Study Urges Olympic Athletes to Make the Toothbrush as Important as the Stopwatch

A study recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, revealed that many dental athletes suffer from serious dental health problems. The study examined the oral health of 302 athletes participating in the 2012 Olympic games in London. The study found that 55% of the athletes exhibited dental caries and over 75% had gingivitis. Many of the athletes admitted that oral health problems affected their training and performance. For the full article, please click here.

Cut the Sweets to Save Your Teeth

A study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people reduce their daily sugar intake to no more than 5% of their total daily calories. This initiative was designed to help reduce levels of tooth decay. The study found that individuals who consume greater than 10% of their total daily caloric intake from free sugars show higher levels of tooth decay. By reducing sugar intake to half that amount, the WHO hopes to dramatically reduce widespread dental decay. For the full article, please click here.

Dental Health and Pregnancy

New studies have found that expectant mothers with periodontal disease are at a higher risk of pregnancy complications than mothers without gum disease. Women with periodontal disease, also known as gingivitis and gum disease, are more likely to experience pre-term labor or deliver a baby with a low birth weight. The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) recommend that pregnant women maintain good oral health by regularly brushing and flossing and scheduling routine dental cleanings. For the full article, please click here.

Synthetic Drugs Cause As Much Damage to Teeth as Meth - Huge Dental Concern

Because synthetic drugs are relatively new and criminal organizations are constantly changing the drugs’ molecular structures, the extent of the damage these drugs have on users’ teeth is still undetermined. Dr. John Wainio, a dentist at Summit Dental in Duluth, suggests that “…synthetic drugs will mimic other types of drugs, such as methamphetamines, which will make a person’s mouth very dry and have a very noticeable effect on their teeth.”  Jonathan Bothun’s documentary “Ground Zero: Duluth’s Battle Against Synthetic Drugs” examines the short-term and long-term effects synthetic drugs have on its users and details the steps the police force is taking to shut-down drug sales.  For the full article click here: http://sonomasmiles.com/synthetic-drugs-create-dental-health-concern/