Dental Health and Dental Treatment During Pregnancy – Part 1

By Dr. Jeff Shnall BSc, DDS

www.BeachDentistry.com

Toronto, Canada

Posted Feb 2012

Pregnancy is an exciting time in a women’s life, however many women are apprehensive regarding dental treatment while they are pregnant.

In today’s Dental Health Podcast we will begin our discussion of dental treatment and dental health for the pregnant patient.

I wanted to prepare a guide for expectant mothers, to address questions they have on how best to care for their teeth during pregnancy, what dental procedures are safe for both mother to be and their developing baby, and how they can ensure their baby’s teeth develop properly, months before their baby is even born.

So here is the guide, in audio format. The text of this podcast is available on my website www.BeachDentistry.com and in the show notes for this episode.

Everything I tell you today is based on the latest research and medical opinion found in some excellent articles available online, from reliable sources.

I would also like to add that I was surprised by the lack of information on this topic at our local big box bookstore. They only had a few books on pregnancy, and each of those books only devoted a few paragraphs to dentistry and the pregnant patient.

If you only have time to check one online source I recommend a great article entitled: Oral Health During Pregnancy and Early Childhood: Evidence –Based Guidelines for Health Professionals. This article is written for dentists, physicians and other healthcare workers, and is available for free at: www.cdafoundation.org/library/docs/poh_guidelines.pdf

The article was written by a group of U.S. state and national medical, dental and public health experts, in 2010. They reviewed all of the current research in the area of dental care and dental health for the pregnant patient and developed a set of guidelines for dentists to follow. Most importantly, their findings and recommendations are fully endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who oversaw the entire project.

Here are the topics covered in the first part of this series on pregnancy we cover today:

1. What are the dental health changes a woman may notice during pregnancy? We discuss

· pregnancy gingivitis,

· pregnancy tumours (don’tpanic…it’s a harmless lump that can develop in the gums during pregnancy)

· whether gum disease actually can can low birth weight babies or premature birth

· morning sickness and your teeth

· dygeusia dis-gew-zee-ə (a temporary change in the sense of taste during pregnancy and the pickled pepper solution)

2. How dental treatment is modified to keep both expectant mother and her developing baby safe.

· The Oral Health Referral Form which should be filled out by all MD’s for their pregnant patients

· The importance of maintaining good dental health during pregnancy

· Are there procedures that should be delayed until after pregnancy

· Are x-rays safe to take during pregnancy?

If you would have any comments or suggestions for future podcasts, or if you would like to see me for an appointment I can be reached at DentalHealthpodast@gmail.com or you can call us at 416-691-2886. .

For the full text of this article please click here.

Thanks for listening and bye for now.

Emma Wallace Having a baby

Sound effects

used in this episode were provide by the freesound project: http://www.freesound.org/:

In order of appearance:

1. Fetal heart beat n8daly

2. Car zooming by rfhache

3. Trombone music by Benboncan

4. Surprised crowd by FreqMan

A special thanks to Music Alley http://www.musicalley.com/ And to Emma Wallace for the use of her beautiful song “Lullaby for Baby.”

Articles used to prepare this podcast episode:

1. Dental Care During Pregnancy; The Cleveland Clinic © 1995-2011

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Dell/Desktop/Preg.podcast/cleveland.clinic.dental.htm

2. Oral Health Care During Pregnancy

Recommendations for Oral Health Professionals. Jayanth Kumar, D.D.S., M.P.H.; Renee Samelson, M.D., M.P.H. New york State Dental Journal, 2009, 75(6).

3. Oral health Care for the Pregnant Patient, Dr. James Giglio, Journal of the Canadian dental Association. Feb. 2009, Vol. 75, No.1

4. Drug Therapy in the Pregnant Dental Patient, Dr. Doreen Mattsui MD, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, May, 2010.

5. Oral health During Pregnancy and Childhood: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Health Professionals, Feb 2010. California Dental Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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Dental Health Podcast- Interview with Naturopathic Doctor: Sara-Jane White ND

Another episode of the Dental Health Podcast with Dr. Jeff Shnall

Toronto, Canada.

Please visit our website at: www.BeachDentistry.com 416-691-2886

Posted Feb 4, 2012

This is a special episode of the Dental Health Podcast.

Today we will be talking to a Naturopathic Doctor, Sara Jane White.

Sara has been in practice for a number of years in Toronto (see below for her bio).

So why have a discussion with a  Doctor of Naturopathy on a dental podcast?

Well, for a few reasons:

Dentists and Naturopaths are both in the helping professions and are health care providers.

Some of my patients see naturopaths, and in addition, many of our patients take vitamins and natural supplements either self prescribed or prescribed by naturopaths

I am interested to learn more Naturopathic Medicine and what their approach is to dental health issues.

· As well,  Dr. White wanted to get my opinion on a number of dental questions that her patients often  raise during their appointments with her.

Some of the topics covered:

1. Views on fluoride in the drinking water.   (spoiler alert: I am in favor).
2. Silver fillings contain mercury…is this a problem ?  (again, spoiler alert….I support the use of silver fillings as they are an  economical, long lasting and safe material)
3. The use of gold in dentistry: Apart from cost and apearance, is gold is the best material i.e. for fillings or crowns? Why is it is used less often than in the past?
4. Does oral health lead to bad breath or does the digestive process also  play a large factor?
5. How much of a dentist’s day is spent in stress related oral conditions (grinding, clenching, sensitivity etc.)  The episode is longer than some of our others, however I think there is some very interesting material covered.

We welcome your comments and questions. Please email me at DentalHealthPodcast@gmail.com

Dr. Sara-Jane White’s Professional Bio:

Dr. Sara-Jane White graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2003 and is licensed to practice as a Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario. Prior to this she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) at the University of Western Ontario in 1993. Dr. White runs a paediatric/adult practice specializing in treating infants, children, children with special needs and their families. Within the realm of paediatrics, she has a special interest in infant issues, and childhood problems such as constipation/diarrhea, allergies, asthma, and eczema. She has an extensive background addressing the needs of exceptional children afflicted with autism, Rett Syndrome and the physically challenged.  She has attended conferences on these disorders throughout North America. She has also spent time working on research projects investigating pædiatric neurodevelopmental conditions at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Dr. White has a special interest in helping adults with chronic stress and associated conditions. She is interested in women’s health issues including hormonal problems. She is a licensed live blood cell analyst and administers I.V. therapies using high doses of vitamin and homeopathics for chronic stress, arthritis and cancer. She is licensed to perform acupuncture and she is a registered practitioner with the Healthy and Active weight loss system (www.healthy-active.com). Dr. White is a member of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors where she served on its Board of Directors.  She is also a member of the Canadian Naturopathic Association.

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Dental Implants: An Ideal Way to Replace One or More Missing Teeth

By Dr. Jeff Shnall

Toronto, Canada

www.BeachDentistry.com

Email: Dr.Shnall@gmail.com

In this episode of the Dental Health Podcast we discuss dental implants, one of the greatest innovations in modern day dentistry.

I am a dentist in Toronto, Canada.  I place and restore dental implants. practicing dentist, I place and restore dental implants.

Topics Discussed:

● What a dental implant is

● How implants are placed

● How implants can be of benefit

▫ can replace one or more missing teeth

▫ can be used to stabilize loose dentures

▫ can support a full set of upper or lower teeth screwed or cemented

to 5 to 8 implants.

To see the article that accompanies this episode on implants, with photos, please click here.

. Feel free to post a review or question in the comments section or post a review on itunes (or even click on the “rate this podcast” icon on itunes on my show’s itune page).

Feel free to email me if there is a topic you would like me to cover in an upcoming episode.

A big thanks to:

1. Musician David Henderson for today’s intro music, a song entitled Trance Groove Jam. You can hear David’s music and thousands of other great songs for free at MusicAlley.com http://www.musicalley.com/

2. A thank you for sound effects for this podcast, provided by the FreesoundProject.com and the following sound effects artists:

● electronicbeat4 fx10243 ……futuristic implant music

● Brunswick Duo Sonata in B Flat by Handel

● onid_button_snap3.wav - mp3 version onid_button_snap3.wav - ogg version

Sound of a button snapping

● juskiddink A cowboy western tune.

● digifishmusic slamming a garage door

● anamorphosis Bell sound

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Dental Implants: An Ideal Way to Replace One or More Missing Teeth

By Dr. Jeff Shnall

Toronto, Canada

www.BeachDentistry.com

Email: Dr.Shnall@gmail.com

In this episode of the Dental Health Podcast we discuss dental implants, one of the greatest innovations in modern day dentistry.

I am a dentist in Toronto, Canada.  I place and restore dental implants. practicing dentist, I place and restore dental implants.

Topics Discussed:

● What a dental implant is

● How implants are placed

● How implants can be of benefit

▫ can replace one or more missing teeth

▫ can be used to stabilize loose dentures

▫ can support a full set of upper or lower teeth screwed or cemented

to 5 to 8 implants.

To see the article that accompanies this episode on implants, with photos, please click here.

. Feel free to post a review or question in the comments section or post a review on itunes (or even click on the “rate this podcast” icon on itunes on my show’s itune page).

Feel free to email me if there is a topic you would like me to cover in an upcoming episode.

A big thanks to:

1. Musician David Henderson for today’s intro music, a song entitled Trance Groove Jam. You can hear David’s music and thousands of other great songs for free at MusicAlley.com http://www.musicalley.com/

2. A thank you for sound effects for this podcast, provided by the FreesoundProject.com and the following sound effects artists:

● electronicbeat4 fx10243 ……futuristic implant music

● Brunswick Duo Sonata in B Flat by Handel

● onid_button_snap3.wav - mp3 version onid_button_snap3.wav - ogg version

Sound of a button snapping

● juskiddink A cowboy western tune.

● digifishmusic slamming a garage door

● anamorphosis Bell sound

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Dr. Jeff Shnall

General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry

http://www.beachdentistry.com/home

For an article on this topic and other podcast episode topics cick on the following link:

Have you been told by your dentist that you have a cracked tooth?

"Cracked tooth syndrome"  is unfortunately a problem we see several times a week in our office.

Why do teeth develop cracks?

Cavities and fillings unfortunately weaken teeth.

When we chew, we put 100 pounds or more  of pressure on our back teeth.

A tooth weakened by filling plus 100 pounds of biting pressure can result in a crack in the tooth.

Symptoms of a cracked tooth:

You may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• sharp pain in the tooth when chewing hard or even sometimes soft food

• sharp pain to cold drinks and/or cold food

• toothache (if the crack extends into or near the nerve of the tooth)

To view photos and more information re:  Cracked Tooth Syndrome please click on the following link:

http://www.beachdentistry.com/articles-of-interest/cracked-tooth-syndrome

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How to Cope with a Dry Mouth

Dr. Jeff Shnall  BSc,DDS

General, Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry

Toronto, Canada

www.BeachDentistry.com

In this episode of the Dental Health Podcast we will be talking about the problems associated with having a chronically dry mouth, as well as its treatment.

Having a chronically dry mouth is a fairly common disorder, and will likely become more prevalent in the years ahead, for reasons we will discuss.

I’m Dr. Jeff Shnall and as a dentist, I get to see first hand, the harmful effects that having a chronically dry mouth can have on your teeth and gums.

It can lead to a mouth full of cavities and gum disease, but it can also have a negative effect on your overall health, your enjoyment of food, your ability to speak and your social life.

For the full text version of this podcast please click: here

A special thanks to musician Helen Austin, whose kindly gave me permission to play her lovely song “Nearly Dry” on this podcast episode.

To hear other songs by this artist or to hear other great music visit musicalley.com

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Episode 8 ● Dental Health Podcast

Mini-Dental Implants- Securing loose Dentures and More!

By Dr. Jeff Shnall

General, Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry

Toronto, Canada

www.BeachDentistry.com

I am sure many of you have heard of dental implants, which have been available in North America for over the past 20 years but perhaps fewer of you have heard of mini dental implants.

I am Dr. Jeff Shnall and I am a general dentist in Toronto, Canada.

I have been placing both regular and mini implants for several years.

In this episode of the dental health podcast we will explain:

ü What mini dental implants are?

ü Their uses

ü How they differ from regular sized dental implants

ü Some of their advantages and disadvantages compared to regular sized dental implants.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE PHOTOS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT MINI DENTAL IMPLANTS

PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VISIT MY WEBSITE:  http://beachdentistry.com/Text/1304280895375-4007/

What are Mini Implants?

First let’s describe what a mini dental implant is. Picture a small to medium length common screw you would find in a hardware store (10-15 mm or approximately ½ inch). A mini implant looks much like that screw, with threads running down its length. The mini implant has a small round ball on its top, at the end where you would normally place the screw driver.

Mini implants come in a variety of lengths but by definition, they must have a diameter of 3mm or less to be considered mini. Anything wider is considered a standard implant.

Mini implants, like standard sized implants are made from titanium.

How are mini implants used in dentistry?

One of the most popular uses of mini implants is to help hold full and partial dentures securely in the mouth.

If a patient is suffering with a loose full lower denture, ideally six mini implants can be placed in the lower jaw. They are usually placed in the front area of the jaw, where the six lower front teeth used to be. In the upper jaw eight mini implants are required.

After the mini’s are placed I will do one of the following: I may place special attachments into the patient’s denture that will allow the denture to snap onto the mini implants. However, sometimes we wait for several weeks to let the mini’s become more firmly anchored to the bone before placing permanent attachments in the denture. In this situation, I will place a soft liner in the denture where the minis are located. The soft liner will grip the round ball shaped tops of the mini implants, and will help keep the denture stable while we are waiting for the implants to become permanently anchored to the bone.

Once the implants are in place, attachments can be placed into the patient’s existing denture, allowing the denture to be snapped into the mouth, onto the implants. The goal is to have the patient able to have their denture secured to the mini implants the same day they are placed. So, now the lower or upper denture sits firmly in the mouth and the patient can eat and talk with confidence.

Mini implants can also be placed into the upper or lower jaw to retain a partial denture, which is a denture that patients wear if they are missing some of their teeth.

The advantage of a mini implant in this situation is that one or two mini implants can be placed to allow a partial denture to be held in instead of relying on partial denture clasps, which can sometimes be unsightly, can break, or loosen over time. So if you wear a partial denture, mini implants might be something worth looking into

Final words

My office can help arrange financing for our patients, so a miserably loose lower denture can be converted into a stable denture secured by mini implants for a fee that can suit most budgets.

If you would like more information on Mini-Implants please visit my website at www.BeachDentistry.com

If mini implants interest you?

1. Call our office for a consultation for a free 15 minute consultation to see if

Intra-lock mini implants are right for you. We’re located in Toronto, Canada: Our number is 416-691-2886

2. You can also email us at BeachDentistry@gmail.com you can also visit my office website for other information about dentistry and my practice at BeachDentistry.com

3. I can be reached by email at DentalHealthPodcast @gmail.com

Musical Credits:

A special thanks to musician Carrie Cunningham, whose song appropriately titled “Smile Again” was today’s musical intro. You can hear her song on Mevio’s Music Alley. Visit music.mevio.com for more great songs. (Here’s their link:

http://www.musicalley.com/

Also, big thanks to the band Time Warrior, whose song Mellow Balkys appeared in the close of our podcast. This song is also available on Music Alley. http://www.musicalley.com/

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Episode 7 Dental Health Podcast

Dental X-Rays- Safe and Extremely Helpful

By Dr. Jeff Shnall

Toronto, Canada

www.BeachDentistry.com

In this episode we discuss dental xrays…why we take them,

how often they are needed and whether they are safe?

In each episode of the dental health podcast we examine

a different topic in dentistry. We separate fact from fiction

and aim to make you a more knowledgable dental consumer.

It would be impossible to deliver high quality dental care that our

patients deserve and expect without dental xrays.

However, patients are concerned about whether the radiation

they be exposed to when we take dental x-rays is harmful.

After listening to this podcast I think that you will have a better

appreciation of the many benefits of dental x-rays and just as

importantly will have a better understanding that dental x-rays

are extremely safe, and in terms of radiation exposure, are a mere

drop in the bucket compared to the amount of radiation that we receive from natural sources.

The full text of this episode is available on my website and by clicking this link:

http://beachdentistry.com/dental-x-rays-facts

References Used and Further Reading:

The following are good sources of additional information on this topic. These articles, at the time of this writing were free on the internet and can be cut and pasted into your search engine.

1. Radioactivity in Nature. The Health Physics Society, University Of Michigan, 2005.

Link: http://www.umich.edu/~radinfo/introduction/natural.htm

2. The use of dental radiographs, Update and recommendations.

American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs, JADA, Vol. 137, September 2006.

http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/full/137/9/1304

3. Radiation: Risks and Realities, United States

Environmental Protection Agency, May 2007

Link: http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/docs/402-k-07-006.pdf

4. Oral Health Topics: X-Rays (Radiography), American Dental Association, 2011.

Link: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Dell/Desktop/XRAY%20ARTICLES/ADA%20xrays.pt.htm

5. Ionizing Radiation: Fact Book, United States

Environmental Protection Agency, May 2007

Link: http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/402-f-06-061.pdf

6. Radiation Exposure During Imaging Exams, Mayo Clinic , Patient Education Article, 2009 Scottsdale Arizona, USA.

http://ndc.mayo.edu/mayo/research/ctcic/upload/radiation-exposure-during-imaging-exams.pdf

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In the previous episode of the dental health podcast we discussed how porcelain veneers can be used to improve your smile.

In today’s episode we will discuss another way to improve the appearance and strength of your teeth, with the use of crowns.

A crown is a covering made of either metal, porcelain or other material that is cemented or bonded onto a tooth or an implant.

Crowns can be made to look just like a natural tooth. The cosmetic gallery at my website

www.BeachDentistry.com has photos of crowns that I have provided for my patients.

In this episode we will discuss the different kinds of crowns and what type of crown might be best for you.

There are some facts that I bring up regarding crowns that may surprise you.

I discuss:

• what type of crown will likely give you the best longevity

• what type of crown you definitely don’t want to have placed on your back teeth.

• "one appointment crowns" and when they are not a good option

· And much more…

We're located in Toronto, Canada.

To contact us:

Telephone:  416-691-2886

email:  appointments:  BeachDentistry@gmail.com

Dr. Shnall's personal email:  Dr.Shnall@gmail.com

You can read the full text of this podcast by clicking on the following link:

A special thanks to musician Carrie Cunningham, whose song appropriately titled “Smile Again” was today’s musical intro.

You can hear her song on Mevio’s Music Alley . Visit music.mevio.com for more great songs. ( Here’s their link:

http://www.musicalley.com/

Below are articles that I discussed in this episode.  I originally created hyperlinks to these articles but the American  Dental Association apparently frowns upon this, a matter of which I was aware until after I originally posted this show.  You can "Google" the articles below.  They were available for free on the internet when I prepared this podcast episode.

Choosing an all-ceramic restorative material: Porcelain-fused-to-metal or zirconia-based? Gordon J. Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD,J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 138, No 5, 662-665. © 2007 American Dental Association

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Versus Zirconia-Based Ceramic Restorations, 2009

Gordon J. Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD ,J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 140, No 8, 1036-1039. © 2009 American Dental Association

The Efficacy of All ceramic Zirconium crowns by:

Zina Alwash, Showkat Ali, Haleh Hedayatian,

Humaira Hassan, Sarune Leskauskiene, Mandana Tehrani,

Oksana Vozna

University of Toronto. Dental Student Research Paper, 2009.

Factors Essential for Successful All-Ceramic Restorations

Dr. Terence E. Donovan, DDS , J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 139, No suppl_4, 14S-18S. © 2008 American Dental Association

I

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By Dr. Jeff Shnall BSc, DDS

Toronto, Canada

This is the first of several podcasts discussing what cosmetic dentistry can do for you!

In today’s show we will discuss porcelain and resin veneers. I will share with you some important tips

and advice that anyone considering cosmetic dental treatment should know.

There is so much that modern dentistry has to offer to patients who wish to improve their appearance.

Our smile is often the first thing that people look at when they meet us. Like it or not, people do

consciously and unconsciously form opinions about us based on both our appearance, including our

smile, which can have consequences for us in our work, social and personal lives.

One way that dentists can change your smile is through the use of a technique called veneering. In order

to explain veneers, I will discuss some patients that I have treated. You can view “before” and “after”

photos of these patients on my website, beachdentistry.com as well as the full text of this podcast.

If there is a topic you would like me to discuss in future episodes please feel free to email me at

Dr.Shnall@gmail.com

Music featured in this episode is from artist Carrie Cunningham, a song appropriately titled “Smile

Again.”

You can hear her song on Mevio’s Music Alley . Visit music.mevio.com for more great songs. Here’s

their link:

http://www.musicalley.com/

More on:

Carrie Cunningham

Bio: Inspired by the great names of country music past,

Cunningham lays down tune after tune; pulling melodies

from every end of the musical spectrum. Reflecting upon

life's mishaps and joys she speaks the words that most

are afraid to mutter when they get fed-up with the bad

cards tossed their way

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