Dr. Bob's Mouthly Report
Dentistry Apps Shouldn’t Replace Parents Teaching Children How to Brush
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/17/19In a Forbes (5/11, Vigo) article on the role of dentistry apps, contributor Julian Vigo discussed Kitten Planet’s Brush Monster, “an app that teaches children how to brush their teeth” via a smart toothbrush and augmented reality,” which allows parents “to monitor how well their children are brushing their teeth. Vigo argued this “particular type of app could be seen as excessive, even attempting to substitute the necessary parental lectures on dental hygiene and time spent together every day at the bathroom sink.”
Charcoal Toothpastes Don’t Whiten Teeth, Lou
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/17/19
BBC News Online (UK) (5/10) reported a review in the British Dental Journal claims charcoal-based toothpastes are a “marketing gimmick” with no scientific evidence to support claims they whiten teeth. The authors add that the toothpastes may increase the risk of tooth decay and staining, and that “excessive brushing with them can do more harm than good.”
MarketWatch (5/10, Pesce) reported a 2017 study in The Journal of the American Dental Association analyzed more than 100 articles on charcoal and charcoal-based toothpastes and powders and determined there was “insufficient clinical and laboratory data” to support charcoal toothpaste’s safety or effectiveness, and warned dentists and patients to “be cautious” in using them. American Dental Association spokesman Dr. Matt Messina told MarketWatch, “Not only is it not beneficial, but it’s potentially dangerous.” He added, “This is where I have to speak out, and where the [dental] profession has to speak out.” The ADA instead “recommends speaking with your dentist about your teeth whitening options, which can depend upon the severity of your stains as well as any underlying health issues that could be discoloring your teeth. Or select a whitening toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which verifies that the toothpaste is safe and lives up to its claims.”
See more at MouthHealthy.org, ADA’s consumer website, for evidence-based information about teeth whitening, including information on natural teeth whitening methods. The ADA provides a complete list of toothpastes with the ADA Seal of Acceptance, including some with stain removal attributes.
One Out of Three Americans May Have Prediabetes, CDC Says
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/17/19
The CBS News (5/7, Welch) website reported, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than” one out of three US adults may have “prediabetes. Yet, 90 percent of those affected do not know they have it.” The condition, which has “no clear symptoms,” can “often” go “undetected until more serious signs of type 2 diabetes begin to show.” People who are overweight, older than age 44, who have a family history of T2D, who are not physically active, who have polycystic ovary syndrome, or who belong to certain ethnic groups may have “an increased risk of prediabetes.” The CDC currently “recommends people with any of the risk factors for prediabetes talk to” their physician about screening for the condition. If people with prediabetes lose “even a small amount of weight and” get “regular exercise,” they can “lower the risk of going on to develop” T2D.
You can find more information at MouthHealthy.org, ADA’s consumer website, for information on diabetes. Also, JADA For the Patient also includes the articles, Can Diabetes Affect My Oral Health?, Diabetes and Oral Health, and Diabetes: Tips for Good Oral Health.
Does Sparkling Water Damage Teeth? ADA’s Info on Sparkling Water Highlighted
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/17/19
Does Sparkling Water Damage Teeth? ADA’s Info on Sparkling Water Highlighted
In an article examining whether the Spindrift line of sparkling water has negative health consequences, Stack (5/8, Hall) reports that concerning whether sparkling water erodes enamel, the American Dental Association states, “According to available research, sparkling water is generally fine for your teeth.” The ADA adds, “In a study using teeth that were removed as a part of treatment and donated for research, researchers tested to see whether sparkling water would attack tooth enamel more aggressively than regular lab water. The result? The two forms of water were about the same in their effects on tooth enamel.”
Several Retailers Raise Minimum Age to Buy Tobacco to 21
by Robert Glisci, DDS, PC on 05/17/19
The Washington Post (5/8, Bhattarai) reports Walmart has announced that it will stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products to shoppers under 21, and it will phase out “the sale of fruit- and dessert-flavored e-cigarettes,” effective July 1. John Scudder, Walmart’s chief ethics and compliance officer, wrote a letter to the FDA on Wednesday, saying, “Even a single sale of a tobacco product to a minor is one too many.”
Bloomberg (5/8, Boyle, Edney) reports Walmart joins other chains that have “already announced plans to lift the age to 21, including Walgreens,” and “Rite Aid Corp. says it will stop selling vaping products altogether.”
