Vitamin D: Impact on Cavities

Vitamin D Can Have a Positive Impact on Caries

I've taking this blog post from an email I recieved about Vitamin D and the effect it can have on Cavities. This is an excerpt from that email:

(http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=rst&pag=dis&ItemID=312138&wf=1386)

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Study: Vitamin D has positive impact on caries rates

By Kathy Kincade, Editor in Chief

Research has shown a positive link between vitamin D and oral and systemic health, the IOM noted; however, these studies have yielded "conflicting and mixed results and do not offer the evidence needed to confirm that vitamin D has these effects."

Now a new systematic review, conducted by Philippe Hujoel, PhD, DDS, MSD, MS, of the University of Washington School of Dentistry and School of Public Health, points to a positive association between vitamin D and lower rates of dental caries (Nutrition Reviews, November 9, 2012).

Vitamin D was first discovered in the early 1920s, and at least 20 prospective clinical studies evaluating its impact on dental caries were initiated in Europe, North America, and Asia over the next two decades, according to Dr. Hujoel. However, professional and governmental groups varied widely in their interpretation of the scientific evidence.

For example, the American Medical Association and the U.S. National Research Council concluded around 1950 that vitamin D was beneficial in managing dental caries, but the ADA said otherwise -- based on the same evidence.

For the Nutrition Reviews study, Dr. Hujoel analyzed 24 controlled clinical trials (CCTs) that met the inclusion criteria. The CCT quality was quantified using a 21-item questionnaire and content-specific measures such as method of treatment assignment, setting, clinician blinding, use of placebo, commercial funding source, and study duration.

The 24 CCTs included in the study spanned the 1920s to the 1980s and were conducted in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Austria, New Zealand, and Sweden in institutional settings, schools, medical and dental practices, or hospitals. All told, the CCTs encompassed nearly 3,000 participants between the ages of 2 and 16 years.

The trials increased vitamin D levels in these children through the use of supplemental ultraviolet (UV) radiation or by supplementing the children's diet with cod liver oil or other products containing the vitamin.

These trials showed that vitamin D was associated with a 47% reduction in the incidence of tooth decay, he noted. No robust differences could be identified between the caries-preventive effects of UV therapy and nutritional supplementation with either vitamin D₂ or vitamin D₃. "The analysis of CCT data identified vitamin D as a promising caries-preventive agent, leading to a low-certainty conclusion that vitamin D in childhood may reduce the incidence of caries," Dr. Hujoel concluded.

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I hope you are all enjoying your week!

Richard Stickney DDS PS

It's 2013!

Hello everyone!

Can you believe it is already 2013? This year has flown by! I just wanted to write this blog to share with all of you some of my new hopes and goals for the 2013 year.

First of all, I want to thank you for choosing us for your dental care. We are honored and delighted to be working with each of our patients and look forward to building on those relationships in the years to come.
Secondly, we wish to continue to evolve and grow in the practice, always looking for new ways to make things better for you and for us. Recently we have been making some refinements to our procedures and techniques. We've made some refinements in our laser treatment with regards to root canals and we've also had new and further laser advancements in our non invasive approach to periodontal health and how that relates to overall health.
This year we will be introducing a new laser into our office, in addition to our Waterlase. This laser is called the Biolase Epic. It is a surgical and therapeutic device designed for a wide variety of oral soft tissue procedures and dental whitening, as well as for use in providing temporary relief of minor pain.

As always we are looking for the most minimally invasive ways to do treatment and to prevent dental disease in any form.

I hope you are all having a great day!
Richard Stickney DDS PS

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Hello Everyone!

Happy Thursday. Can you believe it's December already! 2013 is just a few weeks away! Well today we wanted to write this blog post about a common issue many people have during sleep, its called Sleep Apnea. Many of you have heard the term before, but a brief definition of this condition is: 

A sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low breathing event is called a hypopnea.

Some interesting facts concerning sleep apnea are:

• According to a Swedish study, as many as half of all women between the ages of 20 and 70 suffer from mild to severe sleep apnea – the inability to breathe properly during sleep. Among women with hypertension or who were obese, 80-84 percent had sleep apnea
• Sleep apnea is associated with increased risk of stroke, silent brain infarction, heart attack, and early death
• Signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include increased forward head posture when sleeping, snoring, and frequent tossing and turning while sleeping
• While obesity was previously believed to be a primary cause of sleep apnea, the issue appears to be more related to the shape and size of your mouth and the positioning of your tongue than your weight
• If your sleep apnea is related to your tongue or jaw position, specialty trained dentists can design a custom oral appliance to address the issue, or you can use a novel set of tools called myofunctional exercises, designed to naturally reshape the structure of your mouth
• Mandibular repositioning devices, designed to shift your jaw forward, or others that help hold your tongue forward without moving your jaw, may also be helpful.

If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea by your physician and you wish to explore the option of a dental device to help with this condition, be sure to ask us about it. We'd love to explain what sort of dental options could be done for your case!

I hope you are all doing well! Enjoy your weekend.

Richard Stickney DDS PS

Another Friendly Reminder!

Good morning everyone!

I just wanted to remind everyone that we have about 5-6 weeks left in the calendar year and for our patients who are dependent on insurance coverage, we wanted to remind you to book your appointments in advance so that you can be sure to be covered in the 2012 year. If you don't use your insurance, it does not "roll-over" into the new year, so you will lose it. December is usually our busiest month, so if you've been putting off your work for any reason, now is the time to get it scheduled.

To schedule an appointment today, please call us at (206) 728-1330.

I hope you are all doing well.
Enjoy the long weekend!
Richard Stickney DDS PS

FAQ: What Toothpaste Should I Be Using?

I often get asked what sort of toothpaste people should be using. For many years, I believed that using a toothpaste with any sort of baking soda in it was too abrasive, and thus, harmful to the enamel of the tooth and the gums. I recently took some continuing education and there has been extensive research about this topic and in fact, I must admit that I was wrong about baking soda. This research shows that when baking soda is used in Arm and Hammer toothpaste is less abrasive than most other toothpaste. One dentist at this seminar  said he recommends Arm & Hammer Sensitive toothpaste for patients who have gum line sensitivity and he found it to be effective. This type of sensitivity is a common problem for patients who have receded gums.

I still prefer to use our Dental Herb Company's Tooth and Gum Paste, and I recommend that to all of our patients. We also still recommend that no matter what toothpaste you are using, to be applying only a pea sized amount on a soft bristle brush. I like this tooth paste because it is free of chemicals and it is effective.

I'm always looking for new ways to be educating our patients and my staff. So knowing this new research about baking soda is going to be very helpful when educating our patients about proper home care and what toothpaste they should be using.

I hope you all are having a great week. Stay warm this weekend, I hear it is going to get cold!
Richard Stickney DDS PS

Boomerang Champion!

Hello!

Today's post is not about Dentistry, but rather, a post from a proud father! My oldest son, James, participated in the 2012 World Boomerang Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which started on October 17th, 2012 and ended the 29th. This event was 10 days of competition with "boomerangers" from around the world, including countries like Germany, Austrailia, Japan, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, and many others. In addition to the competition, my son and the other participants got to experience Brazilian culture and food. I'm proud to say that James came in 4th place, which makes him the 4th best in all the world for Boomerang!

There will be a new post this Thursday, as usual, but I just had to share this exciting news with everyone!
I hope you are all staying dry in this Seattle rain (although we should be grateful that we aren't dealing with hurricane Sandy).

Richard Stickney DDS PS

Common Dental Issue

Hello everyone!

Today we wanted to talk about a common issue many of our patients have. On our Health History forms we have the question, "Have you had problems or undesirable experiences with previous dental treatments?" Many of our patients have stated there that they requested no amalgam fillings, but they were put in anyways! You might be wondering, "well how is that possible?"

The answer to that is communication, and the lack of REALLY listening to what the patient wants. As for the amalgams, sometimes they are left behind when a crown is made and they are found years later. They can be underneath old crowns, fillings, or bridges. Other times, some dentists take it upon themselves to make decisions for the patient without consulting with them about what they would prefer.

When we consult with patients about their treatment, whether it be crowns, onlays, composites, etc, we really try to listen to the needs and desires of each individual person. We may have a recommendation, but if the patient would prefer some other form of treatment, we of course would cater to that need, as long as it applies to the situation. When we go over treatment options with them, we outline what the ideal and optimal solutions would be, but also provide alternative plans so that the patient can make an informed decision regarding his or her mouth. To me, patient education plays a major role in my practice so we always encourage our patients to ask questions. We also ask our patients to speak up about things so that we can deliver the best experience for them. We are happy to tell our patients about the materials we are using and why we use them.

I hope you are all doing well!
Richard Stickney DDS PS