ADHA Supports New Community Water Fluoridation Recommendation

Posted on April 28, 2015

Chicago (April 27, 2015) — Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the final Public Health Service (PHS) recommendation for the optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. The new recommendation is for a single level of 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water. It updates and replaces the previous recommended range (0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter), which was issued in 1962. 

Because it is now possible to receive enough fluoride with slightly lower levels of fluoride in water, HHS developed the new PHS recommendation for community water fluoridation. This change will maintain the protective decay prevention benefits of water fluoridation and reduce the occurrence of dental fluorosis. 

“While additional sources of fluoride are more widely used than they were in 1962, the need for community water fluoridation still continues,” said U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH. “Community water fluoridation is effective, inexpensive and does not depend on access or availability of professional services.” 

For the past 70 years, communities across the United States have found that fluoride in their public water systems significantly improved their residents’ oral health. Nearly 75 percent of Americans who are served by public water systems receive fluoridated water. The ADHA is a supporter of community water fluoridation — the ADHA’s Policy Manual states that community water fluoridation is a “safe and effective method for reducing the incidence of dental caries.” In addition, the organization also promotes the “education of the public and other health professionals regarding the preventive and therapeutic benefits of fluoride.” 

“As dental hygienists, it’s important that we educate the public on the preventive benefits of community water fluoridation,” said ADHA President Kelli Swanson Jaecks, MA, RDH. “Community water fluoridation serves as an important measure that has been shown to lower the rate of dental caries. It is vital that we continue to utilize water fluoridation to help the public achieve their optimal oral health.” 

The U.S. Public Health Service Recommendation for Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water for the Prevention of Dental Caries was published on April 27, 2015, in Public Health Reports. You may view the report by visiting http://www.publichealthreports.org/documents/PHS_2015_Fluoride_Guidelines.pdf. 

For more information about community water fluoridation, the Children’s Dental Health Project fluoridation toolkit (http://www.ilikemyteeth.org/) offers a number of resources and facts about water fluoridation. Information for health care providers and individuals on how to prevent tooth decay and reduce the chance of developing dental fluorosis also may be obtained by visiting http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation. 

Study: Periodontal Disease Could Lead To Erectile Dysfunction.

Men’s Health (4/21, Austin) reports that preliminary research conducted in Taiwan found that “men with erectile dysfunction (ED) were 79 percent more likely to have been diagnosed with chronic periodontal disease (CPD)” than males without ED. Men’s Health urology advisor Larry Lipshultz, MD, explained that CPD leads to chronic inflammation that can damage the lining of blood vessels and “result in impaired blood flow.” Sally J. Cram, DDS, a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association, said, “Most people who have [periodontal] disease don’t feel pain until it is in the advanced stages, so be sure to see your dentist if you experience red swollen gums, bleeding gums when brushing, bad breath, loose teeth, and receding gums.” If the disease is caught before it becomes advanced, treatment “can be as simple as a few deep cleanings from your dentist. If it’s discovered later on, you might require gum surgery to reduce the pockets and restore some of the bone loss,” according to Cram.

Association Between Tonsillectomy, Oral Cancer Evaluated.

The Atlantic (4/21) reports that a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and led by Johns Hopkins University otolaryngologist Carole Fakhry “evaluated more than three million Danish patients in a 35-year database and found that palatine tonsil removal was associated with a 60 to 85 percent decrease in tonsillar cancers.” Moreover, the researchers noted that “rates of cancer of the palatine and lingual tonsils are increasing” due to the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus. In an editorial accompanying the study, Anil Chaturvedi, an investigator at the Division of Cancer Epidemiology at NIH, noted that more studies were needed before determining whether tonsillectomy should be a mandatory preventative procedure.

Gum Disease Preventable With Proper Oral Hygiene, Healthy Diet, Regular Dental Visits

Gum Disease Preventable With Proper Oral Hygiene, Healthy Diet, Regular Dental Visits.

The Fort Campbell (KY) Courier (4/3, Young) reports that many basic daily activities, such as speaking, smiling, chewing and even smelling “are dependent on having good oral health,” which in turn can be ensured through proper oral hygiene. The article goes on to focus on gum disease specifically, noting that over time gum irritation “can progress until the gums detach themselves from the teeth, forming pockets,” eventually leading to tooth and bone loss. Proper oral hygiene, including brushing twice daily and flossing daily, visiting the dentist regularly, and avoiding tobacco products are the best way to help prevent gum disease. Additionally, “a poor diet that is low in vitamin C, calcium, vitamin D or magnesium can compromise gum tissue’s ability to heal and can speed up bone loss,” the article reports

Gum condition linked to heart attacks in kidney disease patients

01/04/2015 11:03:00

Treating a common gum condition in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients could significantly reduce their risk of potentially fatal heart disease, Aston University researchers say.

Over 10% of the adult population have CKD and those affected often have poor health outcomes due to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. CKD progressively worsens kidney function, raises blood pressure, and can cause progressive vascular injury and heart disease. 
Recent research suggests that increased mortality in people with CKD may be linked with chronic inflammatory conditions such as periodontitis, which causes gum inflammation, loss of the bone that supports the teeth and ultimately tooth loss. 
Previous studies have revealed that more than 85% of people with CKD have inflammatory gum problems, caused by inadequate removal of dental plaque from between the tooth and gum margin and made worse by impaired immunity and wound healing. Experts have identified that bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream through periodontal conditions, causing blood cells to malfunction and leading to clots and narrowing of the arteries. 
Aston academic, Dr Irundika Dias, is leading a study into the underlying causes of increased cardiovascular disease and outcomes of accelerated progression observed in people with CKD and periodontitis. She will observe how successfully treating periodontitis reduces oxidised lipids and inflammatory cell activity in people with CKD, thereby lowering their risk of life-threatening heart disease. 
Dr Dias, of Aston’s School of Health and Life Sciences, said:“This project has the potential to make a real difference for people with CKD.If we can prove managing periodontitis reduces the threat of cardiovascular disease then it may well represent an efficient and cost effective treatment for CKD.
“In conjunction with our study, I will be talking to dental schools about alternative ways of helping periodontitis patients. It is vitally important to keep your gums healthy and have regular dental check-ups to avoid the onset of a disease that is very common, poorly appreciated by the public and causes tooth loss resulting in reduced quality of life.” 
The study will involve 80 people, including 60 people with CKD, both with and without periodontitis and healthy volunteers.  This will include a group of 20 people with CKD and periodontitis who will be randomised to have the gum condition clinically treated over a 12 month period. These volunteers will be reviewed at three monthly intervals to assess markers of cardiovascular disease, such as oxidative stress biomarkers in the blood and arterial stiffness. 
The project is part of a collaboration between Dr Dias and Professor Helen Griffiths of Aston’s School of Health and Life Sciences, Professor Iain Chapple, Head of Periodontology at the University of Birmingham, and Professor Paul Cockwell, Consultant Nephrologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. This partnership has allowed Dr Dias to obtain vital samples from patients in Birmingham Hospitals from those with and without periodontitis. 

Articles Point To Oral Health Benefits Of Chewing Sugarless Gum.

Articles Point To Oral Health Benefits Of Chewing Sugarless Gum.
Bloomberg News (4/9, Giammona) reports on difficulties the chewing gum industry currently faces, with sales down 15 percent to $3.5 billion since 2009 and the lingering feeling among industry insiders that, as one analyst put it, “gum is stuck.” The article primarily focuses on the product development and marketing efforts companies have recently undertaken in order to increase sales. Bloomberg News notes that s...everal brands had long promoted their sugarless gum as “cavity-fighters,” used slogans noting dentists’ recommendations to chew sugarless gum, and even displayed the American Dental Association’s seal of acceptance in attempts to widen the product’s appeal.

Meanwhile, in his column for Good Times Weekly (CA) (4/9), Andrew Steingrube writes that “chewing gum can provide a myriad of health benefits for not only the mouth, but also the mind.” Steingrube says that “dentists approve of the stuff, too,” and according to the ADA, “Clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay.” Steingrube goes on to explore the historical precedent of chewing gum for health benefits, eventually concluding that “the simple act of chewing sugarless gum a couple of times a day, especially after meals, is sure to benefit both the body and mind.”

Over-Brushing May Cause Dental Issues.

Over-Brushing May Cause Dental Issues.

The Mumbai Mirror (4/9) reports on several health issues, including the question of whether or not people should brush their teeth after every meal. The article reports that although 30 percent of people are “too lazy to brush their teeth once in the morning and once at night,” the other 70 percent of people do brush the dentist-recommended twice per day, according to 2010 research from the ADA. While “dentists suggest gargling after every meal” in order to remove food particles, brushing should only be done twice per day and for two minutes each time, as brushing more than that may actually erode tooth enamel and cause oral health issues. Over-brushing may especially be an issue if the previous meal was particularly acidic.