Walking Might Just Be The Best Medicine

Straight talk from the Doctor:
Thank-You For Asking, But Some Things Are Not Free(Confessions of a Walkaholic)
Many of you that know I deal in finance are asking more questions about the financial situation the United States is in then dental questions. Dentistry is one of the first things that gets squeezed out of the budget when times get tough and I have written more than once on how best to handle the dental budget. So now I would like to talk about an idea that has worked for me during these trying times.I am not going to give you any secret formula for making your paycheck buy twice as much as it should be buying or, how to make millions in real estate......
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Dental Talk

Cohen’s Corner – Straight talk from the Doctor:
Is My Dentist Speaking In A foreign Language to Me?

Many of you have written and asked what the heck is my dentist trying to tell me when he/she is using all that fancy language? The answer to that question is as close as the tongue and lips you just had your dentist (hopefully) do a cancer exam on.

Sometimes in ‘the heat of the battle’ of a dental office between patients arriving a little late, the dentist running a little behind, the dental representative waiting to ‘sell’ the doctor the latest new dental device, the accountant calling to leave a message that the quarterly taxes are done and need to get into the bank tonight, the patient from yesterday’s extraction on the phone with their ‘cheek’ swelling, and the dental assistant needing to pick-up their child from school; the dentist sometimes will tell you what you need to take care of your oral health in dental terms and phrases that mean little, if anything to you.

In other words, you walk out of the dental operatory more confused as to what you need then you were when you went into the operatory. At this point you need to sit down with the office treatment consultant and discuss your treatment in terms that
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Fluoride

We all know fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and is in most of our toothpaste & mouthwashes we use but did you know it is also in the water in some areas? Since we get fluoride from different sources most of the time it is not necessary to take fluoride supplements as too much can be harmful to you. Turn learn a little more about fluoride you can read this article I found.

The History of Bubble Gum

In 1928, bubble gum was invented by a man named Walter E. Diemer. Here's what Walter Diemer, the inventor himself, said about it just a year or two before he died: "It was an accident." "I was doing something else," Mr. Diemer explained, "and ended up with something with bubbles." And history took one giant pop forward. What Mr. Diemer was supposed to be doing, back in 1928, was working as an accountant for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia; what he wound up doing in his spare time was playing around with new gum recipes. But this latest brew of Walter Diemer's was -- unexpectedly, crucially -- different. It was less sticky than regular chewing gum. It also stretched more easily. Walter Diemer, 23 years old, saw the bubbles. He saw the possibilities. One day he carried a five-pound glop of the stuff to a grocery store; it sold out in a single afternoon. Get the rest of this article HERE...

Interesting Dental Trivia

Did you know?

• The World's first Dental School opened in 1840 in Baltimore, Md.
• The ADA (American Dental Association) began in 1859 with a group of 26 dentists who met at Niagara Falls to exchange information.
• George Washington had only one of his own teeth at the time of his inauguration in 1790! He wore dentures made of ivory.
• Paul Revere (known for his famous "midnight ride" and the words "the British are coming!") was a dentist, as well as a blacksmith! He placed an ad in a Boston newspaper offering dental services. He actually became the first person known to use Dental Forensics when he identified the body of a Colonial Colonel who was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill.
• James Dean wore a bridge to gap his missing front teeth!
• Mick Jagger had a diamond chip implanted in his upper right incisor! Before the diamond, he wore an emerald.
• Unwaxed dental floss will remove more plaque than waxed floss.
• 3 million miles of dental floss are purchased every year in North America!

This was fun to research. For anyone who is interested, there are lots of places on the Web to find Dental Trivia. Enjoy!

What causes bad breath?

Things that cause you to have bad breath;

• The food you eat
• If you don't brush and floss daily
• A dry mouth
• Tobacco products
• Bad breath may be the sign of a medical disorder

To help prevent having bad breath, brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush your tongue, too. To read more on how to prevent or treat bad breath click here.

Bottle rot: How to prevent it..

If you have ever had a baby you know how hard it can be to wing them from the bottle. Most pediatricians say at about one they should no longer be on the bottle and they should be using a sippy cup. A child's teeth are susceptible to decay if he’s always drinking a sugared drink from a bottle — formula, milk, or juice. You should also never but a baby in his crib with a bottle or sippy cup as the 'sugars' from what they are drinking just lay in their mouths as they sleep. That is what can form tooth decay or 'bottle rot'. You can read more about it here on the importance of getting your baby on a sippy cup and off the bottle.

Do we really NEED to brush with toothpaste?

In a forum I belong to, this subject was brought up causing quite a debate. I've always thought that you needed toothpaste in order to properly clean your teeth... Otherwise, it would be like taking a shower without using soap. I also heard somewhere that brushing without toothpaste could give you gum disease because it pushes the plaque and bacteria up into your gums.

However, the arguments to that idea were basically saying that all toothpaste really does is freshen your breath.

So, I researched it. I wasn't able to find ANYTHING that supports my idea. :( But, I did find a TON of resources that support the idea that you don't need toothpaste (good to know), and that some toothpastes can actually harm your teeth.

Here is an excerpt I found on the subject off of an actual dentists website:

Toothpaste is not necessary for cleaning the teeth. Toothpaste masks odors as you brush your teeth. Toothpaste may make your breath feel fresher. If you choose to use toothpaste, select one that carries ADA Seal of Approval. Materials such as baking soda and salt may be used as a safe alternative to commercial toothpaste.

Some manufactures claim that their product whitens the teeth and, indeed, may do so initially. However, tooth whiteners may scratch the enamel of the teeth, creating more space for bacterial to grow. These are not recommended for use without careful professional guidance and instruction.***

So, there you have it. You don't NEED to use toothpaste to properly brush your teeth.

***excerpt taken from http://www.drdavidjones.com/qa.htm

The History of The Toothpick

There is evidence that the toothpick has been around in various forms since 1600 BC and that our modern day toothbrushes actually evolved from them! In early times, things like porcupine quills and chicken bones and wood splinters were used to clean teeth. Here are some excerpts from an article I found that has some great information about when the toothpick originated.

"The skulls of Neanderthals, as well as Homo sapiens, have shown clear signs of having teeth that were either flossed with blades of grass or picked with rudimentary toothpick tools. Similar markings have been found in the fossilized teeth of both American Indians and Australian Aborigines."
Source: Smithsonian Magazine

Here is another excerpt I found particularly interesting...
"At one time, you could tell a person's status by what they used to pick their teeth. Kings, queens, and lords picked their teeth with designer toothpicks made from gold, silver, or ivory. Often, they were inlaid with precious stones. Twigs and porcupine quills were most often used by the "lower classes." By the 17th century, the toothpick was the latest fad for the educated classes in Europe they were even included in traveling sets together with a knife and spoon."
Source: http://members.aol.com/acalendar/February/toothpick.html

Here's a closing fact just for fun:
Did you know?
"One cord of wood (logs 8' in length, stacked 4' high, and 4' wide) can be turned into 7.5 million toothpicks." Source: amusingfacts.com