FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2000
CONTACT:
Jann Ingmire
[email protected]
Fred Peterson
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312-440-2806
Dental News in Brief
Aspirin and Oral Surgery
Patients who take a daily low dose of aspirin for their heart may not have to stop taking it before tooth removal, according to a preliminary study in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
The authors, all from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, say the increasing use of low-dose aspirin as a secondary preventive drug by patients who have cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases, has presented physicians and dentists with the dilemma of whether to advise patients to discontinue the aspirin therapy before tooth removal. Many previous studies have advocated stopping the aspirin therapy several days before elective surgery because of the possible risk of uncontrolled bleeding during or after the operation.
This study in the March issue of JADA concluded that such patients should continue to receive their daily dose of 100 milligrams of aspirin during the preoperative period. No episodes of uncontrolled bleeding were noted in this limited size study of 39 patients who were having tooth extractions.
Manual vs. Powered Toothbrushes
Another study in the March issue of JADA looks at powered toothbrushes. This single-product study was funded and researched by Braun Oral B, the manufacturer of the powered toothbrush used in the evaluation. Braun Oral B gave dentists a particular model of powered toothbrush to give to their patients and then asked them to subjectively monitor the patients' compliance and oral health.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of one type of powered toothbrush in 16,093 patients. The toothbrush provided by the company in the study was considered by dental professionals (dentists and hygienists) to have a positive effect on the oral health of more than 80 percent of the patients. Most patients reported their oral health was somewhat better or much better after using the powered toothbrush.
More on Toothbrushes
The American Dental Association says manual toothbrushes can be just as effective as powered toothbrushes. The key is that the user must effectively use the toothbrush. The ADA does not recommend a set time for how long consumers should brush, since time alone does not determine whether someone brushes thoroughly.
Talk with your dentist or hygienist about which toothbrush would best meet your needs and how to properly brush your teeth. Persons with motor skill impairments, such as arthritis, may find powered toothbrushes especially helpful.
Toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months or sooner if the bristles become frayed. Toothbrushes with frayed bristles may harm gums and generally do not clean teeth as effectively.
The ADA does not think it's necessary for consumers to change their toothbrushes after recovering from a cold or other infectious disease. The detergents found in almost all toothpastes kill the microorganisms that may linger on the toothbrush between brushings.
Look for toothbrushes with the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance. Before the Seal is awarded, a product must demonstrate that it meets ADA standards for safety and effectiveness. The ADA also scrutinizes all packaging and advertising for accepted products to determine that claims are scientifically supported and not misleading in fact or implication. Consumers can find a listing of all the manual and powered toothbrushes with the ADA Seal on ADA ONLINE, http://www.ada.org.
Bottled Water and Fluoride
There are no scientific studies to indicate an increase in the tooth decay rate because more people are drinking bottled water. Nonetheless, the ADA wants people to be aware that if they drink bottled water as their primary source of water they could be missing the decay preventive effects of optimally fluoridated water available from their community water source. Most bottled waters do not contain optimal levels of fluoride (0.7 - 1.2 ppm). Consumers can check the label on the bottled water to see if it contains fluoride or contact the manufacturer to obtain the information.
Some types of home water treatment systems (such as water filters) also reduce the fluoride levels in water supplies. Consumers should seek advice from their dentist about their specific fluoride needs.
Visit ADA ONLINE, http:/www.ada.org, for more information about the benefits of water fluoridation for preventing tooth decay and other oral health care issues.
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