From my perch, the research studies linking periodontal disease to systemic health are more robust and more frequent than their counterparts in tooth decay. There may be good biological reasons for this but there also may be other factors such as the research in caries remains focused on restorative materials rather than on the biology … Read more
A recent article in the New York Times resurrected an old chestnut: the affordability of dental care in an aging population. Have a look below at how the NY Times’ cartoonist sees this issue! Enough said This got me thinking about a recent chart published by the American Dental Association, which shows how the aging … Read more
The digital revolution has ensured that most of the public relations activities are carried out online. It increases the reach dramatically and reduces the costs of a PR exercise to nearly zilch. However, PR activities can still be time-consuming, and as a busy dentist you may not be able to spare enough time and attention … Read more
According to PBS’ newsletter to aging Americans, 5 things which cause your older patients ongoing concern are: declining memory increased loneliness and isolation big debts and little savings risk of illness death It seems to me that a successful dental practice would acknowledge these overriding concerns and respond positively to them. In particular, concerns #3 … Read more
Fluoridation – the addition of fluoride to municipal water supplies to prevent dental caries – is one of great public health achievements of the 20th century. Fluoridation is also the inspiration for all manner of conspiracy theories, such as it being a mind control drug developed by the Nazis, and a scheme by aluminum companies … Read more
This statement concluded an e-mail from a manager of dental benefits at a Canadian company. It shows the commitment by patients to reach a state of better oral health. This same sentiment has been revealed in all our patient surveys — indeed, 1 in 5 patients say they will change dentists to get more preventive … Read more
A lot of dog owners are often surprised when they find out that their cute puppies no longer have the fresh baby breath they used to have. Like people, dogs have relatively fresh breaths when they’re still young because they only drink milk. When they grow up and start eating solid foods, that’s when their … Read more
It is not unusual for dentist Dr. Gary Glassman (www.rootcanals.ca/www.drgaryglassman.com) to speak at the Society of Aesthetic Dentistry in Romania, or run a course called Train the Trainer in Prague. He is also involved as a professor in the new dental school in Kingston, Jamaica. The world-renowned oral health expert is founder of the Goodwill … Read more
Have you been watching how American drugstore chains like CVS and Walgreens are redefining themselves? They all want to be part of a healthcare network first rather than a convenient general store dispensing prescription medications. In Walgreens’ case, it is now offering to diagnose and treat chronic conditions. Diabetics are responding – they visit their … Read more
Mississauga News Parents of very young children and babies may wonder how early to start tooth brushing and visits to the dentist. The answer is the earlier the better. There are several advantages to starting children off very young with good dental habits. Good home dental care may mean that you can avoid cavities in … Read more
Green Shield Canada announced recently that it was bringing the concept of wellness to Canada. According to this insurer’s announcement: “The company hopes to redefine the concept of wellness by utilizing analytics to target employee populations diagnosed with chronic disease and, even more proactive, reach out to those plan members at the highest risk of … Read more
Sugar = dental decay. Or so, that is a common public and professional perception. But sugar is now being replaced by all sorts of sweeteners, both natural and artificial. So what effect do these sweeteners have on promoting cavities? Two recent studies indicate: – stevia, sucralose, saccharin and aspartame are better than sugar in reducing … Read more
This is the most common comment I get on social media, and it is the focus of a new report on improving the affordability of care to large/growing segments of Canadian society. This report argued rather weakly that more public funds were needed to enable more (uninsured) folks to visit the dentist. I don’t think … Read more
A new Swedish study appearing in the Journal of Cancer reports that missing teeth are a significant predictor of cancer. For 24 years, the study followed periodontally-healthy adults who were between ages 30 and 40 at baseline. Using regression statistical techniques, the study evaluated what were significant predictors of cancer over this period. Two factors … Read more
The Gum Guardians believe dental professionals can be perceived as “healers” rather than “cleaners” by using 9 questions to guide their patient discussions. By initiating conversations with patients during dental visits that reinforce their role as gatekeepers for their patients’ health, dental professionals can be recognized, not as tedious teeth cleaners, but as valued healers. … Read more
Dentist puts the squeeze on toothpaste hype New York, NY – When you go to your local drugstore, there is a dizzying array of options to choose from when it comes to selecting the right toothpaste. Whether it’s Crest, Colgate or one of the new, dentist-designed toothpastes, such as BriteSmile or GoSmile, the myriad of … Read more
According to Patients Beyond Borders, about 1.2 million Americans will travel abroad for health and dental care in 2014. Commonly called “dental tourism,” the news media is promoting how patients can save money on dental work done in Mexico and other foreign countries—where costs for even the most complex procedures are up to two-thirds cheaper … Read more
A new employer survey reports that the days of Canada’s retired workers having a dental plan, are rapidly passing. More than half of Canada’s employers do not offer healthcare benefits (including a dental plan) to their retirees, and another third are looking at reducing or eliminating future retirement benefits. It is no secret why — … Read more
A wonderful series of pictures of dental plaque has been published in the UK’s Daily Telegraph. Two pictures are excerpted below. They show the infectious nature of dental disease. Both caries and periodontal disease are biological in origin and in progression. That is why we encourage brushing and flossing but also why we need to … Read more
Imagine if you were an influential on the physical fitness of your patients. You can be. A new Brazilian study shows that younger men with gum disease (indicated by bleeding gums amongst other symptoms) were in much poorer shape than those with healthy gums. This finding adjusted for age, weight and regular exercise. Gum disease … Read more