Mom's gum disease ups risk of premature birth

Pregnant women with periodontal (gum) disease are at increased risk for delivering their infants prematurely, according to a pooled analysis of 17 studies involving 7,151 women, 1,056 of whom delivered their infants preterm or at a low birth weight.

Drs. Jean-Noel Vergnes and Michel Sixou of the Dental School in Toulouse, France found that mom's gum disease increased the risk of early birth or having a low birth weight infant nearly threefold.

For preterm birth alone, periodontal disease increased risk 2.27-fold, while it more than quadrupled the risk of having a low birth weight infant.

While the current study supports a periodontal disease-prematurity link, the authors say, the strength of the association they found should be interpreted with care, given that the higher quality studies they analyzed tended to show a weaker link.

It remains unclear how periodontal disease might contribute to preterm or low birth weight delivery, Vergnes and Sixou also point out in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr. David M. Stamilo of the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia and colleagues caution that while the meta-analysis is "comprehensive and well-executed," it cannot prove that gum disease causes preterm birth.

Studies investigating whether treating periodontal disease in pregnant women prevents preterm delivery have yielded conflicting results, they note. "Dental interventions cannot be recommended as preventive therapy for preterm birth based on the research currently available," they conclude. Good oral hygiene will lead to healthier gums and teeth, however.

Obesity an indicator of gum disease

Brushing and flossing are the cornerstones of good oral hygiene.

"I know gums can be a problem. I want to keep my teeth as long as I can," said Lila Farmer.

Now research suggests that keeping those pearly whites also means keeping your weight in check.

"If we have infection in the mouth, it can affect the entire body and that's something we're becoming more aware and can appreciate more now," said Dr. Sara Bender.

The latest study from the University of Buffalo finds that obesity is a big indicator of gum disease.

"I know a lot of problems come with obesity, but I didn't know that," said Farmer.

Scientists say a high body mass index leads to more insulin resistance and inflammation that in turn leads to gum problems.

"At what point it happens as to how many pounds overweight they are, I don't think anybody knows," said Dr. Bender.

News patients and dentists need to examine closely.

"They need to understand that it's not all right to be obese, that it can have many more repercussions than they dreamed," said Dr. Bender.

Researchers now believe the combination of obesity and gum disease could be the trigger for Type-2 diabetes.

The American Academy of Periodontology says more studies are needed.

But it's becoming increasingly clear that healthy lifestyles really do have a huge impact on all parts of the body.

Continued

The Cause of Tooth Decay

Maintaining good oral health seems to be something that more and more people aren't paying attention to. With vending machines around every corner and strong messages through advertising tempting us to eat the latest taste-bud sensation dentists are becoming increasingly worried that many of us are not eating properly balanced diets and are filling up with foods like crisps, fizzy soda's and sweetened fruit juices. The phrase, 'You are what you eat' springs to mind. A lot of snack food contains very little in nutritional value, and put us at risk of developing tooth decay and other dental problems. Who wants root canal? Certainly not me!

Children and teens are easily swayed to eat snacks that appear 'hip' or 'cool' but leaves there teeth looking anything but that. How does this tooth decay occur? Well when sugary and starch foods come into contact with plaque (bacteria) acid is produced. This acid attacks our teeth (for up to 20 minutes after eating) and can lead to tooth decay.

Tooth decay can be a major problem for people of any age. A small film of plaque constantly develops sticking to the teeth. This stickiness is what makes the acid so effective at attacking the enamel of the teeth. It keeps it in contact with the enamel. Once the enamel has been broken down, cavities begin to form. Brushing twice daily will remove the sticky plaque formed on the teeth but if the teeth aren't brushed daily this plaque will harden into calculus or tartar. Gingivitis can occur, which is the early stage of gum disease, if the teeth aren't brushed regularly. It also makes brushing less effective and can even cause the gums to bleed when brushing.

The foods that can cause tooth decay even include vegetables and milk as they contain sugars and starches. You may think that cutting them out of your diet would be the right thing to do. These foods, however, should not be removed from your daily diet as they contain other nutrients necessary that contribute to maintaining a healthy body. The ideal thing to do is read the labels on products that you buy and try to choose products that are low in added sugars. These are the same added sugars found in the types of foods mentioned above, such as crisps, candy, fizzy soda's and cookies.

One of the major causes of gum disease in adults is the lack of important nutrients which help the mouth fight or resist infection. This gum disease is known as periodontal disease, and is the major cause of loss of teeth in adults.

Author: Janie Jonah

Online Prescription - PerfectDrugRx

Cranberries help ward off gum disease

A Canadian study says natural compounds in cranberries may help ward off periodontitis, or severe gum disease, as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.

This anti-inflammatory effect may be attributed to unique compounds in the fruit that prevent P. gingivalis bacteria from adhering to the teeth below the gum line, according to study leader Julie Labrecque, of the University of Laval.

"We know that brushing, flossing, and regular dental cleanings reduces the risk of developing periodontitis by helping to prevent the onset of gingivitis, or gum infection," said Labrecque. "With this new study, cranberries may provide an interesting ingredient in the development of new therapeutic approaches for treatment of periodontitis."

The findings have been published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Previous research has shown that cranberry compounds may also prevent certain oral bacteria from directly destroying gum tissue itself -- another major factor contributing to periodontitis.


Source: www.upi.com

Dental Health -The Connection between Gum Disease and Heart Health

Your dental health may be more important that you know and what you don’t know could kill you. You have known since you were a kid in elementary school that brushing, flossing, and going to the dentist regularly for checkups are all important for your dental health so that you will not get cavities. But, now scientists and the medical health field have given you at least one more reason to make sure that you pay attention to your dental hygiene. Poor dental health can lead to gum disease which in turn can lead to a greater risk of heart attacks and stroke. If you are avoiding the dentist out of fear, lack of time or cost, you should try to find a way to get into the dentist so that you can keep your teeth and your dental health for many years to come.

Gingivitis is the early stages of gum disease. The symptoms can include red, swollen and possibly bleeding gums as well as bad breath. It is very easily treated and can be reversed if it is caught early. Your dentist can give you tips on how to treat gingivitis and restore you to good dental health.

Periodontitis is the late stages of gum disease. It causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, the gum line recedes, the teeth or dentures become loose, and the teeth may even fall out.

Here are some factors which can lead to poor dental health and gum disease:

Diabetes
Smoking
Pregnancy
Taking birth control pills
Poor dental hygiene
Loose fillings
Crooked teeth

You can avoid getting gum disease by doing all of those things that you learned in elementary school to keep your teeth healthy. You should brush your teeth at least twice daily, floss regularly, and visit the dentist for a check up and cleaning at least once a year. If you have any problems with your teeth or gums you need to visit your dentist as soon as possible.

If your oral health has not been a priority before now, you need to make it one today.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Dental Care. For more information about dental health visit fcdental.com

Gum Disease Doesn’t Take Time Off

Tom Spaulding, president of Oral Breeze LLC, announces the new QuickPik RV(C)personal oral irrigator. Attaching to standard recreational vehicle faucets QuickPik RV prevents and treats gum disease while RVers travel. QuickPik RV power washes teeth and gums at the RV sink as part of daily dental hygiene.



Spaulding said, "We have been manufacturing personal oral irrigators since 1997, but our ShowerPik(C) and RediPik(C) products are home-based dental hygiene tools. Many of our customers wanted to take their oral irrigators with them on vacation. So we designed QuickPik RV as a convenient, effective way for RV travelers to prevent and treat gum disease."

Spaulding added, "Dentists know daily oral irrigation promotes good dental hygiene, particularly for patients suffering from gum disease. Unfortunately most patients won’t use oral irrigators unless they are extremely easy to use."

QuickPik RV delivers a concentrated stream of water to get what brushing and flossing miss below the gum line. Using a universal quick connect adapter, QuickPik RV temporarily attaches to standard RV sink faucets. Its "Breeze n’ Store" design makes it easy to use and then store out of the way when finished. The user controls water pressure and temperature with the water tap. And effective irrigation takes only 15 seconds.

QuickPik RV comes with a durable chrome-plated brass connector, heavy-duty 12 inch water hose and color-coded pik attachments (water concentrator tips). The shorter hose accommodates the limited space of most RV sinks. A QuickPik RV draw string tote bag is included for convenient storage. QuickPik RV


Continued Here