Posts Tagged ‘gum disease and heart disease’

Eliminate bad breath by visiting your periodontist Long Island.

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Eliminate bad breath by visiting your periodontist Long Island.

“One of the most common misconceptions is that halitosis is caused by the foods you eat,” said Gordon Douglass, D.D.S., president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “Actually, bad breath can be caused by the sulfur compounds released from our digestive process.”

Anaerobic bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and throat break down proteins in food, blood and diseased oral tissue. When these bacteria come in contact with certain amino acids in proteins, sulfur compounds are released from the back of the tongue and throat causing your yuck mouth.

While many manufacturers promote home remedies to tame the beast, they only mask the problem or have the potential to cause more harm. The only way to rid yourself of the beastly breath is to find its source.

“The only full-proof way of eliminating halitosis is to see your periodontist or dentist to determine the cause,” said Douglass. “There could be many factors at play, such as gum disease, a dry mouth or certain medical conditions.” He added, “Many home remedies exacerbate the problem or are just temporary fixes. You should see a specialist to determine the most effective treatment.”

“People looking for a Long Island Periodontist should contact Dr. Scharf at (631) 661-6633 or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com . He can treat gum disease with a laser rather than a scalpel. “

Excessive use of these products may lead to gum disease Long Island

Monday, December 27th, 2010

The American Academy of Periodontology asked its members for the most ineffective home remedies their patients have used to tackle yuck mouths. Excessive use of these products may lead to gum disease Long Island

  1. Excessive use of mouthwash. Produces sloughy, stinky tissue that is worse than what your breath is already like.
  2. Breath mints. A sweet smelling mouth doesn’t mean a healthy mouth. Long-lasting sugar candies subject teeth to acid attacks, increasing your risk for cavities.
  3. Chewing gum. Chewing gum can increase salivary flow, but only masks bad breath. Try drinking water throughout the day instead.
  4. Mint chew tobacco. Smokeless tobacco causes gums to recede and increases the chance of losing the bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place, and more importantly, causes oral cancer.
  5. Infomercial Items. Only use items that have the ADA Seal of Approval. Unapproved items could do more harm than good.
  6. Vodka martinis or sour mash whiskey. Alcohol may further the problem by making your mouth dry, whereby saliva is unable to remove oral bacteria.
  7. Brushing with cleanser. Many chemicals used for household cleaning are poisonous and should not be consumed – this is one of them.
  8. Intestinal cleansing methods. Bad breath does not originate from the stomach. Actually, anaerobic bacteria in your mouth produce smelly sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.
  9. Rinsing with kerosene. Talk about putting your mouth on fire!
  10. Tongue piercing. Anything that allows you to harbor more bacteria on your tongue, like tongue jewelry, increases your chance of bad breath.

Steroid abuse may give you gum disease Long Island

Friday, December 17th, 2010

Gingival overgrowth is a condition in which the gingival tissues become swollen and grow over the teeth. Overgrown gums make it easier for bacteria found in plaque to accumulate and attack supporting structures of the teeth, potentially leading to severe periodontal infection. Steroid abuse may give you gum disease Long Island.

Researchers found that prolonged use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) is closely associated with significant levels of gingival enlargement, according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology.

“It was found that AAS abusers had statistically significant levels of gingival enlargement compared to non-users, requiring a gingivectomy (removal of excess or diseased gum tissue) for many cases,” explains Onur Ozcelik, DDS, PhD, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Periodontology, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. “Although it has been reported that many of the adverse effects of AAS abuse are fully reversible within several months after the cessation of the drug, it is not known if gingival enlargement would also regress after the withdrawal of AAS.”

Researchers also found that gingival inflammation was higher in the AAS user group compared to the non-AAS users. “Further studies are required to find out if increased gingival scores in the user group are a direct effect of AAS or if the inflammation is a result of compromised oral hygiene due to gingival enlargement,” said Ozcelik.

Dr. Scharf treats gum disease with a laser, not a scalpel, for people who need a periodontist on Long Island and want n alternative to gum surgery call Dr. Scharf at 631-661-6633  or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com

Pregnant mothers need to watch for long Island gum disease

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

The development and progression of periodontitis are accelerated by various systemic conditions. The present study was designed to determine whether lactation affects alveolar bone loss in rat models of experimental periodontitis. Because of these results pregnant mothers should be aware of Long Island Gum Disease.

The study showed that all groups with insufficient Calcium intake saw an acute inflammatory reaction in periodontal tissues and disruption of the gingival epithelium, the tissues surrounding the teeth, in addition to increased attachment loss, and increased alveolar bone loss. Those groups which were lactating saw even greater attachment loss and bone loss.

“We know a high-Calcium diet can promote healthy teeth and gums,” said Dr. Preston D. Miller, DDS, President of the American Academy of Periodontology, “But this research indicates that nursing mothers should be especially conscious of having enough Calcium in their diet. While breast milk is critical to their baby’s bone development, mothers should be sure to have enough calcium, or risk bone loss in her mouth, which can worsen periodontal diseases. Given that a thorough periodontal evaluation should be done as soon as a woman finds out that she is pregnant, monitoring periodontal tissues, including more frequent cleanings during pregnancy and continuing until 3 months after delivery, will help assure periodontal health

Dr. Scharf treats gum disease with a laser, not a scalpel, for people who have gum disease long island and want n alternative to gum surgery call Dr. Scharf at 631-661-6633  or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com

Melatonin could keep you from making an emergency trip to your Periodontist Long Island.

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Since its discovery in 1917, melatonin has been found to be involved in many biological functions such as setting the body’s sleep rhythms and fighting off free radicals that may lead to cancer and other autoimmune diseases. It may be that Melatonin could keep you from making an emergency trip to your Periodontist Long Island. The authors of this study conducted an extensive review of the literature (e.g., PubMed, Science Direct, Web ofKnowledge, etc.) to evaluate the potential effects of melatonin on the oral cavity, including: melatonin as an antioxidant and free radical scavenger; melatonin as a host modulation agent; melatonin as a promoter of bone formation; and melatonin and periodontal disease. This review found strong evidence that melatonin may play a key role in periodontal health by helping to maintain bone levels in the oral cavity through suppressing the cells that work during bone resorption, and enhancing the body’s host response to the periodontal bacteria. One of the most devastating effects of periodontal disease is bone loss in the jaw which often leads to tooth loss.

Melatonin is synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland and other organs. The pattern of melatonin secretion is controlled by an endogenous circadian timing system and conveys information about the light-dark cycle to the organism, thereby organizing its seasonal and circadian rhythms. Melatonin has powerful antioxidant effects, functions in an immunomodulatory role, may protect against certain cancers, delays some age-related processes, stimulates the synthesis of type I collagen fibers, and promotes bone formation.

Dr. Scharf treats gum disease with a laser, not a scalpel, for people who need a periodontist on Long Island and want n alternative to gum surgery call Dr. Scharf at 631-661-6633  or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com

Got Milk? Studies show a link between milk and your periodontist in Long Island

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Got Milk? Studies show a link between milk and your periodontist in Long Island. “Research has suggested that periodontal disease may affect overall systemic health,” said study author Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. “This study reinforces what much of the public already knows – the importance of dairy in helping achieve a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy mouth.”

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Methods: We analyzed 942 subjects aged 40 to 79 years as part of a comprehensive health examination of Hisayama Town, Fukuoka, Japan. Probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were used as the periodontal parameters. The dietary survey was conducted using a semiquantitative food frequency method. We examined the relationship between the intake of dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and lactic acid foods (yogurt and lactic acid drinks), and periodontal condition.

Results: The daily intake of lactic acid foods in subjects with generalized deep PD or severe CAL was significantly lower than that in subjects with localized deep PD or slight CAL. In multivariate linear regression analysis, the increased intake of lactic acid foods was associated significantly with lower mean PD (P = 0.002) and lower mean CAL (P = 0.003). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the subjects eating ≥55 g lactic acid foods per day had a significantly lower prevalence of deep PD and severe CAL compared to those not eating these foods after adjusting for confounding variables; the odds ratios for generalized deep PD and severe CAL were 0.40 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23 to 0.70) and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.29 to 0.87), respectively.

Conclusion: The routine intake of lactic acid foods may have a beneficial effect on periodontal disease.

Periodontal, or gum, disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults and has been connected to the development of heart disease and increased risk of stroke, and can contribute to complications from diabetes, respiratory disease or osteoporosis.

If you or someone you know need to see a periodontist in Long Island, Dr. Scharf treats gum disease with a laser, not a scalpel, for people who need a periodontist on Long Island and want n alternative to gum surgery call Dr. Scharf at 631-661-6633  or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com

Long Island gum disease may be prevalent in children

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Long Island Gum Disease may be prevalent in children. Common dental problems seen in children are cavities and gingivitis, which is found in the majority of U.S. children. “When these problems are not caught early and treated, they can develop into more severe problems and cause unnecessary suffering,” said McGuire. “However, much of the time, oral problems are avoidable problems.”

“According to the Surgeon General’s Report, about 37 percent of children have not had a dental visit before starting school,” said McGuire. “When children don’t see dental professionals they miss the opportunity to have problems caught early before they escalate into larger, more expensive problems to treat, and parents miss the opportunity to learn how to promote good oral habits in their children.”

National Children’s Dental Health Month is in February , but it is important to take care of children’s teeth on a daily basis. The first comprehensive study on the nation’s oral health released by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General calls dental and oral diseases a “silent epidemic,” even in children. The report states that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental-related illness. In fact, another study pointed to dental care as the most prevalent unmet health need among American children.

Dr. Scharf treats gum disease with a laser, not a scalpel, for people who gum disease Long Island and want n alternative to gum surgery call Dr. Scharf at 631-661-6633  or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com

Treating Periodontal Disease to Reduce Risk of Heart Problems

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Do you eat healthy? Do you stay away from too much red meat, cholesterol and other risk factors for heart problems? Did you know that gum disease is something that you also need to avoid in order to not be at risk for heart problems?

A healthy circulatory system is necessary for survival. The heart is the key to making all of that work. Periodontal disease has been proven to negatively effect the functions of the heart. Periodontal disease has been shown to dump bacterial plaque into the blood stream. The plaque then builds up in blood vessels and inhibits the flow of blood through the blood vessels causing the blood stream to slow down, clog or clot. All of these can lead to a variety of problems in the circulatory system like heart attack, stroke, hardening of arteries and more.

There is no reason to be scared of having gum disease treated if you live on Long Island. Treatment by Long Island periodontist Dr. Scharf can perform a procedure using a laser rather than surgery to treat periodontal disease. It has been shown that in only six months after treatment, patients have better circulation and increased elasticity in blood vessels. Increasing the health of your circulation system not only puts you at less risk of fatal problems, but also helps to increase vigor. When your blood is able to flow through healthy vessels your body receives the oxygen it needs to work and play. You will feel energized and able to accomplish more. In other words treating Periodontal disease will greatly increase your quality of life.

If you have concerns about your risk for gum disease and are on Long Island you should visit Long Island periodontist Dr. Scharf. Information is available on the web site as well as contact information to set an appointment to see the periodontist on Long Island. A good way to make sure you will not be at risk for periodontal disease would be through regular check ups and following a proper dental care regimen. People who followed through with regular check ups, cleanings and at home dental regimen were less at risk to have periodontal disease and therefore less at risk for heart problems.