Wow, Bluetooth Toothbrush?

Yes, it's for real.  At first glance it may seem silly to have a Bluetooth toothbrush, but maybe a little accountability is what we all need to improve our hygiene habits! Check it out below. 

(Source: Beam Brush via GIGAOM)

From heart monitors to cooking thermometers, almost any piece of tech seems to be equipped with Bluetooth and an accompanying smartphone app these days. Now it looks like even the simplest of items can get their own high-tech upgrade, as evidenced by Beam Technologies' upcoming Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush. The Beam Brush will monitor a person's dental hygiene using sensors that sync with an app, which will then track that data and offer incentives to improve their brushing habits.

It may seem odd to equip something as simple as a toothbrush with Bluetooth features, but when the average person spends only 46 seconds out of the dentist-recommended two minutes brushing their teeth, a little technology might go a long way. Sensors in the Beam Brush are activated by contact with the mouth, which syncs with a timer in the app to time how long a user actually spends brushing their teeth. The app will also track this over a period of time, so people can share the results with their dentist and see if they need to improve their habits.

Later versions of the app will detect how long a person scrubs different areas of their mouth as well, and play music while they brush. Beam Technologies is also planning to add some social elements and game-like achievements to reward users for their good dental habits. It should be a useful tool in particular for parents who want to make sure their children are brushing their teeth correctly.

The Beam Brush will hit store shelves in early March, with the base costing US$50 and replacement brush heads costing $3.

(Source: Beam Brush via GIGAOM)

The Bacteria Strike Back?

I’ve always been fascinated with the balance of things.  Like how radar guns are used to detect speeders and then radar detectors (fuzz-busters) were invented.  Like how fungi fight bacteria by making penicillin, and then bacteria become resistant. 

It seems that bacteria have had a secret weapon to accelerate tooth decay.  Fluoride has long been used to fight tooth decay.  The main action is through the binding of fluoride to the enamel of the tooth.  But, researchers found long ago that high levels of fluoride will be toxic to most bacteria.  Recently Yale researchers discovered that bacteria have a weapon against fluoride- the riboswitch.  This process can detect the build-up of fluoride and activate the defenses of bacteria, including those that contribute to tooth decay.

We should have known that these little test tubes of evolution would come up with something!  These riboswitches appear to not be a recent adaption and the mechanism seems only to be triggered for the survival of the organism.  So it probably won’t affect the way dentistry uses fluoride for tooth decay, coating the tooth to prevent the attack from causing damage.  Bacteria could use this pathway in the future to become resistant to the actions of current toothpastes and mouthwashes.  Of course much more research is needed.  Be assured that dentistry will continue to emphasize prevention as the best way to fight disease.

Journal Reference:

Jenny L. Baker, Narasimhan Sudarsan, Zasha Weinberg, Adam Roth, Randy B. Stockbridge, and Ronald R. Breaker.Widespread Genetic Switches and Toxicity Resistance Proteins for Fluoride. Science, 22 December 2011 DOI:10.1126/science.1215063

Why Baby Teeth are Important.

Let’s say you just found out that your young child has a cavity in his or her baby tooth.  You  might think to yourself, let’s just pull it.  Its just gonna come out anyway right?  I would argue that baby teeth are important and should be maintained until it is time for natural exfoliation.  So to that order, I’ve compiled a list of reasons why baby teeth are important. 

First, baby teeth are for chewing.  It sound simple but the first stage of  digestion happens in the mouth.  We break up the food into smaller pieces not only to swallow them easier, but also to help the chemical breakdown of the food into nutrients go smoother and quicker.  

Second, the primary, or baby teeth, are important in speech development.  Placement of the tongue and lips is guided by the teeth.  Try this – say the word “lisp.”  Normal speech patterns dictate that you start with your tongue on the back of your front teeth to make the “L” sound and then move it away to make the “I” and then bring your teeth together to make the “S”.  Finally your lips pull back to your front teeth and end with a percussive “P”.  These moves are much more difficult to make, much less learn, when those reference points aren’t there. 

Third, these teeth are important for appearance and alignment.  I know what your thinking… well, the kid is gonna have missing teeth sometime!  True enough, but I’m talking about the baby teeth acting as guides to the adult teeth as they come in.  If a child’s tooth is missing too early that guidance will be compromised and the tooth behind the missing one falls forward into the missing tooth’s spot causing a domino effect and crowded adult teeth. 

The best situation of course is prevention of decay and disease in the first place, but if a child has decayed teeth we can still save them.  Let’s turn a bad situation into a good one, instead of turning a bad situation into a worse one.  You can like us on facebook, subscribe to this blog or call Toothbrusher’s Dental at 405 789-6935 to reach us.   

Hygienists and Assistants

Dental assistant Laura with dental hygienist Kala

It has come to my attention that many people get dental hygienists and dental assistants confused.  It’s an understandable mistake.  Both perform supportive roles in the office and see patients independently sometimes.  Furthermore in my office, we have more of a team approach and the hygienist and I will sometimes perform the assistants’ duties too.  But dental assistants and hygienists do have different tasks that they perform in the office and also have differing levels of training.

In my office, Cheryl and Laura are the dental assistants. They prepare the room for treatment, get out all the equipment, and sterilize the room.  They will help the dentist with the procedure, passing instruments and mixing materials and such.  They can take x-rays, impressions, polish teeth, and educate patients on everything from insurance co-payments to oral hygiene.

Kala is our dental hygienist.   She has more specialized in the area of oral care and cleaning teeth.  Kala will remove calculus (or tartar), chart dental conditions, administer local anesthesia, and may work autonomously from the dentist. However, different states have different rules on the level of autonomy. 

 

Most dental assistants will receive a diploma or certificate from a vocational school and the program will last from 9 – 12 months.  Dental hygienists receive a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.  In Oklahoma, a four year degree is required to be licensed to perform the duties of a dental hygienist.

Summer Blockbuster Deal

Schedule your cleaning with us for the week of June 27th and receive 2 free movie tickets. Make your appointment for the week of June 27-July 1 and mention the deal.

Open to new or existing patients due for a cleaning. Insurance or cash patients welcome.
Limit two tickets per family. 405-789-6935

Why should I get a filling if my tooth doesn’t hurt?

When a tooth has decay, or a cavity, it begins as an incipient lesion barely noticeable.  If you wait until the tooth is sensitive to cold, hot, or sugary foods, the decay in the tooth will be deeper and can affect the nerve of the tooth. That means the tooth may need a root canal or an extraction.  The time to repair the tooth is before the pain.  

 

Much of dentistry’s focus has been to detect decay earlier and earlier so that we can remove as little tooth structure as possible to make a restoration.  With the bonding agents and resins that we have now, very small fillings are possible and will be sturdy.    

What is Periodontitis?

Gum disease or more accurately periodontitis is actually a class of diseases affecting the supporting structures of the teeth.  The word periodontitis can be best understood when broken down into its parts.  “Perio-” means around, and “dont” refers to the teeth, and “-itis” means inflammation.  

There are many types of periodontitis including a few rare ones, but for this discussion I will describe the typical path and onset of the disease.  It is worth mentioning here that periodontitis affects much more than your teeth.  There are strong links between periodontitis and cardiac problems and also between expectant mothers with periodontitis and low birth rate of the newborn.  

The first stage is called "gingivitis" and is characterized by gum tissue that is red, puffy, and bleeds easily when touched with a toothbrush, floss or dental instrument.  These are inflamed gingiva or gums.  This inflammation is caused by a buildup of a soft, sticky layer of bacteria called plaque.  It is constantly forming on the teeth. Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth usually at the gum line.  Treatment of gingivitis is usually very simple.  Remove the plaque with a dental office cleaning, keep the teeth clean and it is completely reversible.  

The second, third, and fourth stages are initial, moderate, and advanced "periodontal disease", respectively. These stages are different from gingivitis because the infection has destroyed the bone supporting the teeth, causing irreversible damage and possible tooth loss.  The treatment is more involved at these stages, usually consisting of a special cleaning with anesthesia and sometimes surgery.  

Periodontitis is, in most cases, a completely preventable disease.  It is one of the things that we always check for at routine visits and why dentists recommend preventative cleanings every six months.