Best & Worst U.S. States by Public Oral Health Trends

Earlier this summer, The Kaiser Commission released a report titled, “Oral Health in the US: Key Facts” which discussed the many issues our country currently faces in terms of delivering and maintaining quality oral health care among the general public. Unfortunately, these issues emerge because the resources needed to obtain good oral health are simply not available—typically because the cost is too high, or because more and more people are living in regions which are now being labeled as “Health Professional Shortage Areas” (HPSA). The report also went on to compare each state by several indicators that often reflect their status of oral health, including:

• % of adults who have visited the dentist within the past year

• % of seniors who have extracted all their natural teeth

• % of populations living in a dental HPSA

Overall, the statistics were ranked to determine the top 5 (and bottom 5) states throughout the U.S. under each category (above), and compared to acknowledge any potential trends or correlations among them. The following represents the best and worst states by each category:

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Oral Manifestations: Common Systemic Diseases

Interested in learning more about the connections between oral and systemic health? If so, check out this table that identifies some of the most common conditions/diseases known today and the associated number of symptoms that manifest within the oral cavity. To view/share this chart, [CLICK HERE]

Patient Education: 50% Don’t Get the Message

Think you’re getting through to your patients? Think again…studies show that up to 50% of them walk out of the office not knowing what they were told and/or what they’re supposed to do. Overall, that percentage is far too high, especially when it’s referring to information that can be vital to their health and the health of those around them. To view this infographic, [CLICK HERE]

New ADA Survey on Kids, Candy, and Halloween

A survey was recently conducted by the ADA and PopCap Games to gauge the perception of Halloween among kids ages 5 to 13 throughout the U.S. Overall, they found some very interesting results, which are as follows:

• 94% participate in trick-or-treating

• 65% think Halloween is the best holiday of the year

• 66% agree that they eat too much candy during Halloween

• 89% said they would still like the holiday if it was not “candy-focused”

• 93% would prefer a video game instead of candy while trick-or-treating

• 71% think dressing up is one of the best parts about Halloween

• 66% also think “getting lots of candy” is another great part about Halloween

• 78% agree with the statement that “too much candy is bad for me”

• 67% report that they eat too much candy throughout the Halloween season

• 42% worry they’ll get cavities from eating too much candy on Halloween

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To view the article on this survey, visit: http://medicalnewstoday.com/articles/252019.php

U.S. Sugar Statistics: A Not-So-Sweet Reality

Feel like getting spooked for Halloween? Check out this infographic on the consumption of sugar throughout the U.S….from how much we ingest each year (which is growing at an alarming rate), to the many diseases that stem from excessive consumption, this infographic is a great way to increase awareness about the dangers of this deceivingly sweet ingredient. To view and/or share, [CLICK HERE]

New Research Explains the True Evolution of Teeth

Today, it is known that all living vertebrates with jaws possess teeth, but until recently, it was believed that the first jawed vertebrates instead had “scissor-like” jaw bones to capture their prey. However, research from the University of Bristol has debunked that belief to show that the earliest known vertebrates (with jaws) did indeed possess teeth—indicating that the evolution of both jaws and teeth either occurred simultaneously, or sequentially within a very short period of time of each other…..[READ ARTICLE].

Infographic on Links between Breast Cancer and Oral Health

Did you know women with gum disease are 11 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this great infographic by dentalplans.com depicts several different links between breast cancer and #oral health, which can be shared with patients and professionals alike in order to learn more about this distinct connection.

Mohs Hardness Scale for Top Dental Abrasives

English-Spanish Terminology in Dentistry PDF

A free PDF on English-Spanish Terminology in the Dental Office is now available under the Clinical Resources tab on the website for The Richmond Institute for Continuing Dental Education. If you are not a current member, simply sign up for a free membership, and you’ll be granted complete access to everything on the site, including this PDF and many other professional resources. [View More]. 

Top 3 Most Acidic Soft Drinks in the U.S.

Do you know what the top three most ACIDIC sodas in today’s market are? Surely there are many that come close behind, but according to a study published in American General Dentistry (AGD) by the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Dental Medicine, the top three most acidic soft drinks available today are as follows:

1. RC Cola (pH of 2.387)

2. Cherry Coke (pH of 2.522)

3. Coke (pH of 2.525)

Despite their lack of sugar, diet sodas are also bad for your oral health, though their pH values tend to be a bit higher than regular sodas. Moreover, non-cola beverages are less acidic than cola drinks, but were found to be more erosive overall due to a higher mean percent weight loss after a 48 hours of immersion. For example, a drink called ‘Surge’ had the highest overall weight loss at 7.85%, followed by 7-Up at 6.17%. This is thought to be because non-cola drinks contain citric acid  which chelates calcium at higher pH levels, leading it to be particularly erosive. Cola drinks, on the other hand, usually contain phosphoric acid. 

See the table below for comprehensive results of this study:

To view the original study, please visit: http://www.agd.org/support/articles/?ArtID=923