Halloween is almost here! If you're giving away candy, sugar-free lollipops may be the way to go!

A recent study, published by the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, demonstrated that sugar-free lollipops containing licorice root extract significantly reduced the bacteria that causes tooth decay, specifically in pre-school children with high-risk of tooth decay.

The study, funded by the Research and Data Institute of the affiliated companies of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, New Mexico and North Carolina, analyzed 66 preschool students ages 2 to 5 enrolled in the Greater Lansing Area Head Start Program. Each student received a lollipop for 10 minutes twice daily for three weeks.

"Dental decay is one of the most common childhood diseases with more than half of children ages 5 to 17 having had at least one cavity or filling," said Jed J. Jacobson, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H., chief science officer at Delta Dental. "We are working to find simple, effective regimens that will encourage prevention and control of dental disease. While the results of this pilot clinical trial are encouraging, more research is needed to confirm these early findings."

Results showed a significant reduction in Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), the primary bacteria responsible for tooth decay, during the three-week period when the lollipops were being used and lasting for an additional 22 days before beginning to rebound.

Using a saliva test, the amount of S. mutans in the patient's mouth was measured before and during the three-week period where lollipops were used, as well as for several weeks thereafter.

"The use of the licorice root lollipops is an ideal approach as it will stop the transfer and implantation of the bacteria that cause dental decay from mothers to their infants and toddlers," said Martin Curzon, editor-in-chief, European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "It also has the merit of being a low cost-high impact public dental health measure."

"This study is important not only for dental caries prevention research, but also demonstrates the feasibility of a classroom protocol using a unique delivery system suitable for young children," said Jacqueline Tallman, R.D.H., B.S., M.P.A., principal investigator of the study. "Early prevention is key for lifetime oral health and effective innovative protocols are needed."

The investigation was a collaborative effort of the Greater Lansing Area Head Start Program, the University of Michigan and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Delta Dental's Research and Data Institute provided the grants as part of its mission to remain on the cutting edge of finding solutions to oral health problems.

"Our Head Start program was excited to participate in the Lollipop project," said Teresa Spitzer, R.N., Health Programs Manager, Capital Community Head Start Inc. Head Start and Early Childhood Programs. "Staff and parents were intrigued by something as simple as a special Lollipop having the ability to decrease the incidence of dental caries in children. The outcomes only reinforced the value the parents placed on the project."

The lollipops, manufactured by Dr. John's Candies of Grand Rapids, Mich., were developed using FDA-approved materials by Dr. Wenyuan Shi, a microbiologist at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and C3 Jian, Inc., a research and development company in California. The orange-flavored, sugarless lollipops contain extract of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), which targets and is thought to kill the primary bacteria (Streptococcus mutans or S. mutans) responsible for tooth decay.

About Streptococcus mutans

There are approximately 700 types of bacteria in the human mouth. While most are harmless, Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is considered the primary culprit in tooth decay. They live in a biofilm (plaque) that adheres to the teeth, consume sugar and release acid that erodes tooth enamel, causing decay. Regular brushing and flossing, along with dental checkups, can help to keep S. mutans and Lactobacillus casei in check.

Source: Delta Dental of Michigan


For more information about Aesthetic and Atlanta Cosmetic Dentistry go to
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Help keep your smile a beautiful pearly white!

We all want to have a nice smile, which includes beautiful white teeth. When we have yellow teeth, sometimes we don't feel like smiling as much. Or we'll sport that closed mouth smile more often. 

Some people have naturally white teeth, and others' are naturally more of a yellow hue. And as we age, we may find our teeth changing a bit too.

Causes of yellowing teeth can be attributed to:
-Foods/Drinks: berries, curry, soy sauce, colas, wine, coffee and even dark beer can stain teeth.
-Chewing or smoking tobacco can make teeth yellow.
-Medication: Some antibiotics are known to stain teeth especially in young children. 
-Antihistamines, medications for high blood pressure and some anti-psychotic drugs can change tooth color.
-Iron containing supplements
-Over use of prescription mouthwash (containing compounds such as chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride).
-Excess fluoride ingestion, either from unusually high content in drinking water (rare) or from using excessive amounts of fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash.

A few ways to prevent the yellowing of teeth are:
-Avoid or reduce your intake of foods or drinks that tend to stain your teeth.
-Brush your teeth after meals or after drinking coffee or other staining culprits.
-Don't smoke or chew tobacco products.
-Make sure to visit your dentist at least twice per year.
-Ask your dentist about safe whitening products or techniques.


Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry of Atlanta offers several methods that will allow you to brighten and whiten your smile! Visit our website for more information or call 770-955-0550 and speak with one of our knowledgable staff. 

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER FOR A ZOOM II ADVANCE WHITENING TREATMENT AND PAY ONLY $450! REGULARLY PRICED AT $600, THE SERVICE ALSO INCLUDES A SET OF CUSTOM TAKE-HOME TOUCH-UP TRAYS AND BLEACH! 

CALL US NOW! APPOINTMENT TIMES ARE LIMITED!

770-955-0550


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Embarrassed about you breath?

You don't want to be a "close talker" if you're worried about this.
Did you know that bad breath is the third most frequent reason that people visit their dentist? (The first two reasons are cavities and gum disease.)

You may not know you have bad breath until someone comments on your breath or offers you mints or gum. A bad taste in your mouth is a good sign that your breath may not be pleasant.

Causes:
-Bacteria on the tongue that produce smelly compounds and fatty acids that stink.
-Bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for breaking down proteins into individual amino acids, and then the further breakdown of some amino acids into smelly gasses such as hydrogen sulfide.
-Gum disease
-Nose odor ... yup, even the breath that you exhale through your nose can have a smell, especially if you have a cold or sinus infection.
-Certain foods that you've eaten may be the culprit. Garlic and onions can lead to bad breath.
-Ketosis: During prolonged fasting or severe dieting, and even following a low carbohydrate diet, our bodies use an alternate method of getting calories from stored fatty acids in the liver. This produces ketones as a byproduct and we exhale these ketoacids, which have an unpleasant sweet smell. (We also expel them in the urine.)
-Lung infections
-Poor oral hygiene
-Smoking

Prevention and treatment:
Use a toothpaste or mouthwash that contains zinc compounds or stabilized chlorine dioxide. These compounds can actually help break down the sulfur chemicals in your mouth that cause bad breath.

Remember to brush your teeth and tongue regularly (at least twice a day, but ideally after each meal).

Visit your dentist on a regular basis. A dentist will be able to tell you if there are any problems with your oral health that may be contributing to bad breath.
Avoid eating onions and/or garlic if the result of bad breath bothers you.

There have been some contradictory and preliminary studies suggesting that some nutritional supplements may be helpful: If you have gum disease, Coenzyme Q10 or folic acid supplements may help. Also a mouthwash or toothpaste containing zinc chloride may improve things.

If you need to consult with a dental professional about bad breath treatment or need tooth replacement due to Atlanta Dental Implants please visit http://www.drdavidzelby.com/

Noisy Jaw? Read This!

Thanks to the temporo-mandibular joint or TMJ (jaw joint), muscles of mastication, and facial muscles, we can chew, swallow, smile and speak. Temporo-mandibular disorder or TMD occurs when the function of TMJ and surrounding muscles is impaired.

Symptoms of TMD

• Tenderness and pain in the jaw muscles. The pain is more severe after waking up in the morning or after chewing foods or gums.

• Difficulty in opening and closing the jaws, sometimes locking of the jaws might occur.

• Unexplained headaches and having painful sensation in the neck area.

• Clicking sound when chewing, yawning, or opening the mouth widely.

• In severe cases of TMD, the mandible can be dislocated from its position.
  
  

Causes of TMD

Obviously, the causes of TMD are not always known, but in most cases stress is the prime suspect. The following are the most common causes:

• Bruxism or Grinding teeth, especially while sleeping at night. Some people, when stressed, severely clinch their teeth until the muscles of the jaw are exhausted causing great pain.

• Fractured or dislocated mandible (lower jaw)

• Some joint disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis

• Mal-occlusion, which occurs when your teeth are not properly aligned in your jaws causing extra forces on TMJ.

• Missing, worn or loose teeth

• Gingival diseases

• Ill-fitting complete or partial dentures

• Bad habits, like biting on hard objects
  
  

How Can You Treat TMD?

1. Avoid stress and learn how to relax.

2. Be careful for the type of foods you eat:

• Avoid chewing hard objects

• Avoid chewing gums for prolonged hours

• Avoid opening your mouth widely when you yawn

• Eat soft diet or cut your food into small bites

3. Massage your jaw muscles; rub and stretch them. This will definitely ease pain.

4. Put a cold or warm compress on the area of painful jaw muscles.

5. When you are relaxed, your upper and lower teeth should be slightly separated, your tongue relaxed against your palate (roof of the mouth), and finally, your lips must be relaxed and slightly touching each other.

6. If you are suffering bruxism, your dentist will advise you to put night mouth guard; this is a bite pad worn at night while sleeping to absorb the forces exerted by your teeth when clenching.

7. Beware that clenching of teeth increases after coffee (caffeine) and alcohol consumption. Try to avoid such drinks.

Visit drdavidzelby.com to learn more about TMD and other oral-related issues

Insurance Companies are Finally Beginning to See the Importance of Oral Health!

ATLANTA, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire -- 

 Georgians now have even more reasons to smile! Blue Cross and Blue Shield ofGeorgia (BCBSGa) today announced the availability of new dental plans in Georgia for small groups with effective dates of July 1, 2011 and later. These new plans from BCBSGa – Dental Prime and Dental Complete – are designed to support both oral health and overall health.

Why is this important? Research suggests a connection between poor oral health and certain health issues like gum disease, heart disease and stroke(1).  Evidence also suggests poor oral health can complicate or is linked to diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia, stroke and pre-term/low birth weight babies(2).  However, those who have dental benefits exhibit healthier behaviors, such as getting yearly physicals, dental check-ups, brushing twice daily, regular exercise and eating a low-fat diet(3).  In addition, 62 percent of employers view dental benefits as an essential component of their benefits package(4).

"We know dental insurance is one of the most valued benefits employers can provide to their employees and we are proud to offer these new plans to Georgians," said Morgan Kendrick, state plan president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. "These new plans offer Georgia small group employers and their employees, industry-leading benefits that focus on dental health."

The networks supporting Dental Prime and Dental Complete are some of the largest dental networks in Georgia – Prime includes more than 85,000 access points nationwide, and Complete includes more than 96,000 access points nationwide(5).

"Having a choice of contracted networks allows small group employers solutions for controlling costs without reducing dental benefits," said Stuart Watts, regional vice president, Specialty Business. "Employers can select the Dental Prime-contracted network, which is the lower cost network, or they can pick the Dental Complete-contracted network, which allows even greater network access."

In addition, this new dental portfolio includes three core plan designs – Value dental plans, Classic dental plans and Enhanced dental plans. The Value plans include coverage for basic services such as cleanings, exams, X-rays and fillings. The Classic plans include basic dental services and additional coverage for major services, including implants. The Enhanced plans offer the greatest level of coverage with a higher annual maximum benefit and lower member coinsurance amounts. Both Classic and Enhanced plans can be quoted with a new optional feature to stretch benefits dollars even further via a maximum carryover provision. And, all three dental plans include coverage for brush biopsies for early cancer detection.

"We also offer voluntary dental plans for small groups, which are a win-win situation for employers and their employees," said Watts. "Employers can offer benefits to their employees at no cost to their company – employers only need to choose a benefits package, explain the benefits to their employees and administer the payroll deductions. In the end, employees are offered a benefits package that is usually more robust than they would receive on an individual plan, plus they receive the group rate."

For more information about the new Dental Prime and Dental Complete products, click here.

(1) Source: 2009-2010 Specialty Trends Report For the Employer Market
(2) Source: Oral Health America, http://www.oralhealthamerica.org/news/062204.html
(3) Source: NADP, The Haves and the Have-Nots: Consumers With and Without Dental Benefits, 2009
(4) Source: NADP, Purchaser Behavior Study, 2008
(5) Source: Definition: An access point is a location where a dentist practices. For example, if one dentist works at two different offices, that dentist has two access points.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association® . The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.  Additional information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield ofGeorgia is available at www.bcbsga.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/HealthJoinInBCBSGa, visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin or check out the Our Health Connects Us campaign site at http://connects.bcbsga.com/.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgiahttp://www.bcbsga.com

To get a consultation on your dental insurance coverage contact Atlanta Dentist
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Science Daily Reports that Two Annual Dental Checkups Aren't Enough for Post-menopausal Women

ScienceDaily (Mar. 21, 2011) — Post-menopausal women have a new health message to hear. Two annual dental checkups aren't enough. Older women need more, according to research findings from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.

That message comes from a comparison study of women on and off bone-strengthening bisphosphonate therapies for osteoporosis. Leena Palomo, assistant professor of periodontics from the dental school, and Maria Clarinda Beunocamino-Francisco from the Center for Specialized Women's Health at the clinic, set out to study the long-term effects of bisphosphonate therapies on the jawbone, but came up with this new findings that impacts all women after undergoing menopause.

Twenty-eight postmenopausal women with normal bones were compared with 28 women on bisphosphonate therapies for at least two years or more. The participants (all between the ages of 51 and 80) received conebeam CT scans of their jaws and a complete periodontal check for dental plaque, bleeding, and loss of bone attachment and of the alveolar bone socket. Both groups of women had followed the recommended American Dental Association oral health standards to brush twice daily, floss and have at least two dental checkups a year.

The findings for bone strength and other markers for osteoporosis were similar for both groups. But the researchers found both groups had increased dental plaque levels, which could endanger the jawbone of normal postmenopausal women and reverse any benefits gained in bone mass. Dental plaque is the fuzzy bacterial material that covers the teeth when you wake up in the morning. The biofilm is a mixture of bacteria, bacterial waste and food particles stuck to the teeth and provide nourishment for more bacteria.
While women from both groups had similar bone health results and women on the long-term oral bone-strengthening therapies showed no signs of bone death, they had abnormal dental plaque.
Their findings were announced in the article, "Is long-term bisphosphonate therapy associated with benefits to the periodontium in postmenopausal women?" that was published in the February issue of Menopause.
Menopausal women at risk for osteoporosis also are at risk for periodontal disease, which affects bone that anchors teeth, says Palomo. A prior study by Palomo showed that short-term use of bisphosphonates had increased bone density in the jaw.
But over time, if the hard plaque is left on teeth, it triggers the processes for gum disease. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is an inflammatory reaction that produces the cytokines protein reaction. Cytokines act like water runoffs on the side of the hill and erodes the socket that anchors the tooth in place. If that bone loss isn't stopped, Palomo said, a woman could potentially lose her teeth. She added that those cytokines also set in motion the process that weakens bones in osteoporosis. Palomo said women may need to see the dentist as many as four times a year to control dental plaque by deep periodontal cleanings.
"Women also have to realize that bone disease and gum disease are two separate diseases," Palomo said. The bisphosphonate therapy isn't enough to keep jawbones strong and healthy, she added, that means getting rid of the dental plaque.

Co-investigators with Palomo and Buencamino-Francisco were Holly Thacker, Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio); John J. Carey, Merlin Park Hospital (Galway, Ireland); and Mala Sivanandy, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Boston, Mass.). The Cleveland Clinic Foundation supported the study.

Read original article at http://www.sciencedaily.com/

Find out more Information on how to Get Rid of Dental Plaque from Atlanta Cosmetic Dentistry and Aesthetic Dentistry Specialists at http://www.drdavidzelby.com/

Facts About Dental Insruance

Have you ever left a dental office confused about your insurance? This is a frustrating feeling to have.

At AIDA, we strongly believe our patients deserve the best dental care services we can provide. In an effort to better educate our patients and readers, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.

FACT #1

Your dental insurance is based upon a contract between your employer (or yourself, if you are insured independently) and your insurance company. Should questions arise regarding your dental insurance benefits, it is best for you to contact your employer or the insurance company directly.
Many dental offices, such as ours, offer to file your insruance electroically. This can save you time and hassle in the long run. Also, depending on the type of plan selected by your employer, insurance companies may require you to pay in full at the time of service. Insruance will then send a reimbursement check to the your home for the amount covered by your plan.

FACT #2

Dental insurance benefits differ greatly from traditional medical health insurance benefits and can vary quite a bit from plan to plan. When dental insurance plans first appeared in the early 1970’s most plans had a yearly maximum of $1,000. Today, some 30+ years later, most plans still have a maximum benefit of $1,000. That the premiums remained the same, allowing for a conservative yearly rate of inflation, your yearly plan maximums should be in excess of $4,500 today. Your premiums have increased, but your benefits have not. Therefore, dental insurance was never set-up to cover your services 100%; it is only an aid.

FACT #3

You may receive notification from your insurance company stating that dental fees are “higher than usual and customary.” Insurance companies never reveal how they determine “usual, customary and reasonable” (UCR) fees. A recent survey done in the state of Washington found at least eight different UCR fee schedules for one zip code in the Seattle area. The fees are somehow determined by taking “a percentage” of an average fee for a particular procedure in a geographic area. Average has been defined as “the worst of the best” or “the best of the worst.”

FACT #4

Many plans tell their participants that they will be covered “up to 80% or up to 100%,” but do not clearly specify plan fee schedule allowances, annual maximums, or limitations. It is more realistic to expect dental insurance to cover 30% to 50% of major services. Remember, the amount a plan pays is determined by how much the employer paid for the plan. You get back only what your employer puts in, less the profits of the insurance company.

FACT #5

Many routine dental services are not covered by insurance companies. This does not mean they aren’t necessary or appropriate, just not covered.