Cheers! That glass of red wine you pour each day to enhance your heart health or overall health may also be helping to keep your mouth healthy by inhibiting tooth decay and gum disease. Studies in Italy have shown that chemicals in red wine called proanthocyanidins, phytonutrients found in foods like grapes, apples and chocolate that have antioxidant properties, seem to prevent the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, which causes tooth decay, from sticking to saliva and teeth.

Dentists are playing an active role in helping patients address potentially serious breathing problems that occur during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is defined as a disorder in which breathing stops for short periods of time during sleep.

Stress and anxiety can lead many people to become occasional toothgrinders. These days, dentists are increasingly concerned that the economic downturn may be exacerbating the problem. In October, Dr. Steven Butensky of New York told the New York Times: "I'm seeing a lot more people that are anxious, stressed out and very concerned about their financial futures and they're taking it out on their teeth."

Spending the time and effort to floss might be a wise investment—not just reducing risks for gum disease, heart disease and stroke—but also in protecting against memory loss and head and neck cancer.
 
Researchers at West Virginia School of Dentistry are studying the link between gum disease and memory loss.

The FDA has, for decades, ridiculously insisted that mercury fillings pose no health threat whatsoever to children. While dismissing hundreds of studies showing a clear link between mercury amalgam fillings ("silver fillings") and disastrous neurological effects in the human body, the FDA denied the truth about mercury and effectively protected the mercury filling racket that has brought so much harm to so many people.

Everything is bad for you now. Meat. Potatoes. Gravy. Bacon. Bread. Butter. Ham. Eggs. Salt. Sugar. Buttertarts (sigh)
But toothpaste? Yep.
According to clinical studies, Toothpaste abuse is rampant and is the leading cause of tooth sensitivity, tooth discolouration and excessive wear and tear on teeth.

Good oral health is key to quality of life. When your mouth is healthy, you can eat the foods you need for good nutrition and can feel better about smiling, talking, and laughing. However, periodontal (gum) disease - an infection of the gums and tissues that hold teeth in place - can harm oral health and is a leading cause of tooth loss among older adults. Because it's an important topic for seniors, a section on gum disease has just been added to NIHSeniorHealth.gov.

Tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC states that tooth decay, if left untreated, can cause pain and infections that hinder eating, speaking, playing and learning.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center report initial results from a small sample that inflammation from gum disease and prostate problems just might be linked. They discuss their new evidence in the Journal of Periodontology, the official journal of the American Academy of Periodontology.