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Your friends warned you about the teenage years.  Your parents reminded you of your own behavior during the years between 13 and 19.  So, how’s it going?  Better than you ever imagined?  Challenging?  Frustrating?  We hope it’s going well and that your child is a pleasure to live with.  Whatever the case may be, we wanted to remind you that Moore Family Dental is here for you — and your teenager — just as we always are.  It’s good to know that some things never change, right?

We’ve compiled a list of five things you should know about dental care during the teenage years.  We hope it’s helpful!

1.  We know your child’s teeth
Teenagers are vulnerable in many ways.  They are going through a significant transition as they move from childhood toward adulthood.  Their bodies are growing and changing in many ways, including hormonally.  Even something pleasant like spending time with friends may be confusing and stressful because of peer pressure.  As a result of all this, some young people become vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, smoking, or other risky behaviors.  Did you know that some of these behaviors can be detected during a dental exam?  Smoking, for example, discolors teeth.  Bulimia erodes the enamel of the teeth.  We take our commitment to your child’s oral health seriously, and we constantly monitor for any changes or signs of trouble.

2.  Dental care is very important with braces, at any age
As noted above, good oral care is always important, but that is especially true with braces.  Proper brushing and flossing helps maximize the positive effects of braces.  If your teenager is unsure about the best ways to brush and floss with braces, let us know.  We’d be happy to provide a crash course.  We recognize that good oral care can be a little more challenging at this time, so we are always ready to offer a little extra help.

3.  We can help with tooth sensitivity
Some people experience sensitivity, especially when they eat or drink hot or cold foods or beverages.  If your teenager has developed a caffeine addiction, he or she may have discovered a sensitivity to hot beverages.  If that’s the case, let us know.  We can help determine the cause of the sensitivity and address it.  Sometimes, people are embarrassed about this issue, but there’s no reason to be.  If your teenager is hesitant to bring it up, let us know and we’ll work through it together.

4.  Beware of DIY whitening
Many teenagers get caught up in the tooth-whitening craze by purchasing at-home products.  We understand that they want to look their best, but we urge extreme caution in this regard.  Whitening products contain chemicals that must be used appropriately, or they can have serious undesired effects.  If a teenager doesn’t realize this, leaving a product on for a few extra minutes may seem like a good idea to achieve whiter teeth, but the results may not be what your teen is looking for.  If you’d like to discuss safe whitening options, let us know.

5.  Brushing and flossing are as important as ever
As a youngster, your child may have been very careful about brushing and flossing on a regular basis.  However, as a teenager, that same individual may begin to take dental care less seriously.  If you push the issue, will your teenager begin to rebel on this matter?  Many of the same tips for dealing with this issue with young children may be helpful when it comes to teenagers.  First, set a good example.  If your teen sees you brushing, flossing, and otherwise taking good care of your teeth, he or she may begin to realize that the issue is important throughout life.  Second, involve your teen in any choices; sometimes choosing one’s own toothbrush and/or toothpaste can make an individual more likely to use them on a regular basis.  Finally, offer positive reinforcement.  ”Wow, your teeth look great; I can tell you’re taking good care of them!” lets your teenager know that you notice the difference and the effort behind it.

The teenage years don’t last forever.  If this is a challenging time, hang in there.  If it’s going better than you had hoped, celebrate cautiously. Please contact us with any concerns.  Good luck!

Poor dental health, especially tooth loss, is associated with several established cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, smoking, blood pressure, obesity and other novel risk factors, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

Although several studies have proposed a link between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease, knowledge about periodontal disease in patients with established heart disease is lacking. Researchers investigated the prevalence of self-reported tooth loss and occurrence of gum bleeds, as surrogate markers of periodontal disease, and their relation to cardiovascular risk factors in high-risk patients with coronary heart disease participating in the ongoing STABILITY study, a global clinical trial evaluating the anti-atherosclerosis drug darapladib.

At the start of the study, 15,828 study participants from 39 countries reported their remaining number of teeth, categorized as none, 1-14, 15-19, 20-25 or 26-32, and frequency of gum bleeds, never/rarely, sometimes, often or always. Data on cardiovascular risk factors were also obtained, and statistical analyses were performed, adjusting for age, smoking, diabetes and education. Approximately 40 percent of participants had fewer than 15 teeth and 16 percent had no teeth; 25 percent of subjects reported gum bleeds.

For every decrease in number of teeth, researchers observed increasing levels of Lp-PLA2, an enzyme that increases inflammation and promotes hardening of the arteries, as well as an increase in other cardiac risk markers including LDL or “bad” cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and waist circumference. Participants with fewer teeth also had higher probability of having diabetes, with the odds increasing by 11 percent for every decrease in number of teeth category. Greater loss of teeth was also associated with being a current or former smoker compared to being a non-smoker and having a lower education. Gum bleeds were associated with higher levels of bad cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as a greater likelihood of being a non-smoker and having a higher education.

Researchers were surprised by the large proportion of patients with no or very few teeth and had expected somewhat stronger associations between gum bleeding and cardiovascular risk factors.

“Gum bleeding is an early manifestation of periodontal disease, whereas tooth loss represents the final stage,” said Ola Vedin, MD, from the Department of Medical Sciences at Uppsala University in Sweden and the study’s lead investigator. “Therefore, one theory is that patients with gum bleeding but little or no tooth loss have had less and shorter exposure to the processes of periodontitis and have thus developed fewer complications.”

Dr. Vedin cautions that researchers are still unclear about what is behind the association between tooth loss, gum health and heart health.

“Whether periodontal disease actually causes coronary heart disease remains to be shown. It could be that the two conditions share common risk factors independently,” Dr. Vedin said. “Those who believe that a causal relationship exists propose several theories, including systemic inflammation, the presence of bacteria in the blood from infected teeth and bacteria invading coronary plaques.”

According to Dr. Vedin, additional studies are needed to unravel the potential for periodontal health to be a useful risk marker for heart disease. If future research can confirm a causal relationship, dentists could play an important role in cardiovascular risk assessment.

Source: American College of Cardiology Press Release