After controlling for known risk factors like smoking, alcohol intake, and body weight, the researchers found that those with gum disease were 64 percent more likely to develop the cancer than those with healthy gums; those who had lost teeth because of severe gum disease had 2.7 times the risk. “Since the cancer is so highly fatal, it’s interesting to have a new risk factor to help us understand the disease better,” says study leader Dominique Michaud.

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