Narional Tooth Fairy Day- August 22 2013

 August the 22nd is National Tooth Fairy day, a day to celebrate one of childhood’s favorite visitors

Sippy Cups & Healthy Smiles

 If you’re the parent of a toddler, you probably have a lot of sippy cups in your home. They’re great for tiny hands, but they can hurt tiny teeth.

Juice, milk and sweet drinks all have sugar. Sucking on a sippy cup with liquids that have sugar in them can cause tooth decay from the long exposure....

Decay can affect bone structure and may harm the development of a child’s adult teeth. You can help prevent tooth decay in your child by following these tips:

• Don’t let your toddler suck on a sippy cup with juice or other sugary drinks throughout the day. Try to save the sippy cup for meal times.

• Don’t put your child down for a nap or to bed at night with a sippy cup filled with milk – use water instead.

• Feed your child a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. Limit sugary and starchy snacks like chips and cookies.

• If your child uses a pacifier, don’t dip it in honey, syrup or sugar.

• Brush your child’s teeth twice daily with a soft toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste if over 2 years of age.

• Clean and massage gums in the areas where there aren’t teeth yet.

Take your child to the dentist as soon as their first tooth emerges and no later than their first birthday. Regular dental visits that include cleanings, an exam and sealants will get your child off to a great start for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

 

 

 

The Importance of Your Uvula

What Does That Dangly Thing in the Back of Your Throat Do?

 The uvula is one of the weirdest looking features of the human body. Yet despite its infamy, scientists have spent centuries puzzling over its function.

The hangy ball's full name is the “palatine uvula,” referring to its location on your soft palate. Not to be confused with the uvula vermis, a lobe of the cerebellum, or the uvula vesicae, in the urinary bladder.
...
Through history, scientists have had many theories about the uvula. Among them:

That it once helped guide the flow of food and water, and, in humans, was a mere remnant from previous mammals who had to lean down to eat and drink.

That it induces the gag reflex. And therefore isn’t the best place to get a piercing.

That it contributed to “chronic cough.” A problem that 19th-century doctors treated with a “simple” “clipping” procedure.

That it contributes to cardiovascular problems like sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sleep apnea.

Even today, some doctors treat sleep apnea by having the uvula removed. Unpleasant as that sounds, much of the recent uvular research has come about by studying uvulopalatopharyngoplasty patients (uvula-less people).

Several such studies have concluded that the uvula is really good at excreting saliva. A lot of saliva, in a really short amount of time. Another study compared the soft palates of eight different mammals, and found that a small, underdeveloped uvula was found in only two baboons.

Don’t Leave Us Hanging

So what does the dangly throat thing do? Because the uvula is basically unique to humans, scientists basically agree that it primarily serves as an accessory to speech. You know what it’s like to have your throat go dry before talking to a large group? The uvula is there to provide the proper lubrication for complicated human speech.
In time, we’ll likely learn that the uvula does some other cool things to boot, but to quote one study on the subject, it “may be another marker of human evolution that differentiates man from other mammals.” For now, that’s pretty cool
.http://mentalfloss.com/article/30806/what-does-dangly-thing-back-your-throat-doSee More

Significance behind the Oral-Systemic Connection

The mouth has been recognized as a portal of entry for many infections that affect general health. Among these infections are the two leading oral diseases—caries (tooth decay) and periodontal disease (gum disease)—both of which remain some of the most prevalent and widespread health issues seen around the world today. Throughout the average lifespan, a majority of the population will experience some degree of one or both diseases, as well as a number of other complications that may arise if the diseases are left untreated.

Impact of Oral Diseases: Physical and Emotional Well-being

The overall consequences of both dental caries and periodontal disease are profound; however, these consequences are often underestimated in terms of quality and longevity of life. The side effects associated with these diseases—such as pain and/or eventual tooth loss—interferes with daily functions like breathing, eating, swallowing, speaking and even language development—which are all vital to health and development. Sleep deprivation, as a result of discomfort from the oral cavity, may affect cognitive abilities and performance at school or work, which ultimately promote social-economic ramifications. It is estimated that children lose more than 51 million school hours each year due to dental-related illnesses, and employed adults miss out on more than 164 million hours of work each year on account of oral diseases.

The pain associated with caries and periodontal disease often precipitates compromised masticatory functions (or the ability to chew and swallow certain foods). As a result, people who suffer from dental diseases tend to eat foods that have diminished nutritional content, which is an important determinant of overall health that is not often considered. The downstream effect eventually leads to loss of energy, altered mood, and a weakened immune system. Inadequate nutrition is also associated with an increased risk for periodontal disease, meaning there is implication for a bi-directional relationship between the two.

While psychological conditions, such as stress and depression, are linked to periodontal disease, we also recognize that people who suffer from these emotional disorders will usually have impaired oral hygiene to begin with—placing them at even greater risk for a number of oral diseases. Self-esteem is often undermined as a byproduct of these conditions, as verbal and non-verbal communications become restricted, and social interaction and intimacy are hindered as a result. This cascade of events often sets the stage for a self-replicating cycle that continues to undermine oral health and quality of life, especially in populations with limited access to healthcare.

Impact of Oral Disease on Overall Health

Today we know that the consequences of periodontal disease are not limited to the oral cavity. Although periodontal disease starts as a local infection in the mouth—certain gram negative, anaerobic bacteria and their associated toxins can gain access to the blood supply, and travel to organs distant to the oral cavity. At that point, not only will bacteria disseminate throughout the entire body, but it also creates a systemic inflammatory response, which may increase the risk for other conditions, such as heart disease, pneumonia, and type-2 diabetes.

Famous Dentist Trivia

 

Paul Revere – known for his famous ride and his work as a silversmith, put ads in a Boston newspaper offering his services as a dentist. Revere , in fact, is the first person known to use dental forensics, to identify the body of a colonial colonel killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill by the bridge appliance he wore
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Doc Holiday – helped Wyatt Earp win the OK Corral Shootout.

 

Thomas Welch – his company was the first to bottle grape juice

 

 

George Grant – invented the wooden golf tee.

 

 

Zane Gray – wrote best selling Western Novels.

William Morrison – invented the machine that makes cotton candy in 1897 and unveiled at the World’s Fair in 1904 in St. Louis . He was called “Fairy Floss”.

Horace Wells – first dentist to use nitrous oxide “laughing gas” as an anesthestic for dental work in 1844.

Grant Wood – famous artist of painting “American Gothic”. The stone-faced farmer was his dentist.

George Washington – first President of the United States was the most famous dental patient of Dr. Greenwood. He had several sets of dentures that were made out of ivory. His teeth were not made out of wood!


Finally, a pot that stirs itself : invented by a Japanese dentist

The Kuru-Kuru Nabe is, in essence, a self-stirring saucepan, and it was invented by a humble Japanese dentist.

Hideki Watanabe lives in Iyo, in south-west Japan

 

Toothbrushing, Make it a Family Affair!

 

 

Positive reinforcements make brushing fun – Encourage your son/daughter to brush their teeth by making it a rewarding experience. Keep track of your child’s brushing habits throughout the week. Make sure to tell them “good job” after each time brushing. Get them excited about showing you their teeth by asking to see their bright white smile. If you are excited, your child will be excited too!

Make it a family affair – Brush your teeth with your children. Let them see you taking care of your smile. Children are more likely to follow healthy habits when they see their parents practicing healthy habits as well.

Encourage healthy choices – Don’t just teach your kids to brush their teeth, also teach them the importance of healthy eating.

Animal Trivia- Fun Dental Facts!





An Elephant’s tooth can weigh over 6 pounds. That’s heavier than a big jug of milk!

 

As a horse ages, their gums recede, making their teeth look longer.
The long their teeth, the older they are.


 

Sharks have an unlimited supply of teeth

 

Minnows have teeth in their throat




 

Fangs are not found is all snakes, but all snakes do have teeth, usually 6 rows worth, The teeth are curved backwards, just like barb on a fishing hook which keeps their prey from escaping

  

 

The mammal that has the most teeth is the long snouted spinner dolphin with 252 teeth.

  

 

Dogs have 42 teeth while Cats have 30

 

 
 
 

Aardvark teeth have no enamel coating and are worn away and regrown continuously  
 




Turtles and Tortoises are toothless

 
 

Rabbits, squirrels & rodents teeth never stop growing. they keep

A Crocodile replaces its teeth over 40 times is a lifetime

them worn down by gnawing on hard foods like bark



Even though Whales are very big ,some do not have teeth.. They have rows of stiff hair liked combs that take food from the ocean