According to an old saying, "Every child costs the mother one tooth" may have a little bit of truth to it.

Research was published this week that shows women who gave birth to more children tended to lose more teeth than their counterparts that few to no children. There was no difference in the socio-economic lines either. Rich or poor - the tooth lose occurred nearly the same.

A similar study was done in the 1980's in Scandinavia and nearly identical results were recorded.

The reasons however weren't clear. Women can be more prone to gingivitis when they are pregnant and most women limit their dentist visits when they are pregnant.

Source : http://news.aol.com/health/story/ar/_a/more-kids-means-fewer-teeth-for-mom/20080530094709990001

Labels: dental, dental-plans, dentist, oral-care

It's amazing how many people have bad breath in the work place. In a poll conducted by American Workplace, 5000 people were asked what annoyed them most about their co-workers.

The top 5 reasons for annoyance with co-workers were :

1- Too many personal or sick days taken off with that co-worker's duties piled on top of other people.

2- Smoke breaks taken numerous times throughout the day resulting in other people covering that person's desk or tasks.

3- Bad breath and the need to get in people's faces when talking.

4- Taking other people's lunches or not pitching in on company lunches.

5- Gossiping about co-workers, spreading rumors.

As you can see, bad breath is a big one. Bad breath can be caused from the sheer laziness or forgetfulness of not brushing their teeth before work, gastric problems or more serious dental disease.

The sad part is although it's difficult to change the spots of someone that loves to spread rumors, smoke and takes too many days off from work - it's easy to fight dental disease. You can find a dentist in every town and brushing and flossing is a complete no-brainer.

If you might be in the #3 category, do your co-workers a favor and handle it -now.

Labels: bad-breath, dental, dental-plans, dentist, oral-care

If you are wearing braces or have worn braces you know that the slightest irritation can create a mouth sore. You also know that this mouth sore hurts like nothing else you have ever experienced and you would do anything to stop the pain. First and foremost you should consult with your doctor, dentist, or orthodontist first.

This is not an advertisement for Colgate Peroxyl but I can tell you that it helps and it works. I can also tell you that my doctor recommended recently and it helped. I can also tell you that I immediately went to my orthodontist and had him smooth out the anchor bracket on my molar that was causing the irritation.

Just prove that this is not an advertisement...! Colgate is taking us all for a ride on this product... They put it in a box and put it in a nicely designed bottle and charge you a ton! I am not a chemist but I am sure there is one out there that can comment on the ingredients and the actual cost to produce such a product.

I guess if Pfiezer can make absurd margins, why can't Colgate.... ?

Regardless of the cost the product is helpful and has a very nice flavor. Do not drink it.

How important is the type and brand of toothpaste that you use? Are you the type that buys what is on sale? Do you only buy Crest and Colgate in the same why you only buy Coke and Pepsi?

If you buy Crest. Is it ok to buy an one of their several versions? How about Colgate? If you just buy Colgate, are you ok with any version of Colgate?

I remember once a business trip, a close friend of mine asked me for some toothpaste because he failed to pack some as he rushed out the door to make his flight. Of course I offered my toothpaste to him and he gladly went on his way. 30 minutes later on our way down to the lobby to have breakfast he asked me, "Man, how in the heck do you used that crap to brush your teeth?" and I said, "what was wrong with the toothpaste?" He said, "Your toothpaste tastes like sugarless gum!" I laughed of course and asked him, "what kind of toothpaste do you use at home?" He said, "I can only use "Tom's of Maine"

So there you have it.... One mans sugarless gum is another mans toothpaste!

So let us know what you think about toothpaste and which ones that you prefer. Or even better yet.... Share some stories with us about some of the stuff that you don't like. In my house we have three versions from three different manufacturers.

Are movie stars walking around with really sensitive super white teeth or do they usually have veneers that are whiter than the average smile ?

Remember Sammy Hagar? Or that Winger video? I cannot think of anything or anyone lately that has ever had such white teeth on the big screen. There was someone recently on David Letterman that had ridicoulsly white teeth, but I cannot remember who it was... It might have been Sylvester Stallone actually.

OK, so here is a question for the readers that are not dentists. Who have you seen lately that has teeth that could light up a small city at night?

Picking the right dentist and the right practice is not something to take lightly. You do not want to be changing dentists frequently. It is important to find a qualified dentist that also matches your personality. We all know that going to the dentist can be uncomfortable, so take the time to find a Dentist and practice that you enjoy seeing, that also enjoys seeing you.

Going to the dentist should not be uncomfortable in any other area outside of your mouth. You should not accept a poor bedside manner from the staff or the Dentist. Just because he or she is a doctor do not be afraid to express your concern for his or her lack of concern for your comfort. Your dentist doesn't have to be your best friend but he or she should be friendly.

The front staff should be polite and friendly. I am never surprised to learn that the most successful dentists have the most polite and friendly staff working to keep the patient happy and to make them feel appreciated. Regardless if the service is for cosmetic dentistry or a cleaning.

As consumers and patients we have decisions. I am not telling you to look for the friendliest dentist or the friendliest staff. But if that is important to you than do not ignore your needs or preferences. If you prefer a very serious practice that doesn't joke or have relaxed demeanor, than make sure you look for a practice that looks and feels more like a Church or library.

If you like blue don't wear red. Do not be afraid to find the practice that fits your needs and personal preferences.

We all need a dentist. Try to find a practice and a dentist that you can build a relationship with for years to come.

PS check the air in your tires... we all need to take small steps to use less fuel.

Would you trust a dentist that has a myspace page? Have you ever looked for your Dentist on Facebook or MySpace to see if he or she has a page?

At what point do social networks become acceptable for the medical industry?

We want to know what you think.