Gene Therapy Tackles Severe Burns

Jan. 29, 2007 — Severe burns are not only painful, they also put patients at risk of serious infection. Now researchers are using gene therapy to rev up the wound healing process in skin cells, hoping to fight potentially lethal infections.
"The gene we're using is found in humans, but not normally turned on in the skin," explained Dorothy Supp, a researcher at Cincinnati Shriner's Hospital for Children and the University of Cincinnati. "We transferred it to skin cells in culture increase their antimicrobial function."
Supp and her team published the research in the current issue of the Journal of Burn Care and Research.
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Damage to Brain Spot Stops Addiction

Jan. 26, 2007 — Damage to a silver dollar-sized spot deep in the brain seems to wipe out the urge to smoke, a surprising discovery that may shed important new light on addiction. The research was inspired by a stroke survivor who claimed he simply forgot his two-pack-a-day addiction — no cravings, no nicotine patches, not even a conscious desire to quit.

"The quitting is like a light switch that went off," said Dr. Antoine Bechara of the University of Southern California, who scanned the brains of 69 smokers and ex-smokers to pinpoint the region involved. "This is very striking."

Clearly brain damage isn't a treatment option for people struggling to kick the habit.

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Just Gotta Have Toothpaste!

Tooth care products are ancient history

Brushing our teeth with a toothpaste that tastes good and feels good in the mouth is something we take for granted; but several thousand years ago, flavor was an afterthought. The Egyptians began brushing their teeth as long ago as 3000–5000 BC. Their toothpaste probably tasted fairly nasty. Imagine scrubbing your teeth with a cream made of oxen hooves ground up into ashes, myrrh (a dried tree sap that was used in perfumes and incense), burned egg shells, pumice (a lightweight, porous volcanic stone that was used as an abrasive), and water.

Many thousand years later, around 1780, one toothpaste was made from burnt bread; another was made from dragon’s blood (Someone had a good imagination.), cinnamon and burnt alum. In the 1800s ground charcoal was common in tooth powder. The tooth powder was to clean the teeth and to freshen the breath—just like today.

Contemporary tooth care

Nearly one hundred years later, in 1873, one of today’s most popular tooth care products, Colgate, sold its first toothpaste. In our lifetime, toothpastes have become very popular. Even though its ingredients have changed dramatically from what the Egyptians used, all of today’s toothpastes contain nearly the same ingredients.

What is this stuff I can’t pronounce?

You may be wondering if so many toothpastes contain much the same ingredients, how do you know you which one to buy? First, to help you decide, let’s take a look at a toothpaste package and understand what each ingredient is and why it is used in toothpaste. Different toothpastes use different combinations of ingredients; the list below was acquired from several brands of toothpaste to show you the range of ingredients that are currently used.

Baking soda: a mild abrasive that helps scrub the hard, crusty tartar off your teeth.

Carrageenan, cellulose gum, xanthan gum: make toothpaste thick. Carrageenan is made from red seaweed. Cellulose gum is made from wood pulp or cotton linters. Xanthan gum is made from glucose or sucrose.

Coloring: adds a pleasing color to toothpaste. For example, Chlorophyll adds a green color to toothpaste, and Titanium oxide makes toothpaste white. Most coloring agents are artificial.

Flavoring: peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, cinnamon, etc. make toothpaste taste good by masking the not-so-flavorful taste of the detergent, especially sodium laurel sulfate (see below).

Glycerin: gives toothpaste texture and keeps it from drying out.

Hydrated silica (or other forms of silica), calcium phosphate, alumina, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate: abrasives that help to remove the soft, sticky plaque and food stains off your teeth.

Mica: a mild abrasive that helps to polish the tooth surface.

Peroxide: marketed as a “cleaning agent”; however, there is lack of evidence to support that claim.

Sodium benzoate, methyl or ethyl paraben: preservatives added to prevent bacteria from growing in toothpaste so you do not have to refrigerate your toothpaste.

Sodium laurel sulfate: a detergent that makes toothpaste foamy.

Sodium monofluorphosphate, stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride: types of fluoride that form a protective shield over the exposed portion of your teeth so that bacteria have a more difficult time causing tooth decay.

Sodium pyrophosphate: helps to prevent tartar from attaching to your teeth.

Sorbitol, saccharin, Xylitol: sugar substitutes. Xylitol also kills decay-causing bacteria.

Strontium chloride,potassium nitrate: prevent teeth from being sensitive to hot or cold foods or liquids by “numbing” the tooth nerve.

Triclosan, zinc fluoride: “germ fighters” that kill decay-causing bacteria that live in your mouth.

Calcium peroxide: a whitener that removes stains from teeth but does not change the color of the teeth, which is much like washing a dirty sink. The cleaning agent removes the soap scum from the sink so you can more clearly see the white color of the sink.

The “best” toothpaste for you

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you buy toothpaste that contains fluoride and that is ADA approved because there is not much difference between toothpastes. The ADA thoroughly reviews laboratory studies and scientific data on toothpastes; so you can be sure that any toothpaste that has the ADA seal is safe to use and is effective.

If toothpastes use about the same ingredients, what does all this mean? Essentially, it means that if you like the taste of a specific toothpaste and the way it feels in your mouth, buy it and use it. If you like the toothpaste, chances are you will use it more often than a toothpaste that you do not like.

Most importantly, regular brushing is a major tool in preventing tooth decay!

Hygienist tips of the month

If you have a canker sore, do not use toothpaste that contains sodium laurel sulfate. There are very few toothpastes on the market that do not contain this ingredient. Read labels carefully to find a toothpaste that won’t irritate a canker sore.

Toothpaste does not clean the teeth or remove plaque—the toothbrush does! Toothpaste effectively delivers fluoride to your teeth. Consider this: When you are sitting watching the evening news or your favorite program on television, use a toothbrush without toothpaste to gently massage your gums and brush over the surfaces of your teeth. Then, before you go to bed, add that favorite toothpaste and brush again.

You may also be interested in:

1. Dying from Toothpaste Ingestion
   
2. Oral Hygiene for Children, Pediatric Dental Care, Infant Tooth Care
   
3. Toothbrush Abrasion-Diagnosis and Treatment
   
4. How to Brush Your Teeth Properly
   
5. Fluoride-the greatest breakthrough in preventive dentistry
   
6. Fresh Breath - How to Get it, How to Keep it
   
7. Dental Sealants-preventive dental fillings for children and adults
   
8. Spring Cleaning Includes Your Teeth, Houston TX Dentist, Dental Care
   
9. Brush My Teeth with Cranberries?
   
10. A Healthy Smile Lasts a Lifetime
    
11. How to care for your teeth when you have periodontal disease
    
12. The Proper Flossing Technique
    
13. What is a dental hygienist

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Are Adults Qualified for Braces?

For optimal oral health and perfect smile, your teeth need to be perfectly aligned. When designing the ideal approach to orthodontic treatment for adults, there are several factors you and your dentist should be considered. The influencing circumstances such as jaw growth, missing teeth, and periodontal breakdown make treating an adult so different in comparison to an adolescent. Although these problems sometimes exist in youngsters, they occur frequently and are clearly more severe in adults.

The bodies of adults are no longer in the stages of development and would normally expect no more jaw growth to occur. Adults have their permanent teeth in place and their jawbones have formed accordingly to their bites. Malocclusion, which is technically termed as a bad bite, is caused either by the misalignment of teeth (dental-related problem), by the incongruity of the jawbone (bony-related problem), or by the combination of both. Of the three reasons, the bony-related malocclusion is the most difficult to manage in adult orthodontic treatment.

The irregular development of the jawbones creates an imbalance between the upper and lower jaws. Therefore, adult patients, who have longer lower jawbones (facial protrusion), may need orthognathic surgery to shorten the lengths of the lower jaws (mandibular setback procedure) and/or to increase the lengths of the upper jaws (maxillary advancement procedure). Conversely, adult patients with shorter lower jawbones (facial retrusion) may require surgical intervention to extend the lengths of their lower jaws (mandibular advancement procedure) and/or to reduce the lengths of their upper jaws (maxillary setback procedure).

Missing teeth, especially in adults, is problematic because the voids after dental extraction cause teeth to shift on their own and become misaligned. This misalignment can cause teeth to come into contact at irregular angles that causes stress on the jaw muscles, damage to the enamel, and lead to inefficient biting. This affects adult orthodontic treatment because once the teeth have been properly realigned; something must be done to prevent the teeth from drifting back into the open area. Typically, your dentist will recommend a bridge or an implant to fill the void of the missing tooth. Adolescents, however, are still developing teeth and generally would not have an issue like this.

The problem with periodontal breakdown is that it is more common to have an adult with periodontal disease, rather than an adolescent. "Periodontal" is defined as the area surrounding the tooth, which refers to the gums and bone. Having a periodontal disease, like gingivitis or periodontitis, complicates orthodontic treatment because it destroys the supporting tissues and slows downs the formation of new bone. The treatment time and the retention time therefore will be prolonged. Your dentist has to move the teeth by smaller increment at each interval and you have to wear the retainer after the active treatment for longer period.

Investing in orthodontic treatment is worthwhile in so many ways. Not only orthodontics can straighten the teeth, it also exposes the hidden areas caused by crowding or overlapping of teeth. These hidden areas are a haven for plaque and bacteria to grow. Inhibiting bacteria growth will decrease the chance of tooth decay, gum disease, and potential tooth loss. Cleaning becomes more efficient with straight teeth because every crevice will be easier to reach and no area will go unscathed. It also makes it easier for dentists to perform treatments such as bridges and crowns when teeth are properly aligned, thus increasing the probability of a successful procedure. From a psychological perspective, people who have had orthodontic treatment completed, exuberate confidence and have a high self-esteem. Even though the cessation of body growth and the periodontal disease pose as a challenge to adult orthodontic treatment, with the modern advance of dental technology, they are manageable. The sooner treatment is started, the sooner you will get better. No matter what age group, it is never too late. Imagine all the power and the privileges you can have with a perfect smile!

You may be also interested in ...

Straighten Your Teeth with Invisible Braces (Invisalign)
Old Braces and New Braces
A Grown-up Solution for Straighter Teeth
Intitial Orthodontic Evaluation

Minh Nguen, D.D.S.

Houston Dentist at Softdental

The growth of the internet helps to facilitate a better understanding in oral healthcare system. Both the healthcare providers as well as the patients now can share current information about the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases. It's unquestionable that the success in preventing and treating of oral diseases involve the combined efforts of both the dentists and the patients.

The major goals for this dental blog are:

· To bring to the bedside the remarkable advances that have been made in the understanding of oral diseases, drawing on the most recent reports.

· To present accurately and clearly the dynamics and development of dental diseases from their very beginnings (i.e., cause and course of the diseasess), through the clinical features, to the clinical treatment recommendations.

· To devote space for the readers to comment on the subjects. This blog is written primarily for non-technical persons. Rigorous efforts have been made to achieve as much brevity and clarity as possible. All readers are invited to leave comments on the subjects.

Only the users of this blog can tell to what extent these goals have been met, but such shortfalls as may exist surely cannot stem from lack of trying.

Minh Nguyen, D.D.S.

Houston dentist at Softdental.com