The Truth About Gum Disease
August 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Dentistry, Gum Disease, Podcasts
Episode 9 of Dangers in Dentistry, originally aired on KPRZ in San Diego.
Have you or someone you know been told you need gum surgery? How about an expensive treatment for gum disease? Or maybe no one has ever talked to you at all about gum disease…
In this week’s episode of Dangers in Dentistry, Dr. Marvin — America’s Holistic Dentist — breaks down the biggest myths about gum disease — gingivitis, surgery, alternative treatments, risks, and more.
Join us for this week’s episode of Dangers in Dentistry and discover the real truth behind the myths!
Enjoy!
Dr. Marvin
San Diego, Encinitas Holistic Dentist
Gum Disease Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis
August 17, 2009 by jared
Filed under Articles, Gum Disease, Holistic Dentistry, Hot Topics, News
As if you needed another reason to take care of your gums and treat gum disease, researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospital of Cleveland have found that treating periodontal disease reduces arthritic pain, swollen joints, and morning joint stiffness in people suffering from arthritis.
The researchers discovered a close biochemical association between microbes in inflamed gums, the toxins they create, and the joints.
“It was exciting to find that if we eliminated infection and inflammation in the gums, then patients with a severe kind of active rheumatoid arthritis reported improvement on the signs and symptoms of that disease,” said Dr. Nabil Bissada, head of the school’s periodontics department, who worked with Dr. Ali Askari, chairman of the department of rheumatology at the hospital. “It gives us a new intervention.”
Gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis are both inflammatory diseases sharing similarities in their progression over time – the soft and hard tissues are destroyed from inflammation caused by toxins from bacterial infection. One toxin from the inflamed areas, called tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is a marker present in the blood when inflammation is present in the body and can initiate new infections or aggravate sites where inflammation already exists.
For patients who already suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, a visit to the dentist to treat any signs of gum disease might lessen the pain and inflammation. For people not currently suffering from arthritis, it’s one more reason to proactively treat and prevent gum disease.
“Again we are seeing another link where good oral health improves the overall health of an individual,” said Bissada.
Heart disease, rheumatic disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis… they all have one thing in common: they are all linked to gum disease. Once again it goes to show that taking proper care of your mouth makes good, common sense for your overall health.
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Dr. Marvin is an holistic dentist at The Center for Natural Dentistry in Encinitas, California (San Diego County), specializing in dental care that protects and preserves your overall wellness. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, please contact his office today at (888) 825-5351.
Gum Disease and Heart Disease: Scientifically Linked!
June 2, 2009 by Dr. Marvin
Filed under Articles, Dentistry, Dr. Marvin's Blog, Gum Disease, Holistic Dentistry, Hot Topics, News
As an holistic dentist, I’m used to having people question the practice. After all, if the ADA hasn’t specifically said that mercury is bad (even though it’s a well know and scientifically proven neuro-toxin recognized by the FDA), then why should they believe that mercury fillings are bad?
The fact of the matter is, many governing bodies in the health industries are looking out more for the doctors than for the patients.
This weekend I was reading some health news and came across the following article on centrahealth.com. Is this the irrefutable proof people need to understand and believe the link between gum disease and heart disease? If it means taking care of yourself, then I certainly hope so… but read on and find out for yourself….
TUESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) — A genetic link between gum disease (periodontitis) and heart disease has been discovered by German scientists.
The association between periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for years, but a genetic link between the conditions hadn’t been confirmed. The University of Kiel team found that the two diseases share a genetic variant on chromosome 9.
“We studied a genetic locus on chromosome 9p21.3 that had previously been identified to be associated with myocardial infarction [heart attack], in a group of 151 patients suffering from the most aggressive, early-onset forms of periodontitis, and a group of 1,097 CHD patients who had already had a heart attack. The genetic variation associated with the clinical pictures of both diseases was identical,” Dr. Arne Schaefer said in a European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) news release.
He and his colleagues verified this genetic association in additional groups of 180 periodontitis patients and 1,100 CHD patients.
The study was presented May 25 at the annual ESHG conference, in Vienna, Austria.
Because of the link between periodontitis and CHD, “we think that periodontitis should be taken very seriously by dentists and diagnosed and treated as early as possible,” Schaefer said. He noted that periodontitis and CHD share risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and obesity.
“Now that we know for sure that there is a strong genetic link, patients with periodontitis should try to reduce their risk factors and take preventive measures at an early stage,” he said. “We hope that our findings will make it easier to diagnose the disease at an early stage, and that in future, a greater insight into the specific pathophysiology might open the way to effective treatment before the disease can take hold.”
http://myhealth.centrahealth.com/healthnews/healthday/090526HD627365.htm
Dr. Marvin Explains Holistic Dentistry, Biological Dentistry, and Mercury Fillings
March 18, 2009 by admin
Filed under Gum Disease, Holistic Dentistry, Mercury Toxicity, Root Canal Controversy, Videos
See Dr. Marvin get drilled by TV host Randy Alvarez on the Wellness Hour. 28 Minutes you don’t want to miss.
Gum Disease: Non-Surgical Gum Treatment
February 18, 2009 by admin
Filed under Gum Disease
Non Surgical Intervention – Perio Protect™ |
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More than 75 % of U.S. adults over 35 have some form of gum disease (or periodontal disease). Most who have the beginning stage of this disease don’t even know it.
The most severe version of gum disease is known as periodontitis. A less severe version is known as gingivitis. In many cases gingivitis is a precursor to periodontitis so all forms of gum disease should be seen as serious and not neglected. This disease is serious enough to be called the “silent epidemic” by former Surgeon General, David Satcher. It is also known as the “busy person’s disease” because people with very busy schedules often neglect their oral hygiene. It can be scary to hear that you have gum disease. Many people become embarrassed when they are told they have gum disease because they feel they have not paid enough attention to their oral hygiene; however, studies show that many adults lose ground even when they brush and floss regularly. A well-known phrase for growing older is growing “long in the tooth.” This phrase obviously indicates that it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep good oral hygiene for an entire lifetime.
When the symptoms become severe, with gums bleeding and teeth becoming loose, we tend to start paying attention. Unfortunately this level of belated intervention is now at the crisis level and can cause serious bone, tissue, and tooth loss.
The following list represents a few of the concerns people have regarding a periodontal exam or treatment:
- Fear of surgery
- Fear of loss of teeth
- Embarrassment and concern about their bleeding gums
- Sensitive/sore teeth
- Fearful that cleanings will be painful
- Long appointments
- Expensive treatments.
Convenient Comfortable Treatment
In our office the doctor provides various types of intervention treatments for all stages of the disease. Extremely minor symptoms are typically treated non-surgically with some patient education, a professional quality cleaning, and careful attention to follow-up visits.
For patients with moderate gingivitis through severe periodontitis, this office offers the convenient, comfortable Perio Protect™ treatment, which is a method that uses an FDA-cleared medical device that enables dentists in most cases to provide effective treatment with:
- No Painful Scraping
- No Expensive Surgery
- No Lengthy Appointments
- No Shots
- No Pain.
The Perio Protect™ system, which is very easy to use, has been proven in clinical studies to kill harmful bacteria within 72 hours.
Within days of using the medication, inflammation and swelling is reduced and bleeding gum tissue decreases dramatically. Bad breath, for many patients, is eliminated.
How it Works
You will be fitted for custom made mouth-pieces (Perio Trays™), which are similar to athletic mouthguards. They are very thin, soft, and comfortable.
The trays are made by an FDA-registered laboratory to the exact dimensions of your teeth. You will then take them home and add the doctor prescribed medications (which are usually in a gel form – similar in consistency to toothpaste) and wear them according to the doctor’s instruction (for only a few minutes at a time). This gel seeps above and below the gum line, modifying the biofilm (the calculus and tartar) which makes your brushing and flossing that much more effective. The hard calculus and tartar are turned into a soft chalky material that is easily removed by regular brushing and flossing. The gel also kills the bacteria, which allows your gums to heal.
You will be instructed on the frequency of usage based on your diagnosis. A great advantage of this method is that the entire treatment is done in the comfort of your own home. The medications used in this unique treatment also whiten your teeth and freshen your breath.
At each subsequent dental visit, our hygienist will gently remove any remaining softened deposits and evaluate the progress of your healing. Your dental visits will be quick, easy, and painless.
Imagine…. a new way of eliminating most gingival and connective tissue disease problems without pain or excessive expense. To see video testimonials from patients who have been through the system click here: http://www.perioprotect.com/testimonials.asp
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