dentistcast.com

(Successful Smiles podcasts, produced by Boston cosmetic dentist Dr. Helaine Smith, available at no charge from iTunes)

Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 27, 2007—Helaine Smith, DMD, recently made available a series of podcasts regarding oral health and cosmetic dentistry. Titled “Successful Smiles,” the complimentary podcasts can be downloaded at http://www.helainesmithdmd.blogspot.com/ or via the Apple iTunes store under the “Health” category.

The first three of a series of planned broadcasts, the informative podcasts cover topics such as bad breath and its causes, frequently asked questions about cosmetic dentistry, and the questions people should ask dentists when considering veneers. Future broadcasts include the relationship between sex and oral health, dental care for the elderly, and the different methods of tooth whitening available.

A firm believer in educating the public about the issues surrounding oral health and the dental industry in general, Dr. Smith’s podcasts are an extension of her e-newsletter and Website where consumers can learn about procedures such as teeth whitening and dental implants.

“The dental industry has changed dramatically in the last ten years or so,” said Dr. Smith. “Due to the Internet, people are online researching dentists and cosmetic techniques well in advance of making an appointment. In addition, you now have dental offices located in strip malls and dental professionals advertising on radio and TV and writing blogs.”

“Cosmetic dentistry has gone mainstream,” she adds, “which means more people are considering procedures, such as veneers, that they wouldn’t have thought of fifteen years ago. My goal with these podcasts is to educate consumers and help them make knowledgeable decisions when choosing cosmetic dentistry providers and/or procedures.”

Each “Successful Smiles” podcast is approximately three to six minutes long and is available as an MP3 audio file. Each file is easily downloaded to an MP3 device or computer. For more details about each podcast, see Dr. Smith’s blog at http://www.helainesmithdmd.blogspot.com/

About Dr. Helaine Smith

Dr. Smith, a Boston, Massachusetts cosmetic dentist, has combined a dedication to patient care, volunteerism, and business acumen since beginning her dentistry career in 1991. She is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Las Vegas Institute graduate, and she recently completed an executive MBA program at Suffolk University.

In May 2006, Dr. Smith’s practice was named first runner-up in the prestigious Cosmetic Practice of the Year Award competition, sponsored by Levin Group, Ascend Media, and Philips Oral Healthcare. For more information about her practice visit: http://www.helainesmithdmd.com

Original post by Dion Kramer

This is a report that recently appeared on WSIL TV - Carterville,IL,USA.

If you think dentists can only check for cavities, think again. A dentist can also diagnose and possibly help cure a long list of medical problems.

Dentist say holes in teeth can indicate problems like acid reflux. Turns out, dentists can do a lot more than check your teeth. Dr. Joseph Kravitz, a prosthodontist from the Washington Center for Image Dentistry Bethesda says being a dentist is about more than cleaning. It’s about detecting all oral health problems.

Tooth erosion and a burning or sour taste are symptoms of reflux disease. Type-two diabetes often results in bright red, bleeding gums and bad breath. An amonia smell in the mouth is a sign of kidney disease. Accelerated tooth loss can be a sign of osteoporosis, while white spots in gums is a symptom of oral cancer.

Dr. Kravitz says oral cancer is the number one thing he finds on patients in his care.

Inflamed gums, excess cavities and oral infections can be a sign of heart disease. Fiery red gums and wounds that won’t heal are a sign of leukemia, and tooth erosion can indicate bulimia. It could be sleep apnea if a patient’s tongue blocks their airway when they’re tipped back in the chair. and a woman might be pregnant if blowing air on gums makes them bleed. Kravitz says many times women don’t even know their pregnant until they come to the dentist.

Studies have linked periodontal disease to hardened arteries. Researchers believe the presence of the bacteria that causes dental plaque buildup can have a negative effect on cardiovascular health.

Dentists recommend checkups twice a year. Pregnant women should go four times a year because they are more susceptible to disease. Doctor Kravitz’s own wife lost two teeth while pregnant.

Original post by Dion Kramer

It has been reported that in pediatric trauma centres, 40% of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) crash victims are fatalities, many of which are head and neck injuries.

Source: Humber C et al., Maxillofacial Injuries Associated with an All-Terrain-Vehicle Accident, Oral Health, June 2007, Vol 97, No 6, pg 35-42.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Original post by Dr. Hans P. Skariah

Dr Nagwa Selim of Medical & Dental Centre Punchbowl has recently become a participating dentist.

He is located at 287 The Boulevarde, Punchbowl, New South Wales.

Dr Nagwa Selim and the team look forward to assisting members of NobleDentist.

Members wanting to make an appointment can simply click on Dentist Sydney for contact details.

Surrounding suburbs include Padstow, Riverwood, Narwee, Beverley Hills, Peakhurst, Penshurst, Condell Park, Bankstown, Yagoona, Mt Lewis, Wiley Park, Greenacre, Belfield, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Roselands, Bexley North, Earlwood, Bardwell Park, Bardwell Valley, Bexley, Kingsgrove, Mortdale, Padstow Heights, Lugarno, Illawong, Menai, Bangor, Bonnet Bay, Como, Oyster Bay, Barden Ridge, Lucas Heights, Engadine, Heathcote, Woronora Heights, Sutherland, Yarrawarrah, Loftus, and Woronora.

Original post by Dion Kramer

This is an article that recently appeared in the Daily Telegraph.

The Daily Telegraph revealed yesterday the number of people waiting in NSW for dental treatment was 178,876, including more than 45,000 children waiting for basic services.

The revelation of the dire state of the NSW’s oral health provoked a face-off between state and federal governments yesterday with NSW Premier Morris Iemma agreeing the waiting list was “not acceptable” but blaming the backlog on lack of federal funding.

But Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott said dental was a state responsibility and accused the states of acting like “glorified beggars.”

While some dental advocates believe dentistry should be included under Medicare, federal opposition spokeswoman Nicola Roxon said the responsibility should be shared.

Val Shorter, 66, who was forced to pull out her own tooth last year with a set of pliers, doesn’t mind where the funding comes from as long as people can stop having to wait in pain to see a dentist.

The Uralla grandmother has become a dental advocate since she pulled out her own tooth.

“They told me it would be a six week wait and I was in agony, I knew I wouldn’t have a good night’s sleep so I had a bottle of wine, got up the dutch courage and then got out the pliers,” she told The Saturday Daily Telegraph.

The Dental Rescue Squad was formed after Sydney dentist Dr David Digges was appalled by the number of severe cases of preventable dental decay he was seeing in young patients.

Now in demand, the squad’s charitable workers have doubled in numbers in less than a year and they are seeing up to 300 patients each workshop – and encountering cases so bad the patients need hospitalisation.

Original post by Dion Kramer

I saw this article in today’s Toronto Star about cavity detection without x-rays. It initially sounded similar to Diagnodent, which has issues detecting caries (cavities) in between teeth. I’m still waiting for more details before I form an opinion. Here’s the teaser quote:

Once a cavity has formed and exposed itself on the surface, it’s too late – it has to be cleaned out and filled.

Abrams says the industry needs to take a more preventative approach, and this is where Quantum Dental enters the scene. The company’s research team, based out of the University of Toronto, has developed a prototype of a laser device that uses heat and light waves to detect tiny, below-surface lesions in teeth without exposing a patient to potentially harmful radiation.

A commercial prototype is scheduled to be launched next summer and, after a year of clinical testing, the company hopes to begin selling the device in the fall of 2009.

Dentists will still need x-rays to look at jawbone structure, but Abrams believes Quantum’s device has the potential to be a fixture in every dentist’s office. The absence of radiation means it can be a standard offering whenever someone gets in the dentist’s chair, improving the chance of catching early-stage tooth decay before it becomes a bigger problem.

Read the rest of the article here:A Quantum leap for treating tooth decay

Source: A Quantum leap for treating tooth decay, July 2, Toronto Star, Business Section B, pg 1.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Original post by Dr. Hans P. Skariah

This is an article that recently appeared in The Daily Telegraph.

The eyes, according to those who pen romance novels, love sonnets or other such literary extravagances, are “the windows of the soul”. But it is the teeth, according to doctors, which reveal far more about their owner’s state of health and well-being.

While the subject may not inspire high flights of poetic fancy, there is no doubt that advances in oral hygiene have played a vital role in our steadily increasing life expectations.

And the converse is also true. Those who endure untreated dental problems – cavities or tooth decay; oral illnesses such as gingivitis, peridontal disease and so on – will often suffer other health problems, such as dietary imbalance, disrupted sleep patterns and digestive difficulties.

Those and other conditions arising from poor dental health can become chronic, even life threatening.

That is why it is important we undergo regular dental checks and treatment as required.

That’s easier said than done in NSW. According to impeccably reliable information obtained by The Daily Telegraph, almost 180,000 people – more than 45,000 of them children – are on waiting lists for dental treatment.

That is a state of affairs that should not be acceptable in a medically advanced country such as ours – but regrettably there is no instant solution. The waiting time for dental attention is the result of a critical shortage of dentists which – in turn – is a result of a shortage of training infrastructure and of qualified teachers.

However that problem is dissected, if flows from a systemic policy failure in this critical health care area. We have crisis – and no quick solution. That does not mean there is nothing that can be done.

Funds need to be found for training places; undergraduates need to be encouraged into the highly specialised discipline. In short, urgent steps need to be taken to reinforce the ranks of the dentistry profession as quickly as possible.

Yet there is one apparent anomaly which ought to be addressed. Dentistry falls under the umbrella of health care – so it should be brought under the Medicare umbrella to ensure people are not precluded from obtaining dental treatment on simple financial grounds.

Original post by Dion Kramer

Forum: Mark Steyn
Posted By: Fullosseousflap
Post Time: 07-01-2007 at 06:45 PM

Original post by Dion Kramer

Forum: Dental DDS/DMD Forums
Posted By: Fullosseousflap
Post Time: 06-28-2007 at 08:47 AM

Original post by Dion Kramer

The reasons people gave on why they haven’t been to a Dentist in over three years:

1. Didn’t think it was necessary ~35%
2. Cost ~18%
3. Haven’t gotten around to it ~11%
4. Fear ~7%

(values are my approximation of the chart data)

Source: Papadopoulos C, The Latest on Dental Consultations in Canada, JCDA June 2007, Vol 73, No 5, p 391.

Hans Skariah, B.Sc., DMD
Promenade Court Dental Health Group in Mississauga
2233 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON, Canada
(1/2 km north of the QEW in the Dome Building)
(905) 273-7100

Original post by Dr. Hans P. Skariah