Dec 19, 2013
It’s that time of year again… along with the cold weather comes, well…colds. Stuffy noses, sore throats, headaches, coughing – you know the drill. ‘Tis the season.
But did you know that an infection or abscess in your back teeth can spread into your maxillary sinus and cause an infection there as well?
As you might know, you have several sinuses, but only one of those sets can be affected by tooth-related issues. The maxillary sinuses are on either side of your nose and come in close contact with the roots of your upper teeth. Because the two are so close, abscesses from the upper back teeth can make their way into your maxillary sinus and cause an infection.
Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days. However, if your sinus infection or toothache has been nagging for weeks, you may have a maxillary sinus infection that relates to an unknown infection in your teeth! So if you are prone to sinus infections, you may not think to visit with us, but perhaps you should!
Here are some common signs and symptoms of sinus infections:
- Headache, localized facial pain/pressure, or toothache – a dull, constant, or aching sort over the affected sinuses is common with both acute and chronic stages of sinusitis. This pain is typically localized to the involved sinus and may worsen when the affected person bends over or when lying down. Pain often starts on one side of the head and progresses to both sides.
- Acute and chronic sinusitis may be accompanied by thick nasal discharge that is usually green in color and may contain pus (purulent) and/or blood.
- Infection of the eye socket is possible, which may result in the loss of sight and is accompanied by fever and severe illness. Another possible complication is the infection of the bones of the forehead and other facial bones.
- Sinus infections can also cause middle ear problems due to the congestion of the nasal passages. This can be demonstrated by dizziness, “a pressurized or heavy head”, or vibrating sensations in the head.
- Other symptoms of sinusitis include bad breath and Post-nasal drip.
Generally, tooth abscesses are painful. However, once in a while there’s no discomfort at all—it depends on the location of the infection. If you’re experiencing pain (even if the pain goes away), or any of the other symptoms listed above, let us know. We can help catch problems—and infections—before they spread.
Source: http://dentaltipz.blogspot.com/2013/12/sinusitis-and-dental-office.html
Dec 19, 2013
At FDA we love this time of year. Celebrating with friends and family, festive decorations, cooking and eating traditional recipes, and of course, exchanging gifts.
Our gift to you is the something that we are certain you would never expect from us…CANDY! Yes, candy. But not just any candy…
Researchers are developing a new candy that is actually GOOD for your oral health!
Now, we understand that you are probably thinking one of three things:
- Healthy candy? Yea right…that is way too good to be true.
- Any healthy candy has got to taste absolutely disgusting.
- This is some sick Christmas joke.
However, we are not joking, this candy is in fact REAL and we are telling the TRUTH!! Simply put, an ingredient in the candy has proven to reduce levels of bad, cavity-causing bacteria in mouths. Also, sugar-free candy such as this one actually stimulates saliva production which is good for oral health.
Let’s explain this a little further…
Our mouths are comprised of a delicate balance of good and bad bacteria. When we clean our teeth, the aim is to get rid of cavity-causing bacteria while allowing good bacteria to thrive.
Now, researchers have developed this sugar-free candy. The research team, led by Christine Lang, believes that this good bacteria in the candy binds with the harmful bacteria in the mouth and prevents it from reattaching to the teeth. Without the ability to latch onto teeth, saliva washes the bad bacteria away and potential for developing cavities declines. Seems to make sense, right?
Lang and her team used 60 subjects in their initial trial. Twenty subjects ate candy with 1mg of good bacteria, another twenty subjects ate candy with 2mg of good bacteria, and the remaining twenty subjects ate candy that tasted similar, but contained no good bacteria (the control group).
In total, each subject ate five candies during the course of the 1.5-day experiment. They were not allowed to perform any oral hygiene activities during this time, and they were also not allowed to consume coffee, tea, wine or probiotic foods.
Results showed that nearly 75% of the participants who ate candies with the good bacteria had “significantly lower” levels of bad bacteria in their saliva than before, compared with the control group. Additionally, the subjects who ate candy with 2 mg of good bacteria had a reduction in bad bacteria levels after eating only one piece of candy.
So, we are telling you the truth! Sugar-free candy that actually benefits your mouth and potentially reduces risk of cavities may not be far away.
Merry Christmas to all!!
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269685.php?utm_campaign=webinar%2520promotion&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11371487&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–KzY1yjt8pP671JS6XiUPLxRkWXOdqrCBS0U3gyYDJWBH-kYtaCAK_WzNWE59EGrXjbxATQbCf–WCEMg2BlcyaP0SXQ&_hsmi=11371487
