Natural Dental Remedies


Alternative medicine or “natural remedies” for dental care have been around for centuries only now there is research to prove if they are effective or just hogwash.

Important: Always tell your dentist about all medications and supplements you are taking and how much you take.

We do caution people when using any alternative “natural” treatments including herbal supplements. Remember that even the most common herbs such as St. John’s Wort and Ginko Biloba can cause serious health problems if taken in combination with other drugs or in extreme doses.

Natural Medications are capable of dangerous drug interactions that can put a person at an increased risk for a complication during and after dental treatment.

Cautions:

Blood thinners, such as ginko biloba and even vitamin E can be dangerous when taken with aspirin, which also acts as a blood thinner.
Ginko may also increase gum disease. This product may also cause uncontrollable bleeding or speed up existing gum disease.
If you take aspirin regularly, talk to your doctor before starting any other “natural” supplements.
Vitamin C, when taken excessively can cause problems and weaken the effects of anesthesia.
Calming supplements, such as Kava Kava or St. John’s Wort can enhance the effects of the anesthesia to cause problems.
Garlic can cause bleeding through platelet aggregation and can increase the action of coumadin in anticoagulant therapy.
Ephedrine, which is illegal, can cause:
Cardiovascular instability through increased heart rate
Risk of heart attacks
Seizures
Blood pressure
Risk of heart ischemia, stroke, and even death.
Avoid mixing ephedra with:
Caffeine
Decongestants
Stimulants
Heart drugs
Antidepressants
Combined with these drugs, ephedra becomes even more risky.
Echinacea, is a possible immune depressant with long term use, therefore decreasing the effectiveness of your immune system.
This herb can be toxic to the liver and shouldn’t be combined with other drugs.
Feverfew can increase bleeding and can increase the action of coumadin.
Ginseng can cause bleeding and hypoglycemia by lowering blood sugar. Avoid mixing with :
Warfarin (coumadin)
Nardil
Digoxin (lanoxin)
Sanguinarine is not recommended due to its links to predisposing gum tissue to oral cancer.
Garlic, ginko and feverfew can increase the effectiveness of aspirin and can greatly increase bleeding.
St John’s Wort can cause drowsiness and sensitivity to light. It also interferes with the effectiveness of other drugs, including coumadin and Tylenol.
Avoid mixing St John’s Wort with any prescription medications. Such as:
Antidepressants
Digoxin (lanoxin)
Theophylline
Versed
Valium
Halcion
Coumadin
Tylenol
Cyclosporin
Chemotherapy
St. John’s Wort has been shown to affect your body’s metabolism of all these drugs, and many others. Until more is known about the ability to alter the metabolism of these drugs, it is best not to combine such medications with St. John’s Wort.
Kava alert: Avoid mixing with:
Sedatives
Sleeping pills
Antipsychotics
Alcohol
Drugs treating anxiety or Parkinson’s disease.
Herbal tea may be harmful to your teeth. It can erode the protective layers of enamel that surround every tooth. Many of the herbal teas that have been tested were acidic enough to erode tooth enamel. Some herbal teas were up to 3 times more acidic that fruit juice. Therefore try to avoid herbal and fruit teas.

Recommendations Before Having Dental Surgery: Stop taking any of these herbal medications prior to surgery:
Ephedra at least 24 hours before surgery
Garlic- 7 days before surgery
Ginkgo- 36 hours before surgery
Ginseng- 7 days before surgery
Kava- 24 hours before surgery
St. John’s Wort- 5 days before surgery

Remedies:
Fluoride- naturally occurring mineral has been proven to protect teeth from decay.
Green tea- halts the growth of oral cancer cells and breaks down and kills existing oral cancer. Green tea can also inhibit the growth and spread of cancerous cells. The lining in the mouth must be exposed to 4-6 cups of green tea a day, to benefit at all.
Black tea- can help prevent gum disease and fight cavities by rinsing your mouth with the tea. Rinsing for 1 minutes 10 times a day resulted in a decrease of plaque buildup. The chemicals in black tea, suppress the growth of cavity-causing bacteria in plaque and reduce acid production levels.

Always tell your dentist about all medications and supplements you are taking and how much you take. Everything that you put in your body causes a certain reaction, some good and some bad.

If your dentist doesn’t know what drugs or supplements you have taken, he or she will not know how to protect you from possible substance interactions.

Teeth Whitening: The New Addiction?



Americans love a white smile, and there are an increasing number of teeth whitening products to choose from to accommodate just about anyone. Whitening treatments are now the number one requested cosmetic procedure, having increased more than 300% since 1996.

At-home whitening treatments have become increasingly popular as well. An array of over-the-counter bleaching kits can be found in any drugstore, discount store, or even grocery store.

But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. While most people would not call it an addiction, dentists say some people do overdo it in the quest for the perfect smile, or at least one as bright as most celebrities.

For some people who overuse whitening products, it is a narcissistic compulsion to maintain their youth. People are obsessed with the idea of perfecting their bodies and warding off the effects of age.

People are looking for anything they can get their hands on that can improve every part of the way they look, every advantage possible to one-up the next person.

There definitely is the tendency to overuse them, although most people don’t. It is just another classic example of trying to keep up with the “trend”. Now the trend is to have white teeth.

Some people see that some beauty is good, so obviously a lot must be better. Some people just don’t realize that being subtle is a good thing.

Some people, who overdo whitening treatments, look as if their teeth would glow in the dark. To us dentists, is looks like the most fake thing that we have ever seen, but to the patients, they think it is beautiful.

There are 2 main types of at-home tooth whitening products:
· Whitening strips
· Tray-based systems

Most are meant to be used over a 2-4 week period.

After completing the initial teeth whitening treatment, whether in a dentist’s office or using an at-home product, a once-a-month touch-up is probably sufficient.

People who smoke and drink dark liquids such as tea and coffee might need to re-treat every 2 weeks.

Your own teeth are best way to tell whether you’re overusing teeth whitening products.

The biggest signs of overuse are:
Excessive sensitivity of the teeth, especially to cold items.
Redness, irritation and bleeding in the gums.
The teeth start to appear translucent or blotchy.

Some people’s teeth get more transparent if you continue to whiten…You can see right through tem and see the dark shadows of your mouth. You may also wind up having to have a root canal.

Another warning sign is when patients look for changes in their teeth to correct other issues and problems that have nothing to do with their teeth, such as improving their social lives or getting a better job.

Keep in mind that sensitivity alone does not mean that you are overdoing it. About a third of users experience some sensitivity, which goes away in a day or two.

The maker of Crest Whitestrips notes the teeth whitening products have a built-in safety mechanism against people over-treating themselves.

When you have had the whitening strip on too long, you can get a real profound, throbbing pain in your tooth. It goes away but your teeth will hurt.

There is also a lot lower percentage of whitening agent in over-the-counter teeth whitening products as opposed to the in-office whitening treatments.

After you wear the strips for the recommended ½ hour time period, virtually all the peroxide is gone from the strip, and you cannot add more.

Tooth whitening is a very safe and effective technique when done according to the product manufacturer’s instructions and under the recommendations of a dentist. However, some people are after more than that.

Dental Anxiety



Dental anxiety or fear of the dentist is a major stumbling block for many people. It usually prevents otherwise intelligent, rational people from optimizing and maintaining their dental health.

The key to good oral health is prevention-stopping problems before they arise. Unfortunately, people who suffer from dental anxiety often fail to visit the dentist for routine care. When they finally do go, often a small preventable problem has turned into a problem which requires major intervention.

Most dental phobics have had very negative experiences with either unskilled, uncaring, or incompetent dentists.

The most important step to overcoming dental anxiety is finding a good dentist. A good dentist is one who:

Is patient
Is highly competent
Strives to make each meeting comfortable for you
Genuinely cares about you
Has the ability to nurture you through past traumas

Steps to finding a good dentist:

Ask friends and family who they recommend
Feel free to ask any potential dentist about their practice, practice philosophy, and the steps they take to make dentistry pain free and anxiety free.

Do not be intimidated. You are the consumer and it is the dentist who should be selling you on his or her service.

It takes a true partnership between the patient and the dentist, a growing trust, and a growing relationship that cannot nor should not be pushed faster than the patient can accept.

Coming in for just a consultation for your first appointment is a great way to get to meet the dentist, take a look at the office and their staff, and decide if the environment, dentist and staff, make you feel comfortable. This consultation appointment can be used not only to meet the doctor, but also to explain your anxiety, find out how the doctor approaches treatment, by having them explain everything clearly and also talk to them about ways they make the patients more comfortable.

At our office we have a friendly staff, which is like family, and we offer more comfortable ways to fill a cavity by using our new laser. We address any concerns that our patients have before treatment on how things will be performed in detail. This helps to make our patients a lot more comfortable in our office. There is no pressure to get treatment done, unless prolonging the treatment will have a more negative effect, such as a toothache, where an abscess can do more harm to the body.

Some things you can do to help ease your way through a dental visit:

Bring in a friend or loved one to sit with you.
Try not to schedule an appointment during a stressful time. For example, don’t schedule an appointment before a major business meeting or in the middle of the day if you know you have several tasks to do after the appointment.
Bring in an ipod or portable cd player with headphones with some relaxing music you enjoy.

If your dentist is unwilling to discuss your anxiety or try things to help reduce your anxiety it is time to get a new dentist.

Remember: An educated consumer is a less anxious consumer.

Make sure your dentist explains each and every procedure you undergo. Good dentists usually have videos, pamphlets, or books explaining the procedures they perform. A good dentist will answer the questions you have thus lessoning your anxiety.

With a good dentist-patient relationship and with good communication, dental anxiety can be overcome. You should feel comfortable discussing your anxieties with your dentist and should be confident that he or she will do everything possible to reduce your anxiety. If not find a new dentist who is willing to do what is takes to help you overcome your anxiety.