Are your best efforts at oral hygiene not producing the expected results?

Vitamin D and teeth are incredibly important, yet almost completely overlooked in the medical field. When was the last time your dentist suggested that you might want to take Vitamin D for prevention of periodontal disease, gum disease and cavities?

Never, I'm sure.

We all hear about the importance of calcium for healthy bones and teeth, but the relationship of Vitamin D and teeth is seldom talked about, yet it is just as important.

A little over a week ago I visited my doctor for results on a blood test I took.  During our discussion he suggested taking Vitamin D for a problem I was having.  Being a very analytical person, I decided to look up Vitamin D and its benefits.  Much to my surprise, I found several articles discussing the connection between Vitamin D deficiency and teeth and disease of their supporting structures.  I will try to summarize my findings below.

How Vitamin D Deficiency Affects the Health of Your Teeth

Vitamin D is essential in helping your teeth remain anchored into their sockets.  Research has shown that people with Vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease is the weakening of the supporting tissues that anchor the teeth. This includes gums, bone, and connective tissue. Untreated, gum disease leads to redness, bleeding, and inflammation of the gums and eventually leads to tooth loss.

So what role does Vitamin D play in the prevention of periodontal disease?

Our bodies host genes that are responsible for the expression of periodontal disease. Vitamin D regulates these genes. Vitamin D acts as a controller of genes in almost every cell. When Vitamin D levels are too low, the genes responsible for a number of problems, such as periodontal disease, get switched on and allow the disease to develop.

Vitamin D has not been tested as a treatment for periodontal disease. However, sustaining proper Vitamin D levels may help prevent periodontal disease. While it does not treat periodontal disease, Vitamin D may reduce gingivitis because of its anti-inflammatory effects.

How does Vitamin D help strengthen your teeth?

People correlate strong bones and teeth with calcium. But what many people fail to realize is that Vitamin D regulates the calcium throughout our bodies.  The calcium in our teeth and bones moves constantly.  Vitamin D determines where the calcium goes.  If your calcium levels are too low, then the calcium goes into your blood stream.  If you have adequate or high levels of calcium, the Vitamin D will tell your body to move the calcium into the teeth and bones.  However, if you have a Vitamin D deficiency, no amount of calcium will go into the bones, thus causing major weakness to your bones and teeth. This result ultimately leads to osteoporosis, periodontal disease, and weak teeth!

Vitamin D and Teeth in Kids

A seriously overlooked reason to have excellent Vitamin D levels is for the Oral Health and Hygiene of children. In This Research Study they related higher levels of Vitamin D in the bloodstream of mothers to decreased cavities in their children!

And more research from 1973 called Enamel hypoplasia of the teeth associated with neonatal tetany: manifestation of maternal vitamin deficiency showed that infants born with vitamin D deficiency were prone to a tooth condition called 'enamel hypoplasia' that predisposes them to bad teeth for the rest of their life!

Also, there is a well established correlation between children Rickets and Dental Enamel Hypoplasia - a condition of faulty development of the dental enamel that allows cavities to be more easily established.

 

What is the best way to obtain proper Vitamin D levels?

Research shows that the best way to obtain Vitamin D is from 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine at least two times a week on the face, arms, hands, or back. People who live in states with minimal sunshine should eat eggs, milk, sardines, and tuna. You can also take Vitamin D supplements, but be sure to consult your physician prior to taking any supplement or medication.

If you are concerned that you have periodontal disease and Vitamin D deficiency may be a factor, call me, Dr. Robert Berger in Reynoldsburg, OH at (614) 866-3368, to schedule a consultation. My team and I want to assist you in maintaining a sunny smile!

They're the imperatives for well-being that have been drilled into us forever--"Drink eight glasses of water a day!" "Eat nine servings of fruits and veggies!" "Stay away from red meat!" But it turns out that taking care of yourself isn't quite so black-and-white, says Harvard Medical School psychologist Alice Domar, PhD, coauthor of Live a Little! Breaking the Rules Won't Break Your Health. "Research is revealing that whoever wrote the old guidelines didn't have the whole picture, and that there are more paths to optimal health than we previously thought," Domar says. Happily, the new rules are more user-friendly than the old ones. Here, four tips to live by.
 

Old Rule: Drink eight glasses of water a day.
New Rule: Eat your water.

The recommendation to chug all that H2O was likely based on guidelines published in 1945. However, says Howard Murad, MD, author of The Water Secret, much of your daily requirement is contained in foods: Fruits, vegetables, beans, and cooked whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa (which soak up moisture in the pot) all deliver servings of water. And, as Murad points out, they offer the added bonus of nutrients: "Watermelon and cucumber are more than 90 percent water, but they also contain antioxidants. With a glass of water, all you get is water." You'll know you're hydrated when your urine is colorless or pale yellow and you're rarely thirsty.


Old Rule: Eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables.
New Rule: Fill half your plate with produce.

A serving of broccoli is about five florets. A serving of raw spinach, one cup. A serving of mango, roughly the size of a fist. "It's not surprising that people get confused over what, exactly, a serving is," says Washington, D.C., dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield. Her advice: Stop counting and instead make half of every meal produce. "You don't need a big mound on your plate. Six asparagus spears at dinner, a spinach salad at lunch, and a sliced banana and some berries at breakfast should do it." And quality counts: Even two or three daily servings of deeply hued fruits and veggies (like blueberries, bok choy, or red peppers) may help reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease, Scritchfield says. "It's like darts. The goal is to hit the bull's-eye. But hitting nearby is good, too."


Old Rule: Avoid red meat.
New Rule: Beef in moderation can be healthy.

Red meat was long considered a heart attack on a plate because it's high in saturated fat. But a 2010 study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that the cardiovascular risk comes from processed varieties, such as sausage, hot dogs, and cold cuts--not from steak, hamburgers, and other nonprocessed cuts. (The real culprits may be salt and preservatives). Red meat is a good source of iron and immunity-boosting zinc-two nutrients some women don't get enough of. Beef (especially grass-fed) also contains high concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that may decrease cancer risk and help reduce body fat.

"But not all red meats are created equal," says Leslie J. Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Sports Medicine. She recommends choosing very lean cuts and avoiding anything labeled "prime," as it will have more fat marbling. And try not to eat more than three 4- to 5-ounce servings (about the size of an iPhone) per week.


Old Rule: Keep your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.
New Rule: Eat healthy, exercise, and let your weight settle naturally.

Physicians use BMI (body mass index)--a ratio of your weight to your height--as a tool to diagnose obesity. But critics say BMI ignores muscle mass, and a 2011 Obesity study notes that it also ignores a person's hip circumference. "People come in different sizes and shapes," says Joanne Ikeda, nutritionist emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. "The idea that everyone should fall under 25 is ludicrous." A person can have a high BMI and still be healthy, Ikeda argues. Research supports the theory: A Journal of the American Medical Association study found that fit women--even if they were overweight according to their BMI--were less likely to suffer a heart attack than those who were out of shape. Ikeda advises her patients to stop obsessing over their BMI, eat a nutritious diet, and log 150 minutes of exercise per week. "A healthy lifestyle results in a healthy weight."

 

You’ve probably heard computer people use the term “GIGO.”  That’s "Garbage in Garbage out," or thinking a little more on the positive side,  "Good in Good out!"

Well Dr. Stephen G Chaney shows us how this can relate to what we eat.  The title of this week's Tip is "We Grow What We Eat".  I think you will enjoy it!

No, this is not about each of us starting a backyard garden and literally growing what we eat - although that would probably be a good idea for most of us.

I'm actually talking about the bacteria that we "grow" in our intestine.

Most of you probably already know about the concept of "good" and "bad" intestinal bacteria.

Evidence suggests that the "bad" intestinal bacteria and yeast can compromise our immune system.

There is also evidence that they can create a "leaky gut" (you can think of this as knocking holes in our intestinal wall that allow partially digested foods to enter the circulation where they can trigger inflammation and auto-immune responses).

And they appear to convert the foods that we eat into cancer causing chemicals which can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

The list goes on and on...

The "good bacteria" are thought to crowd out the "bad" bacteria and prevent many of the problems they cause.

For years we have thought of "bad" bacteria and yeast as originating from undercooked or poorly washed foods that we eat and the "good" bacteria as originating from foods like yogurt and probiotic supplements.

But most of us have not thought that the kinds of foods we choose to eat on a daily basis can affect the kinds of bacteria we "grow" in our intestine - until now.

You've heard for years that "We are what we eat". Well it now appears that we also "grow what we eat".

I'm referring to a recent study by G. D. Wu et al (Science, 334: 105-108, 2011).

Previous studies have shown that people from all over the world tend to have one of two distinct populations in their intestines - Bacteroides or Prevotella. [Don't let the specialized scientific terminology scare you.  These are just the names given to two distinctive populations of intestinal bacteria].

What this study showed was that people who habitually consumed high-fat/low-fiber diets (diets containing predominantly animal protein and saturated fats) tended to have the Bacteroides bacteria in their intestine, while people who habitually consumed low-fat/high-fiber diets (diets that are primarily plant based and are high in carbohydrate and low in meat and dairy) tended to have the Prevotella bacteria in their intestine.

And surprisingly this appears to be independent of sex, weight and nationality.

At this point in time we don't know the health benefits and risks associated with a Bacteroides versus a Prevotella grouping of intestinal bacteria.

However, now that do we know that we "grow what we eat" there are numerous studies ongoing to define the benefits and risks associated with each type of bacterial population.

Stay tuned! I'll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

To Your Health! 

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Today I had a patient come in for a cleaning that has trouble scheduling her appointments due to very frequent and severe outbreaks of Cold Sores.  Luckily for most people with cold sores, this is very unusual, but can happen in some people.  This made me think that it would be good to let you know more about Cold Sores and their background.

What are cold sores?

Cold sores, sometimes called fever blisters, are groups of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red, swollen, and sore. The blisters may break open, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. They usually heal in several days to 2 weeks.

What causes cold sores?

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both virus types can cause sores around the mouth (herpes labialis) and on the genitals (genital herpes).

The herpes simplex virus usually enters the body through a break in the skin around or inside the mouth. It is usually spread when a person touches a cold sore or touches infected fluid-such as from sharing eating utensils or razors, kissing an infected person, or touching that person's saliva. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child in this way. Cold sores can also be spread to other areas of the body.

What are the symptoms?

The first symptoms of cold sores may include pain around your mouth and on your lips, a fever, a sore throat, or swollen glands in your neck or other parts of the body. Small children sometimes drool before cold sores appear. After the blisters appear, the cold sores usually break open, leak a clear fluid, and then crust over and disappear after several days to 2 weeks. For some people, cold sores can be very painful.

Some people have the virus but don't get cold sores. They have no symptoms.

How are cold sores diagnosed?

Your doctor can tell if you have cold sores by asking you questions to find out whether you have come into contact with the virus and by examining you. You probably won't need any tests.

How are cold sores treated?

Cold sores will usually start to heal on their own within a few days. But if they cause pain or make you feel embarrassed, they can be treated. Treatment may include skin creams, ointments, or sometimes pills. Treatment may get rid of the cold sores only 1 to 2 days faster, but it can also help ease painful blisters or other uncomfortable symptoms.

The herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores cannot be cured. After you get infected, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. If you get cold sores often, treatment can reduce the number of cold sores you get and how severe they are.

How can you prevent cold sores?

There are some things you can do to keep from getting the herpes simplex virus.

• Avoid coming into contact with infected body fluids, such as kissing an infected person.
• Avoid sharing eating utensils, drinking cups, or other items that a person with a cold sore may have used.

After you have been infected with the virus, there is no sure way to prevent more cold sores. But there are some things you can do to reduce your number of outbreaks and prevent spreading the virus.

• Avoid the things that trigger your cold sores, such as stress and colds or the flu.
• Always use lip balm and sunscreen on your face. Too much sunlight can cause cold sores to flare.
• Avoid sharing towels, razors, silverware, toothbrushes, or other objects that a person with a cold sore may have used.
• When you have a cold sore, make sure to wash your hands often, and try not to touch your sore. This can help keep you from spreading the virus to your eyes or genital area or to other people.

Now I'd like to hear from you . . .

If you have Cold Sores and have found a treatment that helps please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.

To your good health,

Robert G. Berger D.D.S.

Anything that doesn't occur naturally in a particular food is considered an additive. Many of these substances occur naturally in one food but become additives when used in the manufacture of another food. You might find sodium propionate in the list of ingredients in a loaf of bread, but if you buy Swiss cheese, you'll be eating ten times as much sodium propionate. It won't be listed on the label, because it is a natural component of the cheese.

Why are additives put in food?

They have a variety of functions. Additives are used to replace nutrients lost in processing (for example, all white flour must have thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate put in to replace what is lost when the wheat germ is removed), or to add nutrients (i.e., vitamins in breakfast cereals). Some additives are used as preservatives to retard spoilage, such as BHA and BHT, or antioxidants that keep fat from turning rancid. Others are used to improve the texture or consistency by making the product thicker, smoother, or more free-flowing, or to keep ingredients from separating. Flavorings and colorings are considered additives, whether they are the relatively benign spices, salt and pepper, or the ominous-sounding "artificial flavors", dyes and bleaches.

Should you try to avoid additives?

Not unless you have identified a specific allergy or sensitivity. Many people believe they are sensitive to MSG, and you can avoid it if you wish. Most additives are used in such small amounts that they have no significance in your diet unless you consume huge quantities of a single food.

You should be more concerned about what's taken out of your food than what's added in. "Enriched" means vitamins, minerals, other nutrients and fiber were  removed during processing, and what is added back may be only a small part of what was taken away. When fiber is removed, you are the loser. Extracted oils give you lots of calories and little of the nutrients that were in the original plants.

If your diet consists primarily of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, you don't give food processors the chance to remove the good parts that nature provides and you won't need to worry about what's added behind your back.

Think first…then eat SMART!

Now I'd like to hear from you . . .

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.

To your good health,

Robert G. Berger D.D.S.