The Glen Ellyn Illinois Dentist

Dental Health, Gum Disease, & Cognitive (dementia) disorders--Glen Ellyn Wheaton Dentist Reports

I was at the Chicago Midwinter meeting this last weekend--It's winter in Chicago and what else should be doing but sitting in meetings! Anyway--it's a great time and place to get caught up with some of the latest information on dental health. Some of the meetings centered around the impact of dental health and general. One article I wanted to share with you is the relation between dental health and "cognitive health"--the likes of dementia and possibly Alzheimer's disease. It is somewhat technical--but you'll see the research behind the conclusions I pulled it from the dentaliq.com site and it was called "Periodontal disease and impaired cognition."
Some excerpts: "Progressive inflammation of tissues in the central nervous system, resulting in degeneration of nerve cells, is thought to play a role in the development of dementia.1 Epidemiologic studies suggest that persons with high levels of systemic inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines, are at higher risk of dementia than those with lower levels. In addition, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may lower the risk of dementia. There are many potential sources of chronic inflammation, including periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases are among the most prevalent diseases affecting the population. Among adults, 75% have a mild form (gingivitis), and approximately 40% have moderate or severe periodontitis

and:

"The association between periodontal disease and cognitive impairment may also reflect an indirect biologic mechanism in which periodontitis and dementia are two separate disease outcomes that arise from an underlying chronic inflammation. Both diseases have several common risk factors that can influence the immune system and enhance inflammation, including smoking, depression, and diabetes. In both periodontitis and dementia, specific genotypes of the interleukin family of cytokines have been associated with increased disease risk and led to the hypothesis that some individuals have a hyper-inflammatory response phenotype. A number of diseases with an inflammatory component — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, periodontal disease, and dementia — might then tend to cluster in individuals with such a phenotype and ."

The research, done by Dr. Elizabeth (Krall) Kaye professor and director of the epidemiology division in the Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research at Boston University shows how the inflammation caused by dental gem disease can be related to cognitive diseases, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease

Dr. Gibbs shares this information for his patient and people in the Glen Ellyn, Wheation area (Chicago area). He may be located contacted at 603-858-8800, or at his website or Google page for Glen Ellyn Wheaton dentist.

Avoiding the Dentist (Dental Fear)--Whoopi Goldberg Tells her Story

Most people know Whoopi Goldberg well for her many movies and presence on the TV show The View. Recently on the View, Whoopi relates her recent dental experiences with gum disease and losing teeth.
Whoopi says wisely “If you’re not taking care of your teeth you’re not taking care of your whole body—and it’s killing you!” Gum disease killing us! According to another recent article in Readers Digest we are twice as likely to die of a heart attack, and 3 times to die of a stroke. There is also an increased incidence and severity of pneumonia and diabetes!
We suggest you watch Whoopi’s video and listen well!

Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfortable dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area. He sees patients from Wheaton, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Elmhurst, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove. Contact us at SmileGlenEllyn.com Also visit us for information on implants and relaxed sedation dentistry at YouTube LiveWithoutDentures He also publishes a separate informational websie on dental implants at chicagoimplantdentistry.com

Drink Green Tea for Healthy & Gums

A recent article in ScienceDaily (Mar. 2009) summarizes health benefits of drinking green tea with weight loss, heart health, and cancer prevention. A study in the Journal of Periodontology uncovered another benefit of drinking green tea—healthy gums and teeth. The study by Dr. Shimazaki at Kyushu University in Japan analyzed the periodontal [gum] health of 940 men, and found that those dinking green tea had superior dental health

We have more information dental health on our website at SmileGlenEllyn.com Also visit us for information on dental implants and relaxed sedation dentistry at YouTube LiveWithoutDentures Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfort based dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area. This includes Wheaton, West Chicago, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Elmhurst, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove. Contact us at FearLessDentalCare.com.

Researchers Test Dental Health &Gum Disease Link to Heart Attacks

   The connection between oral health, periodontal disease, and gum disease to heart disease, heart disease, and stroke is well known.  Now studies have emerged demonstrating a direct bacterial connection. in term of the total number of bacteria.  Researcher Dr. Andrianaja at the University of Buffalo  stated “that even though some specific periodontal [gum] pathogens have been found to be associated with an increased of coronary disease, the total bacterial pathogenic burden is more important than the type of bacteria.  In other words, the total number of ‘bugs’ is more important than one single organism.”  The study consisted of 386 men and women between ages 35 and 69, contrasted to a control group of 840 heart disease free people. 
  Total bacterial load presented to the body and heart would be correlated to the extent of dental disease, gum irritation, and degree of oral hygiene, as well as the total time that “less than great” dental health was present.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).

We have more information on dental on our website at SmileGlenEllyn.com Also visit us for information on implants and relaxed sedation dentistry at YouTube LiveWithoutDentures   Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfort based dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area. This includes Wheaton, West Chicago, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Elmhurst, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove. Contact us at FearLessDentalCare.com.

Gene Therapy for Periodontal Gum Disease--Improving Quality of Life & Health!

   Researchers at the University of Michigan have successfully shown that genetic therapy can be used to defray the development of gum disease.  Using gene transfer to treat life threatening conditions is not new, but the U-M group is the first known to use the gene delivery approach to show potential in treating chronic conditions such as periodontal disease.  "This is so important because the next wave of improving medical therapeutics goes beyond saving life, and moves forward to improving the quality of life,” said researcher Dr. Giannobile. 
    The pre-clinical study was done in collaboration with Targeted Genetics.   Human trial results that showed the same gene therapy approach used to stop periodontal disease had positive affects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, another chronic disabling condition. The company tested 127 human subjects and showed a 30 percent improvement in pain relief, and gain of function, among other enhancements using the gene treatment.

Also visit us for information on implants and relaxed sedation dentistry at YouTube LiveWithoutDentures  See our dental implant site at SmileGlenEllyn.com, and visit other blog articles in this site. Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfort based dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area. This includes Wheaton, West Chicago, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Elmhurst, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove. Contact us at LivewithoutDentures.com.

Bad Dental Health and Cosmetic Dentistry—Genetics or Flossing?

A research articles at New York University studied 51 sets of identical twins and their oral health care.  Each set was assigned a different oral hygiene regimen varying only by flossing.  The study found that those who did not floss had significantly more of the bacteria associated with gum periodontal disease when compared to the twin that did not floss.
  What does this simple study show?  Bad gums cannot be blamed on the genes, but on your habits as well!
 For more information on dental comfort, dental sedation, and advanced technology, see our website at SmileGlenEllyn.com.  Also see our Gallery for patient photographs and Patient Feedback for patient responses to treatment in our Glen Ellyn office.

Possible Relation with Gum Disease and Low Sperm Counts and Fertility

   Scientists from the Bikur Holim Hospital in Jerusalem and the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine have discovered that infertile men are more likely to have chronic gum infections than those with healthy sperm.  Dr Shonberger, director of the fertility clinic at the hospital, and Dr Klinger, a periodontal specialist at the school, arrived at that conclusion after studying 56 men, aged 23 to 52, who had come to the fertility lab for sperm analysis.

   About 13 per cent of the subjects in the three-year pilot study had healthy gums, 50 per cent were diagnosed with gingivitis, 32 per cent with chronic periodontitis, and five per cent with aggressive periodontitis.  According to them, 65 per cent of the patients with low sperm counts suffered from gingivitis as compared to only 48 per cent among those with normal sperm, and half of those with no sperm had chronic periodontitis.

  Due to the low number of study subjects this study can be best considered a pilot study.  A larger longer term study would be appropriate to further study the effect that chronic gum infections have on fertility and dental health.

     Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfort relaxed  based dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area.  This includes Wheaton, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove.  Contact us at SmileGlenEllyn.com
  See our new videos on Youtube keyword LiveWithoutDentures! Relaxed comfortable dental visits, dental sedation, problems with missing teeth, denture problems, denture alternative, cosmetic dentistry, Lumineers, and dental implants are discused.

An Easy Way to Help with Periodontal (Gum) Disease!

   Periodontal disease is a serious problem that's growing rapidly in America. It usually leads to lose teeth and infection. And you may have heard that gum disease can cause heart attacks and other heart-related problems. So it's vital you take good care of your gums. Now there's an easy way to do so straight from your grocery
  All you have to do is eat foods rich in lactic acid and one of the best sources for lactic acid is yogurt. A study found that eating plenty of organic yogurt significantly reduces the prevalence and severity of the problem.
In the study, researchers followed 942 patients between the ages of 40 and 79 years. They studied how much yogurt they ate and compared it to their rate of gum disease. They discovered that a higher intake of the delicious dairy product is very beneficial for periodontal health. The researchers found that patients who eat at least 55 grams (less than two ounces) of yogurt had a significantly lower rate of gum disease. In fact, this small amount of yogurt lowered gum-disease risk by 40-50% compared to those who didn't eat yogurt.
   So if you have gum disease,  do everything your dentist and hygienist—brush, floss, rinse, and eat some healthy yogurt!

Ref: "Intake of dairy products and periodontal disease: The Hisayama Study," Shimazaki Y, Shirota T, et al, J Periodontol, 2008; 79(1): 131-7

Periodontal (Gum) Disease, Diabetes, & Atherosclerosis

   Patients with Type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease who receive periodontal therapy see levels of oxidative stress, a condition in which antioxidant levels are lower than normal, reduced to the same levels as nondiabetic patients, according to a new study that appeared in the November issue of the Journal of Periodontology 
   It has been discovered that periodontal disease and can lead to atherosclerosis, which occurs when deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. It has been thought that oxidative stress is linked to heart disease because oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in the lining of arteries is a precursor to plaque formation. Recently, oxidative stress has emerged as an important factor for atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes.
  We do know that treating periodontal diseases can save teeth, and can promote overall health.
Please see our website SmileglenEllyn.com for more information on dental health.

    Dr. Gibbs serves the communities of Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Lombard, Carol Stream, Naperville, Lisle, Addison, Downers Grove, Glendale Heights, Elmhurst, Bartlett, West Chicago, Woodridge, Bloomingdale, Schaumburg, Wood Dale, Geneva, St. Charles, Warrenville, Bolingbrook, Westmont, Winfield, Villa Park, and other Chicagoland areas.  See the website at  SmileGlenEllyn.com for more information on dentistry and your health!

Dentists using Dangerous Dental Labs

   Recently a Midwestern woman was sickened by lead-tainted dental work that was outsourced to China.  Consumers are urged to inquire about the origins of their crowns, veneers, bridges and dentures.  In this case, dangerous levels of led were found in the actual porcelain of dental crowns. Other cases in the past have claimed that substandard labs have used dangerous or potentially allergenic metals in crowns or partial dentures.
  Millions of dental prostheses are being prescribed by dentists in the United States but are actually made in labs in China, India, the Philippines, Mexico, Eastern Europe, Costa Rica and elsewhere. Many experts are concerned about the outsourcing because raw materials used abroad may not meet U.S. standards.
   I find it very unfortunate that many dentists who have felt the pressures of managed care and rising costs are reducing the standard of care by using dental laboratories that may not meet the standard of professional care that patients deserve!  The dental professionals of  SmileGlenEllyn serve patients of Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Naperville, and Chicago expecting the highest in dental care, and correspondingly use labortories exercising the highest standards in dental care.