Treating gum disease reduced symptoms of prostate inflammation, called prostatitis, report researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

Previous studies have found a link between gum disease and prostatitis, a disease that inflames the gland that produces semen. Inflammation can make urination difficult.

“This study shows that if we treat the gum disease, it can improve the symptoms of prostatitis and the quality of life for those who have the disease,” said Nabil Bissada, chair of Case Western Reserve’s Department of Periodontics and the new study’s corresponding author.

Question: I was told by my orthodontist that I have gum disease but I really do not believe him. Other then my gums being swollen (I think due to having the braces on) I do not have any bleeding and my gums do not hurt.

Answer: I would say that if your orthodontist is telling you that he or she feels you have gum disease you should see your general dental to verify.  There is no reason for your orthodontic dentist to miss lead you.

If you grind your teeth while you’re asleep, you may need to wear a mouth guard  at night. Mouth Guards even out the pressure across your jaw and create a physical barrier between your upper and lower teeth to protect them from further damage. They can also reduce any grinding noises you make at night. Make sure to talk to your dentist if you find yourself grinding your teeth.

New research shows that anxiety experienced in social circumstances elevates the risk of bruxism (teeth grinding) causing tooth wear, fractures, and jaw pain.

A new study by Tel Aviv University researchers, published recently in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, finds that anxiety experienced in social circumstances elevates the risk of bruxism — teeth grinding which causes tooth wear and fractures as well as jaw pain. According to the research, led by Dr. Ephraim Winocur of the Department of Oral Rehabilitation at TAU’s School of Dental Medicine and conducted by TAU doctoral student Roi Skopski in collaboration with researchers at Geha Mental Health Center in Petah Tikva, Israel, interaction with people is likely to trigger bruxism in the socially anxious.

Question: I just had all four wisdom teeth pulled out yesterday and I guess I  underestimated out rough the recovery would be.  My jaw is swollen and it really hurt to eat anything other then soup or very soft foods. How long will ti be before I start to feel better ?

Answer: You just had your wisdom teeth pulled, and everything you talked about is normal at this point. The healing process is different for people depending on how well they take care of their mouth afterwords and how well they normally heal and deal with pain.

However, your mouth does tend to heal faster then any place else and if you follow your dentist after care instructions correctly you should be felling better in four to five days. If you have additional concerns you should talk to your dentist most of your questions could be answered over the phone if they office is not busy at the time you call.

Question:  I am covered under my moms dental insurance, I believe she has MetLife PPO..I am looking for dentist in the area and I was calling around to make sure they accepted our insurance. I called one place and they said that as long as the dentist is in the network, then all the prices for the dentist are all the  same. I was like, in that case there is no need in me calling the next few people to find out who is cheaper. Is this correct that all dentist offer the same prices if they are inside the network?

Answer: Generally speaking with PPO plans, dentist that are in the plan network have agreed to cost some what.  Meaning that when going to a plan provider they are normally going to be within the company’s UCR range (Usual Customary and Reasonable).   Compared to when you go to an out of network provider you run a higher risk of having UCR fees.  This will encourage you to use plan providers compared to going to dentist that are not providers of the plan. With some dental PPO plans they go a step further they reduce your coverages/benefits if you choose to go to a dentist who is not a provider. You would need to check with your policy to confirm this.

Dental insurance can help you manage the costs of yours and children’s dental care needs. It seems like the cost of just preventive dental care services keeps going up. Making it harder and harder to see a dentist for just your basic care.

However did you know with most dental insurance plans preventive care such as cleaning’s, X-rays, and checks ups are little to no cost?  Even basic dental services such as fillings are low in cost with most dental insurance plans.

Although some of your major dental care cost such as crowns, root canals and extractions can still be costly they still cost less when you have a dental insurance plan in place.

Arginine, a common amino acid found naturally in foods, breaks down dental plaque, which could help millions of people avoid cavities and gum disease, researchers at the University of Michigan and Newcastle University have discovered.

Alexander Rickard, assistant professor of epidemiology at the U-M School of Public Health, and colleagues, discovered that in the lab L-arginine—found in red meat, poultry, fish and dairy products, and is already used in dental products for tooth sensitivity—stopped the formation of dental plaque.

Dental Erosion is When: The enamel (the hard, protective coating of the tooth) is worn away by exposure to acid, when that happens it leaves the sensitive dentine area of the tooth exposed. Dental erosion of the enamel can result in pain, particularly when consuming hot or cold food.

The enamel on the tooth becomes softer and loses mineral content when we eat or drink anything acidic. However, this acidity is cancelled out by saliva, which slowly restores the natural balance within the mouth. But if the mouth is not given enough time to repair itself (because these acid attacks are happening too often) the surface of the teeth is worn away.

Soft drinks are the most significant factor in severity of dental erosion, according to a new study published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.

Anything with a pH value (the measure of acidity) lower than 5.5 can damage the teeth. Diet and regular sodas, carbonated drinks, flavored fizzy waters, sports drinks, fruit and fruit juices are all known to be harmful to teeth if they are consumed too often.

If you are going to drink these types of drinks limit the contact they have on your teeth by drinking though a straw.  Also think about substituting that type of drink out with water when ever possible. Water is not only good in the fact it causes no damage to your teeth but it also great for your body

There are a few treatments options for Fluorosis such as porcelain laminate veneers, enamel microabrasion, and direct composite veneers.

1) Porcelain Laminate Veneers:  In this procedure, less than 1 millimeter of the front surface of the tooth is shaved away.  The dentist takes an impression, and then a dental lab makes a veneer that looks great and fits perfectly into the spot that was shaved away by the dentist.

2) Enamel Microabrasion is the In this method of fluorosis treatment, the dentist treats the tooth with acid and then sands away a tiny layer of enamel off of the tooth using pumice.

3) Direct Composite Veneers.  This procedure is similar to the porcelain laminate veneers mentioned above.  However, after shaving down the front of your teeth, the dentist doesn’t take an impression to send to the lab.  The dentist simply repairs the tooth using white composite filling material.

Once you find a dentist and or dental office you like and trust it can be very difficult to change providers just because you also want to have dental insurance to help control your dental care cost.

However you do not have to do this. There are many good dental insurance plan that let you choose and or stay with  your current dentist. These plans are called Indemnity plans. You will see these types of dental insurance plans on our website as Free Choice – Use Your Own Dentist plans.

That because Indemnity dental insurance plans do not have providers they let you choose whatever dentist you want to go to.  One thing to keep in mind though with Indemnity dental insurance plans is like PPO’s dental plan they to normally come with waiting periods.  So it is best to buy these types of dental insurance plan before you have a toothache to take care of.

Going to the dentist might have just gotten a little less scary for the estimated 1 in 68 U.S. children with autism spectrum disorder as well as children with dental anxiety, thanks to new research from USC.

In an article published on May 1 by the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, researchers from USC and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) examined the feasibility of adapting dental environments to be more calming for children with autism spectrum disorder.

This is a question that comes up quite often whether asked online or over the phone, however, I will tell you there is no sure answer. The real reason why is because no one knows the condition of your teeth except you and your dentist.

The second thing is what “best” means to you? Is it the best price, or deductible, or maybe you need coverage for orthodontics. Anyway I found if you use the web site to compare the dental plans that would be your best start.

At least you will have a bunch of dental plans and plan types to compare. Also remember if you have any questions about the plans that our offer member services is always happy to help just call 310-534-3444 M-F 8am – 4pm

Your child dental and oral health is important to maintain not only for healthy teeth and gums but for overall wellness.

According to past studies done: In California alone, 504,000 children missed at least one school day in 2007 to a toothache or other oral problems.

Appearing in the September 2012 issue of the American Journal of Public Health: Ostrow researchers had previously documented that 73 percent of disadvantaged kids in Los Angeles have dental caries, the disease responsible for cavities in teeth. The new study shines light on the specific connection between oral health and performance in school for this population, said Roseann Mulligan, chair of the school’s Division of Dental Public Health and Pediatric Dentistry and corresponding author of the study.

Oral care products containing a natural chemical that stops bacteria harming teeth could help prevent decay, a study suggests.

The compound – known as trans-chalcone – is related to chemicals found in liquorice root. The study shows that it blocks the action of a key enzyme that allows the bacteria to thrive in oral cavities.

When buying a dental insurance plan you may want to know about any cancellation clauses.  Some dental insurance plan such as HMOs will require that you buy it for  at least a year before they will cancel out the plan.

Where as many PPO dental insurance plans will let your cancel at any time (normally with a 30 day written request) they also generally have long term waiting periods that makes it not in your advantage to buy their plan and cancel before any of the waiting periods came up.

Review each plans terms and conditions carefully so that your buy the right dental insurance plan for your needs.

Dental insurance coverage for children is an essential health benefit.  According to studies dental health is linked to your overall wellness. Also studies have shown that people with dental insurance tend to visit their dentist regularly, maintaining their dental health care needs.

Dental care cost is stated as a main factor as to why parents and their kids do not see a dentist as much as maybe they should. Since that is the case having dental insurance help control their family dental care cost, there by making it possible for them see their dentist regularly.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine have unraveled one of the mysteries of how a small group of immune cells work: That some inflammation-fighting immune cells may actually convert into cells that trigger disease.

Their findings, recently reported in the journal Pathogens, could lead to advances in fighting diseases, said the project’s lead researcher Pushpa Pandiyan, an assistant professor at the dental school.