Page 27 - Inspire Health March/April 2016
P. 27
The American Dental Association insists
“regular brushing (twice daily) and flossing
(once daily) … are critical to maintaining good
oral health and overall well‑being, and should
be just as much of a priority as taking daily
prescribed medications and getting exercise.”
There are many reasons to be thankful There are, of course, other factors some of the innovative techniques that
for modern medicine — and advances that affect our dental health. Some folks are allowing people to have healthier,
in oral hygiene and dentistry rank high are genetically predisposed to having brighter smiles; stronger teeth and gums;
among them. You might hate wearing poor teeth. George Washington, for and better overall health. We talk to oral
braces, getting cavities filled or having instance, suffered from dental maladies surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists
wisdom teeth pulled, but consider this: most of his life. Our first president, at the and more to find out what’s new, what’s
The Centers for Disease Control and time of his inauguration in 1789, had just improved and what to expect when you
Prevention has said members of the Baby one natural, working tooth, and it was take that next trip to the dentist.
Boomer generation will, as a majority, be pulled out about seven years later. As he
the first to retain their natural teeth over got older, his dental problems — along And if you’re one of those people
their lifetime. with ill‑fitting dentures — affected the who think going to the dentist is torture,
That’s a monumental feat. We’ve shape of his face. Look closely at famous think again. Advances in anesthesia
struggled to retain our teeth for portraits of him, and you’ll probably techniques, including sedation dentistry,
centuries — and guess what? Your notice his cheeks appear swollen. make it a walk in the park — especially
dentist is right on target when he or when compared to what our ancestors
she advises you to cut out sweet treats: Today, Washington would have endured. In the 18th century, for
Experts can trace the start of many benefitted from the dizzying array instance, you went to the barber for
of the human race’s dental woes to of treatments available: lasers and air oral maladies. Treatment consisted
about 10,000 years ago, the time period abrasion techniques that can replace largely of yanking teeth, sans anesthetic.
when our species started eating more drills; digital X‑rays, intraoral cameras, And we won’t even detail some of the
grains and, consequently, carbohydrates Invisalign treatments, computer‑assisted remedies prescribed to cure toothaches
— a type of sugar. This provided an drafting to ensure the precise fit of and cavities (search the Web for Pierre
abundant food source for the bacteria implants and crowns, and much more. Fauchard if you really want to know).
Streptococcus mutans, which lives
between our teeth. The waste product He’d also benefit from regular trips Despite all the advances in dental
of its diet is lactic acid, which causes to a modern dentist, something health medicine, there are some tried and true
tooth decay. professionals agree is just as important methods to keep your teeth and gums
as annual checkups at your family in tiptop shape. The American Dental
doctor. A surgeon general’s report Association insists “regular brushing (twice
refers to the mouth as “a mirror of daily) and flossing (once daily) … are
health and disease occurring in the rest critical to maintaining good oral health and
of the body in part because a thorough overall wellbeing, and should be just as
oral examination can detect signs of much of a priority as taking daily prescribed
numerous general health problems, medications and getting exercise.”
such as nutritional deficiencies and
systemic diseases, including microbial The ADA also touts old standards
infections, immune disorders, injuries, — and new ones — such as avoiding
and some cancers. … In addition, there “sugary and starchy snacks,” wearing a
is mounting evidence that oral health mouthguard while playing sports, not
complications not only reflect general smoking, and not piercing “your lips or
health conditions but also exacerbate any part of your mouth.”
and even initiate them.”
For more tips, check out the rest of
Our special dental section in this our dental section — and be sure to
issue of Inspire Health takes a look at Tweet your favorite dental health habit
to @InspireHealthLV.
March · April 2016 INSPIRE HEALTH 27
“regular brushing (twice daily) and flossing
(once daily) … are critical to maintaining good
oral health and overall well‑being, and should
be just as much of a priority as taking daily
prescribed medications and getting exercise.”
There are many reasons to be thankful There are, of course, other factors some of the innovative techniques that
for modern medicine — and advances that affect our dental health. Some folks are allowing people to have healthier,
in oral hygiene and dentistry rank high are genetically predisposed to having brighter smiles; stronger teeth and gums;
among them. You might hate wearing poor teeth. George Washington, for and better overall health. We talk to oral
braces, getting cavities filled or having instance, suffered from dental maladies surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists
wisdom teeth pulled, but consider this: most of his life. Our first president, at the and more to find out what’s new, what’s
The Centers for Disease Control and time of his inauguration in 1789, had just improved and what to expect when you
Prevention has said members of the Baby one natural, working tooth, and it was take that next trip to the dentist.
Boomer generation will, as a majority, be pulled out about seven years later. As he
the first to retain their natural teeth over got older, his dental problems — along And if you’re one of those people
their lifetime. with ill‑fitting dentures — affected the who think going to the dentist is torture,
That’s a monumental feat. We’ve shape of his face. Look closely at famous think again. Advances in anesthesia
struggled to retain our teeth for portraits of him, and you’ll probably techniques, including sedation dentistry,
centuries — and guess what? Your notice his cheeks appear swollen. make it a walk in the park — especially
dentist is right on target when he or when compared to what our ancestors
she advises you to cut out sweet treats: Today, Washington would have endured. In the 18th century, for
Experts can trace the start of many benefitted from the dizzying array instance, you went to the barber for
of the human race’s dental woes to of treatments available: lasers and air oral maladies. Treatment consisted
about 10,000 years ago, the time period abrasion techniques that can replace largely of yanking teeth, sans anesthetic.
when our species started eating more drills; digital X‑rays, intraoral cameras, And we won’t even detail some of the
grains and, consequently, carbohydrates Invisalign treatments, computer‑assisted remedies prescribed to cure toothaches
— a type of sugar. This provided an drafting to ensure the precise fit of and cavities (search the Web for Pierre
abundant food source for the bacteria implants and crowns, and much more. Fauchard if you really want to know).
Streptococcus mutans, which lives
between our teeth. The waste product He’d also benefit from regular trips Despite all the advances in dental
of its diet is lactic acid, which causes to a modern dentist, something health medicine, there are some tried and true
tooth decay. professionals agree is just as important methods to keep your teeth and gums
as annual checkups at your family in tiptop shape. The American Dental
doctor. A surgeon general’s report Association insists “regular brushing (twice
refers to the mouth as “a mirror of daily) and flossing (once daily) … are
health and disease occurring in the rest critical to maintaining good oral health and
of the body in part because a thorough overall wellbeing, and should be just as
oral examination can detect signs of much of a priority as taking daily prescribed
numerous general health problems, medications and getting exercise.”
such as nutritional deficiencies and
systemic diseases, including microbial The ADA also touts old standards
infections, immune disorders, injuries, — and new ones — such as avoiding
and some cancers. … In addition, there “sugary and starchy snacks,” wearing a
is mounting evidence that oral health mouthguard while playing sports, not
complications not only reflect general smoking, and not piercing “your lips or
health conditions but also exacerbate any part of your mouth.”
and even initiate them.”
For more tips, check out the rest of
Our special dental section in this our dental section — and be sure to
issue of Inspire Health takes a look at Tweet your favorite dental health habit
to @InspireHealthLV.
March · April 2016 INSPIRE HEALTH 27
