Healthy gums could decrease risk for diabetes

Taking care of your gums could decrease risk for diabetes
Regular dental visits aren’t just good for your mouth—they could be helping you decrease your risk for diabetes.

A new study in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry has linked periodontal infections with an increased risk for diabetes.
The study, led by Sheila Strauss, Ph.D., co-director of the Statistics and Management Core at New York University’s Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing, examined the data of 2,923 non-diabetic adults who participated in the 2003-04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

By using guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, the researchers determined that 93 percent of the subjects with periodontal disease were considered high risk for diabetes and should be screened for the disease, compared to the 63 percent without periodontal disease.

The study also examined how many times the patients with periodontal disease and a risk for diabetes visited a dentist and found that 60 percent reported a visit in the past two years, 50 percent in the past year and 33 percent in the past six months.
The American Diabetes Association reports that 5.7 million Americans with diabetes went undiagnosed in 2007. By adding dentists to the list of health care providers involved in early screenings, more people can receive crucial early treatment.
"In light of these findings," Dr. Strauss said, "the dental visit could be a useful opportunity to conduct an initial diabetes screening—an important first step in identifying those patients who need follow-up testing to diagnose the disease."

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5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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Staying Slim May Help Fight Gum Disease

Staying Slim May Help Fight Gum Disease Researchers have found a new reason to stay slim: It may help fight gum disease. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health has found that overweight adults are at a higher risk of gum disease than normal-weight people. The study, led by Monik Jimenez, an HSPH doctoral candidate, looked at the possible links between excess weight and periodontal disease — one of the most common dental diseases. Jimenez and her colleagues analyzed the data of 37,000 men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, an HSPH longitudinal study funded by the National Institutes of Health, which has been following over 51,000 male health professionals since 1986. All of the men were disease-free at the beginning of the study and were followed for up to 16 years, from 1986-2002. The researchers gathered information such as the men's height, weight and self-reported gum disease diagnoses, as well as waist and hip measurements. According to Jimenez, "Obesity was associated with a 29 percent increased risk of periodontal disease over the course of the study" compared to those of normal weight, The researchers used the standard definition of obesity as a body-mass index of 30 or higher. "This is one of the first, if not the first, study demonstrating such a significant relationship in such a large group of people," Frank B. Hu, a professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at HSPH told the Harvard Crimson. The study's researchers said they believe that the link is fostered by adipokines, inflammatory chemicals secreted by fatty tissue. Increased adiposity, measured by higher waist-to-hip ratio, leads to increased production of cytokines, which are thought to promote periodontal disease, according to Hu. Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis. According to the American Dental Association, gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontitis — which could lead to tooth loss.

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5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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Children likelier to see dentist if parents have regular visits

Children likelier to see dentist if parents have regular visits
Parents who visit the dentist regularly are more likely to take their children to the dentist, too.
A new study shows that 77 percent of children and 64 percent of parents had seen a dentist in the previous year. About 86 percent of children whose parents had a dental visit during the preceding year had a dental exam, compared to about 63 percent of the children whose parents had not seen a dentist.
The data is from a recent National Health Interview Study of 6,107 children age 2 to 17 and their parents. The findings show that programs that promote children's oral health also should target their parents, said the study's author, Inyang Isong, M.D., a pediatrician and research fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy.
About 76 percent of parents in the study were employed and had health insurance. However, financial barriers still kept some of those families from seeing a dentist. Some parents delayed dental care due to cost, and 27 percent of their children also had care deferred.
Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States, especially among minority children and those from lower-income families, thus "strategies to promote oral health should focus on the whole family," said Dr. Isong.
What's more, many people are unaware of the important role dental care plays in children's overall health, according to the ADA in a National Children's Dental Health Month news release.
The ADA recommends that parents take action early to ensure the health of their children's teeth because attitudes and habits established at an early age are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout life.

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5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

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Grinding Teeth - Can Impact Dental Health

Stress And Bruxism - Grinding Teeth - Can Impact Dental Health
Is stress at work and in daily life taking a toll on your teeth at night?
German researchers examined studied a small group of patients to see if sleep bruxism—grinding teeth at night—was related to stress.
A total of 69 people, including 48 who were bruxers, were evaluated with a questionnaire to see if they reported daily problems, trouble at work, fatigue or physical problems.
Each participant was between 20 and 40 years old and had a sleeping partner that reported grinding sounds during the night over the past six months. Participants also reported one or more bruxism symptoms before the study, including muscle fatigue or pain on awakening, abnormal tooth wear or shiny spots on restorations and enlarged jaw muscles.
Researchers also measured participants’ bruxism overnight for five consecutive nights, using special thin plates worn overnight in their mouths that record grinding patterns.
Researchers concluded that participants with high sleep bruxing activity tend to feel more stressed at work and in their daily life, and, according to the questionnaire, seem to deal with stress in a negative way. Bruxism is a dangerous dental problem that can not only wear down teeth, but also make them sensitive or loose or even fracture them. Besides worn tooth surfaces, symptoms can include headaches and a sore jaw.
Your dentist can diagnose sleep bruxism and fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. Patients can also benefit from reducing stress, physical therapy, muscle relaxants, counseling and exercise.
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Parkhaven Dental Care
5961 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600
Plano, TX 75093
(972) 416-2330
Email: dawnd@parkhavendental.com

Our Parkhaven office is located on Dallas Parkway at Windhaven.


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