What's on Your Toothbrush?

Three things come to mind when I hear the word "toothbrush"--1) Clean teeth, 2) Dentist and 3) Bathroom bacteria. A toothbrush is great because it brushes away the bacteria on your teeth & in your mouth, but having an unclean toothbrush causes you to actually brushyour teeth WITH bacteria.

Studies have shown that several micro-organisms (tiny organisms that include bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) remain on toothbrushes. Some of them include:

• Mutans Streptococcus: the main bacteria that causes cavities
• Beta-Hemolytic Streptococcus: the main bacteria that causes strep throat
  
• Candida Albicans: the main fungus that causes thrush in babies
• Coliform: the main bacteria found in the bathroom (we'll call this "toilet-bowl" bacteria, if you know what I mean)
• Herpes Simplex Virus: the virus that causes cold sores

Becuase these micro-organisms can cause multiple viruses and/or infections, and can also spread to others upon contact, it is extremely important to change your toothbrush frequently--probably more frequently than you think.

A toothbrush should be changed every 3 months, according to the American Dental Association. They should also be changed when the bristles begin to show wear (see picture below) and as soon as possible after a sickness, or cold, to prevent re-infection or infection of someone else.

Because bacteria and micro-organisms love a warm, moist environment, NEVER store your toothbrush in a container. It should be stored in a well-ventilated environment at least 6ft from a toilet (studies have shown that aerosols from a toilet flush can migrate up to 6ft). And anyone with children should label or clearly identify each child's toothbrush so that sharing is avoided.

Other interesting facts include:

• Parainfluenza virus can survive on toothbrush bristles for over 24 hours (Dr. Kim Loos - Clinical instructor University of Pacific School of Dentistry)

• A New Zealand study found that toothbrush sharing was a risk factor for transmitting the Hepatitis B virus between children (New Zealand Medical Journal)
  

• Within only 48 hours, even a new toothbrush becomes infected with potentially disease-producing bacteria, viruses, and fungi, some of which can remain alive and multiply on a toothbrush for hours and even days. (Dr. John Rippin - Head of Oral Pathology at the University of Birmingham {UK})

So don't wait for another toothbrush from your dentist. Better health can be achieved easily just by changing your toothbrush more frequently...and better yet, it may even save you a trip to the doctor!

The Right to Wear White

Labor Day has come and gone...and so has the wearing of white for some people. In years past, the wearing of white was considered poor etiquette. It began with white bags & pumps and progressed into other clothing garments until fashion designers began incorporating a "winter white" into their fall/winter collections. Although the reason is not clear, most assume the ritual began due to white shoes not mixing with messy winter weather and slim dry-cleaning budgets of the past. In either case, the color white continues to still have a stigma associated with it post-Labor Day. But there is one place on the body that white is encouraged to be worn all year 'round---the teeth!

No one likes to have dingy whites (proven by the Clorox campaign for years), so why would you have dingy white teeth? There are many products and services today that have the ability to whiten or substantially whiten your teeth, ranging from in-office whitening procedures to simply eating more fruits and vegetables. Whatever your budget, whiter teeth can still be in your future.

In-office teeth whitening procedures are done at the dental office, using a high strength whitening agent and, most often, are accompanied by custom fit trays so you can continue whitening at home. This option tends to deliver the greatest whitening results with the greatest investment. Over-the-counter products are not custom fit and tend to be a bit messier. Since these products can be bought over-the-counter, and don't require supervision by a dentist, the concentration of whitening agent is less. The whitening results are often less than in-office whitening, but so is the investment. The least expensive option, eating more fruits and vegetables, actually comes with health benefits, too. Eating fruits with seeds, such as strawberries, or biting into crunchy vegetables, such as carrots or celery, actually help to remove stains from your teeth. The hard vegetables and seeds act as abrasives (like toothpaste) for your teeth and fortify your body at the same time.

So Labor Day or not, white is always in fashion...you just have to know where to wear it.

Early Detection of Oral Cancer in One Easy Step

Last night, Michael Douglas announced to America that he had stage 4 throat cancer, diagnosed only 3 weeks ago. Symptoms? Yes-- pain, dry throat, hoarse voice, ear pain--all which he told to many doctors, many months ago. Only after a biopsy did they determine it was stage 4 throat cancer, attributing it to previous cigarette & alcohol use. He is now undergoing radiation & chemo treatments 5 days per week for the walnut-sized tumor located under his tongue.

Pathologies in the mouth & throat tend to grow & spread fairly quickly due to the constant reproduction of cells in the oral cavity. Most aren't even visible until they are already a stage 3 or stage 4 (the worst). Even worse, the 5 year survival rate for oral cancer is only 50%.

So why is this important? Every hour of every day in America, someone dies of oral cancer. As dental providers, we now have ways to screen for early detection of oral cancer--early enough to catch at a stage 1 (the earliest) or 2. One of these screening tools is called Velscope. It is "a technology platform based on the direct visualization of human tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that occur when abnormal tissue is present"--meaning it uses a special light filter that enables us to see beneath the tissue inside your mouth, allowing us to see any abnormalities beneath the surface (see below). Being able to see beneath the suface provides us the ability to diagnose pathologies earlier, which means a greater success rate & survival rate for the patient. If an abnormality is found via Velscope, the dentist should recommend a follow-up evaluation of the area 2 weeks later. If the area is still diagnosed abnormal via Velscope, a biopsy of the area should be recommended to determine or rule out the pathology.

No apparent lesion

Irregular, dark area visible with Velscope

Biopsy-confirmed: Carcinoma in Situ (CIS)

Velscope uses a special light only--no bad tasting rinses, no brushing away of gum tissue--just a light. The dentist should be trained to diagnose abnormalities through the special filter & the entire oral cavity examination with the Velscope should take less than 2 minutes.

Did Michael Douglas see his dentist on a regular basis? I don't know. Did he have an oral cancer screening regularly? I don't know. What we do know is this...Early diagnosis is key to preventing & saving lives. So ask your dentist for a Velscope oral cancer screening at least once a year.