6 Of The Most Common Dental Problems, Fixed!

Smile! There’s good news from the world of dentistry: Older American are keeping their teeth longer than ever before and the average number of teeth people retain into old age is increasing, says Judith Ann Jones, DDS, a spokesman on elder care for the American Dental Association and director of The Center for Clinical Research at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
But Jones is not all smiles. As people keep their teeth longer, there are more problems that are likely to arise, which is why keeping up with regular dental visits is so important. Here are the most common problems, and what you can do about them:

Tooth Decay

Yes, people over 50 can get cavities. You can get them on the surfaces of teeth that have never been a problem before, but you can also get them around old fillings or at the root of your tooth. “As you age, the root of your tooth becomes softer and sometimes more exposed,” Jones explains.
The Fix: Fluoride is not just for kids, Jones says. “Fluoride is one of the 10 most important health measures developed in the 20th century.” Almost 80 percent of people in the United States have fluorinated water, but if you don’t, you should probably add a daily fluoride rinse to your brushing habit. Or ask your doctor about a stronger fluoride prescription gel. If you are starting to get cavities, even if your water has fluoride, consider a fluoride rinse. Ask your dentist if that’s right for you.

Dry Mouth

Saliva protects us against tooth decay. But if you’re not producing it, your teeth may be at risk. The calcium and phosphate present in saliva prevent demineralization of your teeth, Jones says. How do you know if you have dry mouth? You’ll have a sticky feeling in your mouth, trouble swallowing, dry throat, and dry, cracked lips. You may notice a metallic taste in your mouth or persistent bad breath. You may or may not feel thirsty. Dry mouth is often caused by medications, and as people age, they take more medications. It can also result from smoking or from a blow to the head that somehow damages the salivary glands.
The Fix: If you have dry mouth, you should try to stimulate saliva production. Jones says some people just sip water all day while others find that chewing sugar-free xylitol candies or gum helps. Your dentist may prescribe a prescription saliva substitute or recommend over-the-counter formulations for you to try.

Gum Disease

If your gums are swollen, red, or bleed easily, you’ve got gingivitis, an early form of gum disease that can progress and be dangerous. Untreated gingivitis often becomes periodontitis, which is when the gum pulls away from the tooth and creates pockets which can become infected. If this condition develops and continues unchecked, it could cause the loss of bones in your jaw and eventually, the loss of the teeth themselves.
The Fix: The best fix for this condition is regular dentist visits, Jones says. You may need to visit your dentist more frequently so that your teeth can be cleaned and your gums treated for the condition. People who don’t have good access to dental care are more likely to have gum disease, Jones says.

Oral Cancer

More than 43,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancers this year, and more than 8,000 will die from it, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation. Oral cancer incidence definitely increases as you get older, Jones says, and is very often linked to smoking and heavy alcohol use. Recently, the number of cases has risen because doctors have discovered that the Human Papilloma Virus also can cause oral cancer.
The Fix: Only about half of people who develop oral cancer survive the disease, Jones says. The best hope for survival is to discover it at its earliest stages—in which case there is an 80 percent chance of surviving for five years. Your dental exam should include a check for oral cancer. Your dentist will hold your tongue and check the soft tissue in your mouth as well as your throat and jaw. If he or she does not, find another dentist, Jones says.

Tooth Crowding

Are you noticing that food is getting stuck in new places in your mouth? Or that the overlapping tooth that was cute in your teens now seems to be overlapping even more? You’re not imagining it. As you age, your teeth shift, according to Lee W. Graber, D.D.S., M.S., M.S., Ph.D., Past President of the American Association of Orthodontists. And that can be problematic, not because you’ll look different, but because it can make your teeth more difficult to clean, leading to more decay. It’s also of concern because misaligned teeth can lead to teeth erosion and damage to the supporting tissue and bone, Graber says. Add to that the tendency of older adults to have periodontal disease, and you could end up losing your teeth even faster.
The Fix: If your teeth have really shifted, you could see an orthodontist, who may fit you with a retainer, spacer, or even braces. This may not be necessary, but you should discuss with your dentist whether your teeth are shifting at your regular check up. If they are, it may mean only that you need to go to the dentist more regularly for more frequent cleanings.

Grinding and Clenching

This is not a habit that begins late in life, but it’s one whose effects might be most pronounced as you age. If you tend to grind your teeth or to clench them in your sleep, you may grind through the enamel to the dentin, which can cause pain and decay. Also, if you have crowns or bridges in your mouth, they may be damaged by such habits.
The Fix: Your dentist can give you a night guard, a small mouth piece that will protect your teeth while you sleep—and protect your investment in the dentistry that’s already there, Jones says.

By: Andrea  Atkins, The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/6-of-the-most-common-dental-problems-fixed_us_58346501e4b099512f84b510

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Does Dental Sealant Protection Outweigh Potential Risks?

                    

Brushing your teeth is important, but dental sealants may be the best way to prevent kids from getting cavities.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has touted the benefits of the relatively simple and inexpensive procedure in children.
Dental sealants are a thin coating that is painted on teeth to protect them from cavities.
This painless procedure can be $30 to $60 per tooth, although some insurance or discount plans can reduce that cost.
“Considering that less than half of children have them, I’d say [the trend of dental sealants] it still is gaining traction,” Ashley Grill, a New York-based dental hygienist, told Healthline. “Dental sealants are safe and effective, and they’ve been safe and effective for over 40 years.”

What the research shows

The CDC report states that dental sealants prevent 80 percent of cavities for two years after application.
They also continue to protect against 50 percent of cavities for up to four years.
The sealants can be retained in the mouth for up to nine years, according to the CDC.
About 43 percent of 6- to 11-year-old children have a dental sealant. Children from low income households were 20 percent less likely to have sealants than children from higher income households.
School-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants.
Applying sealants in school-based programs to the nearly 7 million children from low income households who don’t have them could save up to $300 million in dental treatment costs, the CDC reported.

Dr. Valerie Barba, a dentist in New Jersey, told Healthline that sealants are the “most conservative” noninvasive treatment in dentistry.
The sealants need to be monitored and maintained during regular care visits to ensure they do not wear away.
They are technically sensitive to where they are placed, so practitioners who do not apply them correctly may not have the best success rates.

The skinny on sealants

Grill noted that children can report lost school time due to tooth decay, as it can interfere with sleep, eating, and other regular activities.
In addition to preventing cavities, sealants can ensure the teeth stay intact.
“Once a tooth is drilled and filled, restored, or extracted, the natural structure is compromised. There is a lifetime cost associated with maintaining the restored tooth or implant,” she noted.
There are some disadvantages or potential problems with sealants, Grill said. They may need to be reapplied if they fall out, chip, or wear away. In replacement, excess material may need to be drilled down or removed with a scaler.
“I understand the environmental exposure concern about synthetic estrogens such as bisphenol A (BPA),” Grill said.

I’ve never observed an adverse reaction to dental sealants, and none have been reported in the literature.

Ashley Grill, dental hygienist

Salivary BPA levels from exposure to BPA peak three hours after a procedure and return to baseline within 24 hours, she said. Grill added that blood serum levels of BPA have not been detected in clinical studies, but more research is needed.
“I’ve never observed an adverse reaction to dental sealants, and none have been reported in the literature,” said Grill, who applies sealants. “People tolerate dental sealants well.”
If parents are concerned about BPA more than the risks of tooth decay, they should note that treating tooth decay can involve a wealth of dental materials that have more chemicals than BPA. Alternative sealant materials exist, though Grill is not sure if they work better than those containing BPA.
Another issue with sealants is that a person’s bite can feel abnormal after application due to the extra layer on the tooth, Dr. J. Kolby Robinson, a board certified pediatric dentist from Oregon, told Healthline. Some of that wears away over time.
“The main problem with dental sealants is lack of awareness,” Grill added.
Most children don’t benefit from prevention because of overregulation and restrictions at all levels on preventive dental care, Grill said.
Some are insurance barriers, such as only covering certain teeth for sealants. There are also rules imposed by state boards that only allow hygienists working with dentists to place sealants, or requiring a dental examination with a dentist before prevention is allowed.
 

Long-term benefits

If the application technique is perfect, dental sealants can last a lifetime. More often than not, though, they do need to be replaced, Grill said.
“As soon as your child is getting new teeth in with grooves called ‘pits and fissures’ like molars and premolars, get them sealed once they are erupted,” she said. This happens at 6, 12, and 18 years of age.
Baby or primary teeth can be sealed, but the child should be old enough to tolerate the painless procedure, which involves being able to hold their mouth open and not move for a few minutes. Usually, treating younger teeth is performed only on those with an increased risk of tooth decay.
“I recommend getting individual advice on when to seal from your dental team. You can seal any vulnerable surfaces, but retention is best in the pits and fissures,” she said.
Adults can also benefit from sealants.
“All people, no matter age can benefit [from sealants], even adults,” Barba said.
With age, our exposure to decay increases, and the protective quality and biochemistry of saliva changes with certain medications over time. That said, adults are also candidates for this treatment.
But if you already have a restoration or implant, then that tooth will not benefit from a sealant, Grill noted.
“Sealants have proven to be safe and effective,” Robinson said. “The benefits outweigh the risks.”


 By:Kristine Fischer, HealthLine
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/does-dental-sealant-protection-outweigh-risks#1

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Floss: Have dentists been stringing us along?

To floss or not to floss, that is suddenly the question.
For decades, the federal government and dentists have recommended flossing daily to prevent cavities and gum disease.
Now the evidence for flossing appears to be hanging by a string.

The Associated Press announced this week that its investigation of 25 studies on flossing found the data supporting its benefits to be “weak, very unreliable,” while also noting that the federal government’s new dietary guidelines have quietly removed any mention of flossing.
If you’re smiling about the news — a recent study found that nearly one-third of American adults never floss — hold on.
Should you still floss? Yes, say experts from the University of California’s two dental schools.
“The dental profession is behind flossing 100 percent,” said Dr. Paulo Camargo, associate dean of clinical dental sciences and the Tarrson Family Endowed Chair of Periodontics at the UCLA School of Dentistry. “It’s a preventive measure that’s common sense. The cost of telling people not to floss would be a lot higher in terms of exposure to bacteria that can cause cavities and gum disease.”
Dr. Mark Ryder, chair of the Division of Periodontology at the UCSF School of Dentistry, agrees.
“You need a way to remove those soft deposits that accumulate between the teeth,” Ryder said. “If you throw away your floss and don’t do anything else to clean between your teeth, you’re leaving problems behind.”

The case for flossing
Why floss? Blame plaque, an almost invisible film of bacteria that collects all around your teeth and is associated with cavities and gum disease.
A toothbrush doesn’t remove bacteria from the spaces between teeth, Camargo said.
“That in itself is a recommendation for flossing,” he said, noting that flossing is a low-cost way to decrease risk for developing oral diseases.
If the evidence for flossing seems shaky, that’s likely because the studies have followed people for a short period of time — some for only two weeks — rather than years, Camargo said.
“It’s not enough time for periodontal problems to develop,” Camargo said. “In order to evaluate the effect of flossing on the onset and progression of periodontal disease, a prospective study would require that a group of people did not floss for a few years. Ethically, you can’t do that type of study.”
The two leading professional groups — the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology, for specialists in gum disease and implants — both issued statements this week reiterating the importance of flossing daily, along with brushing twice a day and regular dental visits.
Maintaining good oral health isn’t just about protecting your pearly whites. Oral health is strongly linked to overall health: Bacteria in dental plaque and inflammation from periodontal diseases can spread to other parts of the body, Ryder said. There is some evidence that maintaining oral health may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, pneumonia and possibly dementia and Alzheimer’s, he said.

Flossing alternatives
If you don’t like flossing — or find it too difficult — there are alternatives, Ryder said. Interproximal brushes — mini brushes affixed to a handle — have been shown in several studies to be even more effective than flossing and easier to use, he said.
Other options, such as plastic or rubber tips, wooden wedges, and even toothpicks, also may be effective, Ryder said.
“Flossing consistently and correctly is a challenge for many patients,” Ryder said. “Each dentist needs to see what can their patient do — do they have the dexterity and motivation to floss correctly? If not, they should recommend alternatives to help patients clean these harder-to-reach deposits between the teeth.”

Floss like a pro
When you floss, wrap the string around each tooth and move the floss from the gum upwards, Ryder said. “Don’t saw back and forth like a lumberjack sawing a log — that’s probably just cutting into the gum.”
Waxed or unwaxed?
“It’s a personal preference,” Camargo said. “Any floss can do the job. How you do it is more important than what you use. The idea is to disrupt the bacteria on a daily basis so they don’t accumulate to the point where they cause disease.”
As dentists like to say about teeth: “You only brush and floss the ones you want to keep.” 

 

By: Knowridge
https://knowridge.com/2016/11/floss-have-dentists-been-stringing-us-along/

 

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

 

8 tips to overcoming anxiety about going to the dentist

Dentists are around to take care of your teeth. Although you might take your teeth for granted, they’re pretty important. You use them when you speak, smile and when you eat. It’s safe to say these are all pretty pleasant activities.
But for some reason many people still dislike going to the dentist and even fear it. According to Harvard Health Publications, between 13% and 24% of people all over the world are afraid to go.
Some people feel anxiety because of a bad experience they had in the past or because they start to anticipate discomfort and fear that everything could go wrong. However, modern medicine has advanced incredibly. Even the most dreaded procedures (we’re talking to you, root canals), have been tamed, so there’s really no rational reason to fear going.To keep your gums and teeth healthy, follow these 8 tips to overcome the anxiety of going to the dentist.
To keep your gums and teeth healthy, follow these 8 tips to overcome the anxiety of going to the dentist.
1. Be honest with your dentist
The first step to building trust, reducing your anxiety and improving the overall experience is to simply be honest. Tell your dentist and the staff how you feel and your concerns. They aren’t scary monsters — they’re humans, and probably have fears of their own. They’ll do the best they can to make you feel more comfortable.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Often, fear stems from the unknown. You may start to try and fill in the foggy future by creating narratives about what might happen. Usually, your mind spirals into worst-case scenarios, even if they are actually very unlikely to happen in real life.
Instead of letting your mind wander into the dark cavities of the dental world, ask your dental assistant and dentist to walk you through what they’ll do during the procedure before you even go in. Once you’re there, ask them to explain what they’re doing as they work, too.
You might even be surprised just how much you’ll learn and how happy your dentist is to tell you what all their equipment is for. Pretty soon the procedure will seem routine, maybe even a bit repetitive, and less like your worst nightmare.
3. Go slow
Sometimes people get caught up in the people pleasing side of dentistry. Your mouth is open for most of the time, it’s difficult to speak and someone else is standing over you instructing you how to adjust your face.
It certainly can feel awkward, and you might try to just get in and get out without making waves. However, it’s actually okay to interrupt your dentist or dental assistant. Don’t forget that you’re the patient, and they want to make sure everything goes smoothly, too.
If you need to slow things down, ask a question, spit, take a break, or anything else, speak up. Sometimes people don’t feel in control when they’re in the dental chair, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
4. Try deep breathing exercises
Being able to calm yourself and get back to an emotional middle-ground is essential for any type of stress. Practice slow, deep breathing exercises before you go to the dentist and when you get there to try and maintain your equilibrium. This will also help you stay grounded in the present.
You can also practice breathing exercises when you’re with your dentist. Focusing on your breath will also draw your attention to something other than what’s going on in your mouth.
5. Bring something soothing
Sometimes focusing on your breath can be a little difficult, so you might want to take along something else that you find soothing. Bring your own music to listen to while you’re waiting or take along something to fidget with like silly putty or a hair band. You can play with it while you’re getting your teeth cleaned to distract your mind.
6. Bring backup
Having a friend or family member with you – someone you can trust – is also beneficial. Just knowing someone is there to support you can bring some relief.
7. Ask your dentist for sedatives
If you really feel unable to handle your anxiety, ask your dentist to use sedatives. They may be able to use nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or local anesthetics. Actually, there are quite a few options to choose from.
Although not ideal, using these sedatives to cope with your fear is better than not ever going to the dentist at all.
8. Go to counseling
For some people, none of these tips are enough to get over their fear. If you’ve become so petrified of going to the dentist it prevents you from getting the treatment you need to stay healthy, you may have a phobia.
There’s a difference between being afraid of something and phobias, which interfere with your daily life and go far beyond anxiety. If you really can’t go to the dentist because of a phobia, it may be a good idea to seek counseling to try and master it.
Dentists don’t want to inspire fear; they want to help. If you let them, they can work with you to make sure those pearly whites are healthy for years to come. So, what are you waiting for?

By: Benjamin Grenne, NewsOk
http://newsok.com/article/5527372


North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Take Care Of Children's Teeth

We are not taking care of our children's teeth, and it is hurting them in school and later in life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, tooth decay is among the most common chronic conditions of childhood. One in 5 children, aged five to 11, and 1 in 7 children, aged 12 to 19, have at least one untreated cavity.

These numbers are higher for children from minority and low-income families. African-American and Hispanic children are more likely than white children to have cavities in their primary (baby) teeth and are twice as likely as white children to have untreated cavities. The disparity in untreated cavities continues into the teen years.

A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts states that untreated tooth decay "can cause pain and infection that may lead to difficulty eating, speaking, socializing and sleeping, as well as poor overall health." Tooth decay can also contribute to low self-esteem and dental health problems.

Dental problems can also adversely affect both school attendance and performance. A report issued by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2000, estimated that more than 51 million school hours were lost annually due to dental-related illnesses. More recent studies confirm these earlier findings. A 2011 study of school children in North Carolina published in the American Journal of Public Health found that "children with poor oral health status were nearly 3 times more likely ... than were their counterparts to miss school as a result of dental pain."

School absences due to dental pain affect learning. A 2012 study by the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California found that "children who reported having recent tooth pain were four times more likely to have a low grade point average – below the median GPA of 2.8 – when compared to children without oral pain." This affects academic achievement, employment opportunities and earning potential.

Poor dental health is also driving up costs to American taxpayers. The American Dental Association reports that overall spending on dental care increased from $50 billion in 1990 to $113 billion in 2014. And during this same period the share of total U.S. dental care funded by public sources soared from 2 percent to 11 percent. One major contributor to this increase has been more children getting dental care from Medicaid and through the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Childhood tooth decay and gum disease can lead to serious health problems in adults. According to the American Dental Association, there are "more than 125 health conditions that may affect or be affected by oral health, including cardiovascular disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis, obesity, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis." And the association reports that people who have tooth decay as children are more likely to have tooth decay as adults.

The main culprits that lead to tooth decay are sugar and starches, which are complex sugars. But they are not the direct cause. Decay is caused by the bacteria in everyone's mouth that feast on the sugars, producing acids which erode the enamel of teeth.

What can we do about it?

The best advice is what your parents probably told you: Limit the sweets, and brush your teeth. The more sugar a child eats, the more acid is created to eat away at teeth. But it is a tough challenge. Sugars and starches are in a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products, bread, candy, cookies and soda. Processed foods contain added sugars, too.

The most obvious way to prevent tooth decay is to have children brush their teeth at least twice a day. And it is important to use toothpaste that contains fluoride to help strengthen tooth enamel.

By: Jonathan Fielding, U.S News
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2016-11-09/low-income-children-deserve-better-access-to-dental-care

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

Dental Detectives: What Fossil Teeth Reveal About Ancestral Human Diets

When scientists want to know what our ancient ancestors ate, they can look at a few things: fossilized animal bones with marks from tools used to butcher and cut them; fossilized poop; and teeth. The first two can tell us a lot, but they're hard to come by in the fossil record. Thankfully, there are a lot of teeth to fill in the gaps.
"They preserve really well," explains Debbie Guatelli-Steinberg, a dental anthropologist at Ohio State University. "It's kind of convenient because teeth hold so much information."
The structure of a tooth and even the amount of enamel, for example, hint at what the teeth are adapted to eat.
Look at molars: Thick enamel on a molar is good for crushing foods. It suggests an animal used its teeth to grind seeds or crush the marrow out of bones. Thin enamel on a molar, while delicate, causes sharp edges — perfect for slicing and tearing foods like leaves and fruits.
However, these are just clues to some of the things the animal could have been eating, not what it ate every day, says Peter Ungar, an anthropologist at the University of Arkansas.

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"If you eat Jell-O almost every day of the year, but sometimes you need to eat rocks ... you want teeth that can eat rocks," he explains. So, teeth are usually adapted for the toughest component of an animal's diet, not what it eats on a daily basis.
To see what an animal was actually eating, Ungar studies something called dental microwear, the marks left behind by food on teeth. As we chew on say, a celery stick, hard particles — either bits of silica from the plants' cells or sand and grit from the surrounding environment — are dragged across and pressed into our teeth. When we chomp down on something hard, like a nut, the crushing force leaves microscopic pits behind. When we tear through tough grasses — which may not sound appetizing now, but it's likely some of our ancestors did eat them — by moving our teeth side-to-side, the teeth get tiny, microscopic scratches.
"I call it a foodprint," Ungar says.
These foodprints can paint a pretty good picture of what an animal ate in the weeks leading up to its death — a sort of last meal. A study of such microwear revealed that Australopithecus afarensis, our 4 million-year-old ancestor best known by the famous fossil of Lucy, probably ate tough grasses and leaves. And it looks like early members of our genus, Homo — like Homo habilis, which lived 2.4 million years ago or Homo erectus, which even overlapped with humans about 100,000 years ago — were omnivores like us. They ate a variety of foods like meat, plants, fruits, "Anything they wanted!" says Ungar.
So we can tell what an animal was adapted to eat and what it ate shortly before it died. But to know what it ate for longer periods, scientists have to look deeper — to just below the surface of a tooth — for certain molecular signatures left behind from daily meals.
As our teeth grow in early childhood and adolescence, they incorporate certain molecules from the food we eat. The same was true for our ancestors. Paleoanthropologists studying ancient diets are especially interested in carbon molecules in our ancestors' teeth, because they come from plants and stick around for a long time.
Some groups of plants use mostly one form, or isotope, of carbon. Plants with C3 isotopes are usually found in fruits and leaves — things that grow in forests. Plants with C4 isotopes, like grasses and sedges, grow in savannas.
Data from isotopes confirmed that Lucy's species switched from forest foods to savanna foods about 3.5 million years ago. That transition from forests to grasslands may have played a key role in human evolution, explains Matt Sponheimer, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Some researchers even think that adding more grass to our diets gave our ancestors more foods to eat and places to live as the early climate changed causing Africa's forests to shrink.
Our understanding of what our ancestors ate has become more complex and richer with time, as scientists have applied newer, more advanced techniques to study teeth. When Mary Leakey dug the 2 million-year-old human ancestor Paranthropus boisei out of Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania in 1959 year, she noticed the fossil's wide, thick molars. The skull had huge cheekbones to accommodate strong chewing muscles and powerful jaws, suggesting the species was well-suited for crushing nuts. So, Paranthropus boisei was nicknamed Nutcracker Man.
But when Peter Ungar and others examined Nutcracker Man's teeth, they barely found any foodprints, so they decided he likely ate soft foods like fruits.

An analysis of Nutcracker Man's tooth isotopes revealed C4 carbon, which comes from savannas, not fruit-filled forests.
Today, researchers think that Paranthropus boisei ate a varied diet with lots of different foods, but he mostly ate tough grasses and sedges.

Teeth from more recent fossils reveal more because they have more isotopes preserved in them. For example, the nitrogen in the teeth of Neanderthals can reveal whether the protein they ate came from plants or animals. It's one of many reasons researchers think Neanderthals hunted large mammals, though scientists have also found fossilized plants stuck in Neanderthal teeth.
Researchers were even able to use isotopes to find out when one Neanderthal started weaning her baby. As teeth grow, they lay down layers of enamel. And barium, a molecule children get from breast feeding mothers, builds up in baby teeth until the mother stops nursing. By comparing barium in a Neanderthal tooth with levels in donated present day baby teeth, the scientists were able to find out that the Neanderthal baby had been weaned at about seven months.
We can even use teeth to tell if someone moved between places with dramatically different foods or soils. Since wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to come in, comparing them to an early emerging canine tooth can give scientists a dietary snapshot across time. Say someone was born in Africa and moved to a new continent as a preteen, while wisdom teeth were still growing. A comparison of the isotopes in the teeth would reveal the story of that migration.
There's still a lot to learn from teeth, and a lot of fossil teeth still being discovered, says Sponheimer. And as the tools to study them get more sophisticated, teeth are providing a richer picture of "who we are and how we came to be," he says.

By: Erin Ross, NPR
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/10/25/497094756/dental-detectives-what-fossil-teeth-reveal-about-ancestral-human-diets

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811

10 Holiday Foods and Drinks Dentists Won't Touch

 

The holiday season, which unofficially starts with Halloween and ends on New Year’s Day, is the time when everyone likes to cut loose, put inhibitions aside, and eat and drink, well, whatever looks good. The reckless consumption of cakes, candies, pies, beverages (alcoholic and otherwise), meats, and sides carries with it a number of potential health risks — and some of these are dental, because many of these sweet and savory delights can do some serious damage to our teeth. The mixture of sticky candies, sugary sweets, and acidic alcohols and sodas is something out of a dentist’s nightmare. By knowing which foods to eat in moderation, which to chew carefully, and which to simply stay away from, you can avoid that emergency crown replacement and protect yourself from cavities.

The Daily Meal asked nine dentists and dental professionals to give us their lists of holiday foods and beverages they won’t touch. Our experts include: Fountain of Youth Dental in San Antonio led by Chris Cappetta, D.D.S.; Bill Crutchfield, D.D.S. from OBC in Chantilly, Virginia Ira Handschuh, D.D.S. from The Dental Design Center in White Plains, New York; Brandi Dupont, D.M.D., chief dental officer at Community Health Alliance in Reno, Nevada; Victoria Veytsman, D.D.S. in New York City; Hugh Flax D.D.S. in Atlanta; Samantha Sacchetti, D.M.D. in Chicago; Kami Hoss, D.D.S. in Chula Vista, California; Melissa Thompson, D.D.S. in Woburn, Massachusetts; and Harold Katz, D.D.S, founder of The California Breath Clinics and developer of the TheraBreath line of premium oral care products.

There was a general consensus among all of these dental professionals that sugar, acids, alcohol, and sticky foods can do the most damage to your teeth and gums. Acidic foods like citrus, sour candies, or tea can wear away tooth enamel and lead to greater tooth sensitivity and a higher risk of fracture; beverages like eggnog contain the “triple threat” of sugar, alcohol, and dairy. Also worth noting is that some foods affect certain age groups differently. Adults need to worry about fracturing a crown or a bridge, but they are less likely to suffer from tooth decay than someone under the age of 18.

Here are the holiday foods and drinks dentists won’t touch. 

Bourbon and Other Spirits

Bourbon might be a tasty addition to eggnog, but it can wreak havoc on your mouth. Dr. Harold Katz says alcohol such as bourbon “makes the mouth very dry, which then creates an environment prime for gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath.”

Candy Canes

These iconic holiday treats are better left as a Christmas tree decoration. Candy canes and other hard candies are notoriously bad for teeth because they are packed with sugar and can also cause chipped or broken teeth, Dr. Bill Crutchfield warns.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are associated with numerous health benefits, but, sadly, many of those don’t apply to dental health. “Acidic foods such as limes, oranges and other citruses can erode enamel over time, causing sensitive and weak teeth,” Dr. Kami Hoss notes.

Coffee

“High caffeine drinks cause reduced salivary flow. Saliva assists in removing food particles and unwanted sugars from the mouth. If salivary flow decreases, then sugar and food remain on the teeth and gums leading to an increased risk of problems,” notes Dr. Ira Handschuh says.

Corn on the Cob

Corn is nutritious, but eating it off the cob can be tricky. “This is a difficult food to eat because biting into it can cause you to crack a filling or loosen sealant you may have in your mouth. Not to mention it's terrible to get out of braces or retainers, and can damage orthodontic wires. A better way to eat corn is off the cob, since you'll have a better chance of avoiding gum disease,” Fountain of Youth Dental points out.

Dots and Jujubes

“These are great for decorating gingerbread houses, awful for your teeth,” Dr. Samantha Sacchetti explains. “Similar to the hard, sticky candy that you have option to suck on, you have really no option but to chew them. The excessive chewing it takes for these things (longer if they're from a stale gingerbread house) also can lead to some temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. For a candy that doesn't even taste that good, it's just not worth it to me.”

Dried fruit

Dried fruit is a plentiful source of fiber and nutrients, but these common holiday munchies might increase your risk of getting a cavity. “Although dried fruit may be a better option to snack on than a cookie, dried fruit is still full of sugar that will get in your teeth and cause decay,” notes Fountain of Youth Dental.

EggNog

Eggnog is one of the worst holiday beverages for your dental health because it contains sugar, alcohol (sometimes), and dairy. “Dairy proteins are easily converted to odorous sulfur compounds by oral bacteria. Sugar feeds the bacteria and alcohol creates a dry mouth, which is an ideal environment for the bugs to multiply. Eggnog is terrible,” Katz says.

Fruitcake

If you’re looking for an excuse to avoid eating fruitcake this Christmas, here it is. The sticky and sweet nature of fruitcakes “can cause tooth decay and if you have weak teeth or crowns these foods can actually cause them to dislodge,” Dr. Hugh Flax warns.

Hot Chocolate

There’s nothing more appropriate for a cold winter morning than a steaming cup of hot cocoa with a plump marshmallow floating right in the middle. Unfortunately, “hot cocoa’s high sugar content can lead to tooth decay, and the high dairy content may lead to bad breath,” Katz notes.

By: Michael Serrur, The Daily Meal
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/11/10/10-holiday-foods-and-drinks-dentists-wont-touch.html

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Omni Dental Group at one of our three office locations listed below:

North Austin on Hymeadow Drive: (512) 250-5012
Central Austin on Jollyville Road: (512) 346-8424
South Austin on William Cannon: (512) 445-5811