It’s no secret that YouTube is full of dumb and dangerous ideas, considering the recent Tide Pod challenge that made headlines. One such idea is so dangerous that teens have lost their teeth because of it.

Every May, the Better Sleep Council, or BSC, sponsors Better Sleep Month with an aim to raise awareness about how poor sleep, especially on a regular basis, can negatively affect our lives and our health. The organization also places an emphasis on all the benefits of getting better sleep to improve our daily lives and overall health.

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. It’s also probably one of the first things you notice about others. Taking care of your teeth is so important. After all, you only get one set of adult teeth to last a lifetime. With so many products on the market, it can be confusing trying to decide exactly which tools you need and how to choose the best of each one. Here, Dr. Amy Norman, a leading adult and cosmetic dentist in Everett, Washington, talks about which tools are essential and how to choose them wisely.

"There are a few must-haves for any oral health routine such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and a dentist you can trust," she said. "Choosing what kind of each product is best can be a little more challenging."

Americans are busier than ever. Today’s modern professionals are all juggling more than ever before. Pressures run high to be the best, the brightest, the most qualified for the job all while trying to balance a personal life, which for some includes the relationships and needs of spouses and children.

Research published in the International Journal of Paleopathology from McMaster University has shown that dental X-rays can now be used to help spot vitamin D deficiencies by showing the state of the pulp inside teeth. The research team was searching for a way to study vitamin D deficiencies in archaeological specimens without destroying each aged tooth by cutting it open. Their findings could now help identify potential deficiencies in adults and children, which can then be confirmed with a simple blood test.

"Studies are continuing to shed light on the fact that oral health is connected to our overall health in so many ways," said Dr. Amy Norman, DDS, a leading dentist in Everett, Washington.

According to the consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corp., in 2016 Americans drank more bottled water than carbonated soft drinks for the first time in recent history. The research showed that on average, the average consumer drank 39.3 gallons of bottled water and 38.5 gallons of soft drinks throughout the year.

Soda contains excessive calories that come directly from added sugars. According to the USDA, a standard 12 oz. can of soda has close to 150 calories. A few of those a day can quickly push the consumer over the recommended daily calorie intake. In fact, one soda a day can easily add up to 15 pounds a year.

The world’s first, fully automatic toothbrush is here and it’s taking the popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter by storm. The revolutionary toothbrush concept, Amabrush, has raised over $1.4 million after setting an initial goal of $57,052.  

Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments used by medical professionals to eliminate cancer cells. The National Cancer Institute says that nearly half of all cancer patients are treated with radiation at some point in their treatment cycle. It works by damaging the cells’ DNA in order to stop them from dividing and destroy them.

There’s a lot of information available for patients regarding what to expect when faced with this intense treatment option, but not much on how it affects the teeth and mouth of patients.  Head and neck radiation can cause a number of complications when it comes to oral health. These include:

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Known also as canker sores. Those red, painful spots or ulcers that appear on the inside of the lips, on the tongue or inside the cheek and make talking and eating painful or difficult. Sufferers of canker sores know the pain of this condition all too well. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden are working to change how canker sores are treated by identifying potential causes of the condition

Treatments for the condition usually include topical analgesics to reduce or numb the pain, and in many cases, just waiting for the sore to go away on its own. Canker sores are also hard to distinguish from cold sores. As a result, they are also often treated with the same antiviral medications used for the treatment of cold sores. 

Researchers at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom report that the act of chewing food stimulates the body to produce cells critical to the body’s defense system against infection and illness. These cells, known as T helper 17 or Th17 cells are part of the body’s adaptive immune system, which fights off harmful disease causing bacteria. Researchers have known that these Th17 cells are produced in the digestive system and the skin amid good bacteria, but they did not know how or why these cells were produced in the mouth.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are encouraging dentists across the country to review annual water quality reports for the communities they serve. The CDC is encouraging dentists to review the reports in order to understand the fluoride levels that their patients are exposed to through drinking water. Understanding fluoride level exposure in the drinking water of patients gives dentists insight into their patients’ oral health.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks, soil and water. Fluoride was first added to the drinking water system in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. Since then, it has been added to many public water drinking systems across the United States as a preventative against tooth decay. Seventy-five percent of cities and other municipalities across the US have fluoride in their public drinking supply. This translates to over 200 million Americans receiving fluoride when they turn on the tap.

The fluoridation of public drinking water is considered one of the top 10 medical advances of the 20th century, according to the CDC. Fluoride helps to remineralize teeth against bacteria that cause tooth decay. Teeth are demineralized by acid formed when the bacteria found in dental plaque and sugars in the mouth left behind from food meet. This acid attacks and weakens the tooth’s enamel, leaving it susceptible to decay.

1. Grinding Your Teeth
   Also known as bruxism, grinding your teeth is one of the worst things you can do to your mouth. Grinding wears your tooth enamel down gradually, which can cause pain and increase sensitivity. Tooth grinding typically happens at night, and usually a result of stress. You can prevent grinding by wearing a mouth guard at night.
   
   
2. Chomping on Candy 
   Crunching away on hard candy can definitely damage teeth – for two reasons. The first is the pressure exerted on the tooth from crunching the hard candy, and second, sugary foods encourage bacterial growth in the mouth. Gummy candies and chewing gum aren’t exactly safe, either. They are also full of bacteria-loving sugar and can cause damage to restorations like fillings by pulling them out of place.
   
   
3. Using Your Teeth as Tools Your teeth are for chewing. They are not for opening packages, cracking hard shells, or opening bottles. Using your teeth in place of scissors or other tools can cause teeth to crack or break.
   
   
4. Bad Beverages
   You already know that sodas and other beverages can cause damage by promoting bacterial growth or causing staining, but there are other drinks that can cause damage, too. Fruit juices and sports drinks may seem health but are often full of sugar. Skip these sugary options and opt for plain water instead.
   
   
5. Leaving Your Mark
   Chew marks that is. Chewing on pens, pencils, and other objects not designed to be chewed on can damage your teeth and cause them to break and crack.

For more information on these and other dental damaging habits, talk to Dr. Norman at your next check up. Be sure to schedule your next appointment today by calling 425.212.1975.

E-cigs, or electronic cigarettes, are a popular choice for people who have given up smoking cigarettes, but are they really safe? The e-cig device vaporizes a liquid, which is then inhaled by the user. This is commonly known as vaping. The vapor is made up of nicotine, water, glycerin, the food preservative propelene glycol, as well as flavor oils. The vapor replaces smoke and other toxic carcinogens that are found in regular tobacco cigarettes. Because the e-cig eliminates the exposure to smoke and other cancer-causing agents, users possibly lower their risk of contracting lung and other smoking related cancers. Even though e-cigs may be a healthier option than cigarettes and tobacco use, they still have a negative effect on the mouth. Dr. Norman cautions patients about the use of e-cigarettes.

An August 2016 Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine study suggests that recording video selfies of brushing one’s teeth may help some individuals improve their oral hygiene practices.

Before the study began, the brushing habits of each participant were reviewed. Each individual was given instruction to correct their technique until they were brushing in the methods prescribed by the American Dental Association. These methods include holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, brushing the inside of the teeth, then the outside and then the chewing surface.

Recreational drug use is showing an impact on the oral health of users, according to a March 2017 review published in Addiction, the scientific journal of the Society for the Study of Addiction. Study findings show that dental patients using recreational drugs have increased rates of tooth decay and gum disease compared to peers who do not use drugs.

There are approximately three million new drug users per year. The review’s findings came from 28 studies performed across the globe and included the data from 4,086 dental patients who used recreational drugs, and 28,031 patients in the control group.