50′s heart throb James Dean had no front teeth! He wore a bridge.

don't look at ma teeth!

• New born babies have no caries forming bacteria. Infact, it is the babies mother who transmits the plaque forming bacteria by blowing on food before feeding and kissing the babies mouth.

• There was a sudden massive surge of patients with tooth decay the year coke was launched.

• The popular practice of placing a cap on toothbrush head actually favors bacterial growth on it as moisture is increased in enclosed containers favoring the growth of bacteria.

• Always replace a toothbrush after you had a cold, sore throat or notorious infections. The bacteria plant them on the toothbrush which can lead to reinfection.

• The electric chair was invented by a dentist. Hhhmmmm makes you a wonder a whole lot about the Dentist’s Chair doesn’t it?

• Aztec dentists would mix iron fillings, water and navel lint, bake and insert it in the cavities to seal it.

• A poll conducted in Michigan showed that Republicans, Protestants & women brush their teeth more often than Democrats, Catholics & men. 2% of those polled said they don’t brush at all.

• There is someone whose job includes squeezing Prince Charles’s toothpaste onto the royal toothbrush. That someone is Michael Fawcett, the prince’s personal valet.

• Dentists rate big (61%) in ethics poll for honesty and trustworthy AGD Impact pg 8 March 2004.

• Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six (6) feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
  

• Academy of General dentistry, the average person only brushes for 45 to 70 seconds a day, the recommended amount of time is 2-3 minutes.

• Two ‘Fs’: Fluoride (use fluoride toothpaste daily) Frequency (avoid frequent snacking between meals)…..this is the “practical way to help avoid dental decay.

• Dentistry is affordable:
  Dentistry:  $50 Billion
  Pet food:  $50 Billion
  Hair care:  $100 Billion
  Gambling (legal):  $300 Billion

• More than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque.

Not a good scenario, right?

Well, if you are one of the million people who has one or more amalgam fillings, chances are, you are ingesting mercury right now as we speak.

According to some studies, there is evidence that mercury continually leaches from amalgam fillings at a rate of about 10-50 times the safe limit (0.28 microgram/day) set by the US Public Health Service.

As a dental patient, you should know that Amalgam contains mercury; and mercury toxicity has been linked to birth defects, multiple sclerosis, fatigue, Alzheimer’s disease, Autism, ADHD, depression, anxiety, reduced immune function, antibiotic resistance, and impaired kidney function. It is also a potent killer of white blood cells and that proper removal of amalgam fillings will restore white blood cell counts to healthy levels. There is also evidence that the number of T-cells (an important part of immune defenses) decreases substantially when amalgam fillings are placed in the mouth, but increases again once the fillings are removed.
So how does the mercury leak into your body?  

Many studies have found that chewing releases the mercury from your amalgam fillings.  The mercury vapors released easily end up in the pituitary glands in your brain.  Autopsies performed in the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found out that cadavers who have amalgam fillings has 3 times more mercury in the brain and 9 times more in the kidneys compared to cadavers without amalgam fillings (We ingest and inhale mercury everyday from the foods we eat and from the polluted air we breathe).

The common bacteria found in our mouth and intestines convert mercury into methylmercury, a compound that is 100x more toxic than the elemental mercury. Methylmercury easily passes the blood-brain barrier as well as the placental barriers.  Therefore, several governments around the world prohibit dentists from placing amalgam fillings on pregnant women.

Mercury is also linked to heart diseases, trigeminal neuralgia, psychiatric symptoms (and in very low concentrations) like depression and irritability; chronic fatigue, kidney damage and hearing loss.

There’s no doubt in our mind that amalgam fillings pose serious threat to our health whether we show symptoms of mercury toxicity or not.  Therefore, our dental clinic in Makati maintains a “Mercury-free” practice.

Now, if you are a health card holder, you are entitled to free amalgam fillings according to the amount you pay the health card company.  Amalgam fillings are very cheap and easy to place in teeth.  But as an educated patient knowing the hazards of having amalgam fillings, would you choose convenience over your health?

For your health’s sake, have those old amalgam fillings replaced now.

Here’s an interesting fact, though:  the American Dental Association maintains that amalgam fillings are safe; contrary to the declaration of the EPA or the Environmental Protection Agency that amalgam is considered a hazardous material!  However, when the ADA was faced with a lawsuit regarding the use of amalgam fillings, it was quick to file a defensive statement: “The ADA owes no legal duty of care to protect the public from allegedly dangerous products used by dentists.”

I still have to read a journal regarding the stand of the Philippine Dental Association on the use of amalgam fillings.  I reckon that we still don’t have a unified stand on this as proven by the different health card companies ‘requiring’ dentists to use amalgam fillings for their client’s teeth instead of the tooth-colored composite resins.

A recent research published in Preventive Medicine has shown that people who drink at least a cup of green tea a day can keep their teeth until their old age.  However, adding sugar or cream to your tea is another story.

One explanation may be because the warmth of the tea helps wash out your mouth.  But one may argue, what about coffee?

Coffee gave poor results as people usually drink their coffee with sugar and cream, which may lead to tooth decay in the long run.

But unsweetened coffee didn’t give beneficial effects as green tea.

It seems that green tea has a bactericidal component called catechins that kills bacteria that causes tooth decay and gum disease.  It also kills the germs that causes bad breath. What’s more, it also contains fluoride which strengthens teeth.  You now have more reasons to choose green tea over coffee.

So go ahead and brew yourself some tea.  It may save your teeth.

What causes singaw?

1. There are many kinds of bacteria found in the mouth. An allergy to a particular type of bacterium can trigger a singaw.
2. It might be your immune system.
3. It might be hereditary.
4. You may have a nutritional deficiency in vitamins or nutrients such as vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C, or iron.
5. You may have undergone emotional stress, injury or trauma.

What should I do if have always recurrent singaw?

• Drink lots of fluid and take Vitamin C.
• Avoid injuries, especially to your mouth.
• Be careful in brushing your teeth; use oral gargles such as Betadine or Bactidol.
• Take singaw medicine.

For that last tip, this dentist in Makati found that Debacterol® has proven quite effective. Debacterol® is a liquid, topical, debriding agent used for treating ulcerating oral mucosal lesions, commonly referred to as canker sores, aphthous ulcers, or oral ulcers, as well as minor oral abrasions. It’s uniquely effective in the treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (Canker Sores); it is also a treatment for Aphthous Stomatitis that completely stops oral ulcer pain, seals damaged oral mucosal tissues and aids natural healing processes after just one application, which requires only minutes to perform.

How does Debacterol® work?

Simply dry the lesion with a cotton swab and apply Debacterol. In only seconds, the pain is gone! Typically, the lesion is replaced by healthy tissue in three to five days.

Why is DEBACTEROL® so effective over conventional products?

In order for any ulcerating mucosal lesion to heal, the factors causing the injury must first be controlled at the ulcer site. Then, any necrotic tissue debris in the ulcer bed must be removed so that healthy new cells are able to migrate into the damaged area and proliferate. In the normal course of healing in an untreated individual, the immune system is relied upon to perform and promote all of these activities. A limiting factor in the rate of ulcer healing is the capacity of the immune system of an individual to prevent further damage and to clear the way for repair cells to infiltrate and multiply.

This is what it looks like:

If you suffer regularly from singaw, please contact this dentist in Makati and I’ll set up an appointment with you and Debacterol®. We’ll then work out some kind of quality oral hygiene regimen for you so you can say goodbye to canker sores… permanently.

There is a faster way to have orthodontic treatments done. At my dental clinic in Makati, we’re talking metal in your mouth for a WHOLE YEAR LESS!

The Makati Dentist’s way-quicker method:

• FASTER UNCROWDING: Rather than relying on just one treatment type—like some dentists do—we customize the methods to create enough room for your crowded teeth.
• BETTER ORTHOPEDICS: Many times your treatment will go faster and turn out better if we use Orthopedic appliances (sometimes called retainers) either before or while your wearing braces.
• INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT: We select the best bracket system for your mouth (that’s the braces part). And we use these comfortable flexible wires that loosen and stiffen when the temperature in your mouth changes (eating hot or cold things).
• FEWER ADJUSTMENTS: That means you don’t have to go in to the dentist as much! (Which saves you the trouble of looking at my face fewer times a year.

We dentists in Makati call these types of braces “self-ligating” brackets. A treatment time between eight and 18 months is common, but a more accurate estimate can only be made after direct examination.

Comparison Chart

	Old Fashioned Braces	Self Ligating braces
Treatment Time	2 or 3 Years	8 to 18 Months
Final Smile	Narrow	Full Smile
Comfort	Uncomfortable	Gentle Movements
Decay Rate	Risky	Seldom
Root Resorption	Risky	Less Often
TMJ Health	Varies	Orthopedics Improve
Facial Profile	Flat Face	Full Face
Wisdom Tooth Surgery	Frequent	Infrequent
Stability	Some Risk	Stable
Headgear	Often Used	Never

Oral Prophylaxis is the thorough scaling and polishing of your teeth surfaces above, between and under the gums.

Scaling removes the hard tartar which forms on your teeth like scale inside a kettle. You can’t remove it just by brushing your teeth. Scaling also removes trapped food and plaque containing millions of germs which can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Stains from coffee, tea, cigarettes or red wine are also cleaned away when your Philippine dentist polishes your teeth.

There are two ways to scale teeth.

• Hand scalers – these come in different sizes and shapes, to reach different parts of your teeth. This is why you will see the dentist or hygienist changing instruments quite often.
• Electric scalers – these use very fast vibration with water. The water is sucked out of the mouth. A hand scaler is used to check whether the teeth are completely clean.

For polishing, your dentist in Makati will use a rotating brush or rubber polisher with a special toothpaste.

Scaling cleans above and below the gums. If you have gum disease, scaling needs to be deeper, around the roots of the teeth.

Your Makati dentist will tell you about the best way to clean your teeth and gums thoroughly at home.

What are the benefits?

* If your gums bleed when you brush, you may have early gum disease. Regular scaling helps to stop the disease getting worse
* Gum disease can cause bad breath (whew!), which you can prevent by regular scaling and cleaning your teeth thoroughly at home.
* Regular scaling and polishing by a Philippine dentist helps keep your teeth and gums healthy by making it easier for you to keep your teeth clean at home. You should see and feel the difference.

Research shows that health problems as varied as headaches and breathing problems may be related to abnormal alignments of the bones of the face and jaw, all of which is related to malpositioning of teeth. When there are misalignment on any of these components, chances are the rest of your body will follow suit. Some would complain of neck, shoulder or back pains and clicking of jaws while others will present slouching, dissymmetry of facial features and idiosyncratic symptoms like itching of the inside of the ears. They may not be aware that they are suffering from a not so known disorder called Tempero-Mandibular Disorder, or TMD. Learn more about TMD, and how the Makati Dentist can help you.

The causes of TMD are so varied but one common denominator is the misalignment/malposition of teeth. The symptoms build up over the years that doctors could not pinpoint the causes of patients’ pain or symptoms. That is why, in our Makati dental clinic, before any patient would ask for orthodontic treatments, we have to rule out any TMJ disorder symptoms or else the treatment would fail in the long run. It’s not uncommon among people who have undergone orthodontic treatment, especially those with unnecessary premolar extractions, to experience the many symptoms of TMD. With traditional orthodontic treatments for crowded teeth, the first rule of thumb is to extract some teeth so the misaligned teeth could have space to fit in. With the contemporary orthodontic treatment that we practice, extraction is the last recourse. If there is crowding, then we use certain appliances (similar to retainers) to produce space for the misaligned teeth.

If TMD is present, its treatment should precede orthodontic treatment. It is like fixing the railroad tracks (the jaws) on which the train (the teeth) runs. You may or may not have TMD, but we can give you a diagnosis since TMD can also be symptomless. So before you have your orthodontic treatment with us, ask us about TMD.

HOW EARLY SHOULD TEETH HAVE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT?
As with any medical or dental treatments, prevention and early intervention should begin as early as possible. Many parents wait until children are in their teens before considering braces. But once a child reaches the age of 13, jaw development slows and there is limited room for growth. When done early, the dentist can redirect the child’s jaw and teeth growth and reduce the length of time that a child wears braces.

HOW LONG DOES AN ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT LAST?
This depends on age, the severity of the problem and the condition of the mouth. Wearing braces usually begins around age 10 although braces can be worn at any age. Early orthodontic intervention can make treatment more predictable. It can also help to alleviate that ugly duckling teeth phase much earlier. After the braces are removed, a removable retainer must be worn for several months to hold the teeth in their proper position until they’re more secure.

ADULT BRACES
Metal braces that are made of high-grade stainless steel and attached to the front of teeth, are the most common. We are excited to announce the availability of Quick Brackets in our clinic. It provides faster treatment and lesser visits. It is a self ligating ‘brace’ wherein it actively moves your teeth 24/7 without the need for you to go back frequently to the clinic to change your elastics, which is the most active part of traditional braces. It’s smaller and easier to clean than conventional braces. Resulting in a more esthetic looking ‘braces’.

Clear ceramic braces are worn on the front of the teeth like conventional braces. They blend with the color of the teeth for a much less noticeable appearance. However, they may break more easily than metal braces and take a longer treatment time.

Invisible braces are a series of clear, customized, removable appliances called aligners. These braces are invisible and removable so your teeth can be cleaned easily. You’ll wear each series of aligner for about two weeks and only remove it for eating and brushing. But this is only recommended for patients with mild spacing problems and one major disadvantage is frequent check ups with your Makati dentist and difficulty in speaking while wearing it since it makes your teeth feel a little bit thicker in the front and back.

You probably will experience some discomfort or difficulty speaking or eating at first. While wearing braces, keep your teeth and brackets clean. If you wear cemented, non-removable braces, food and plaque can get trapped between teeth and gums. To reduce your risk of cavities, follow a regimen of brushing, flossing and rinsing, and reduce your consumption of sweets and carbohydrates. Plaque and sugar combine to make acid, which can cause decalcification (white spots) on teeth and tooth decay if left behind.

YOUR BRACES AND YOU
We highly advise you not to eat hard and sticky foods during your orthodontic treatment as such can damage or dislodge braces. These foods can bend wires and knock bands or brackets loose. Not following your Makati dentist’s advice could mean longer treatment period.

You should also limit or minimize intake of sugars and starches. This should be good news for everybody wearing braces since it could serve as motivation to lose a little excess weight. Every time you eat foods containing sugars or starches, the bacteria in your mouth rapidly grow and produce acid which dissolve the tooth enamel to cause decay. Within 20 minutes, the acid produced by the bacteria after feasting on the sugar and starches will attack your teeth. Therefore, food that stay for a longer time in the mouth (such as lollipops or candies) can mean an extended acid attack on your teeth.

Sticky food for you means more storage of food for the bacteria in your mouth. Leading to a prolonged acid producing frenzy for the little critters.

Be sure that you brush and don’t eat or drink anything except water before you sleep. Remember that the bacteria in your mouth work 24/7. Foods you ate before bed stay on the teeth throughout the night.

It’s not how much sugar and starches you eat but how often you eat them Therefore, it’s a good rule of thumb to brush your teeth after any meal especially when under orthodontic treatment. After brushing, it is highly recommended for you to apply a pea size amount of GC Tooth mousse to ensure that the acidic ph of your saliva will be neutralized to prevent any acid attack on the surface of your teeth. This should also be done as a last step before you sleep.

Braces can leave scratches on teeth. Brush with a fluoride toothpaste and use the GC Tooth Mousse to promote mineral deposition on teeth, and the scratches can disappear in a few weeks. Longer brushing time with three times a day can promote fastest improvement. Keep in mind that vigorous brushing would only do more harm than good. Be gentle to your teeth and gums. Brushing longer is better than brushing harder.

For more information on TMD and securing proper orthodontic treatment, please contact our Makati dental clinic here.

My wife and I are both Philippine dentists, so it puzzled and disappointed us to find a couple of gray areas (initial sign of cavities) forming in between our son’s lower front teeth, despite our meticulous cary preventive routine. Disappointed, she started doing research and came to the conclusion that our son inherited her salivary ph, which is a bit on the acidic side.  This doesn’t come as too much of a surprise because studies show that infants get the common oral bacterial flora primarily from their mothers since they are the ones who are physically closer – sharing oral utensils, kissing, etc. My wife, while growing up, was very meticulous about her oral health but noticed that no matter what she did, cavities do crop up now and then, while I was virtually cavity free (my saliva ph was on the basic side).

Her research led to her rediscovery of GC Tooth Mousse. I call it a rediscovery because we’d both heard about this product but didn’t give it much attention. After purchasing the product, my wife applied it on our son’s teeth after the nightly toothbrushing ritual, making sure it coated the teeth. We just left it in until he fell asleep.

After one or two weeks, we noticed that the gray areas disappeared, proving that tooth mousse really can reverse early signs of cavities. Since our four-year-old made for a terrific testimonial, my wife has since been singing praises about this product. We have booklets in our Makati dental clinic with information on how tooth mousse works, and sell tooth mousse at competitive rates too. Flavors are dependent on availability, but all flavors are certified ‘yummy’ by the kids of our friends.

Quick notes: Drinking or eating after application is not allowed to make sure the cream ’soaks’ into the oral cavity for a longer time, balancing the ph level of the saliva and enabling the calcium to be absorbed into the pores of the teeth.  And with the presence of calcium, the fluoride in the toothpaste used will easily penetrate the pores as well. The good thing about it is that it can be used by adults as well.  However, consistency is the key. The manufacturer recommends continuous use almost making it a daily habit concurrent with the use of fluoride toothpaste.

Frankly, I’m terribly happy with the result of my all porcelain crowns because they give an all natural look to my patients’ teeth. At the Catipon Dental Clinic in Makati, we’ve linked up with R2K Dental Laboratory, which is renowned locally for the quality of its high-end E-max  services. The quality control of R2K is remarkable, and the crowns are always produced faster. Thanks to the new technologies employed by R2K, our E-max products are stronger, without the need for metal support, and give off fantastic esthetic results.

You know what that means: great smiles on the faces of both client (you) and dentist (me). Ha ha.

If you’d like to know more about the porcelain crown options we can offer you at our Makati dental clinic, click here to contact us.