White Fillings are not as durable and so not always the best long term option with regards to wear and tear. Nevertheless, Dental Amalgam contains silver, mercury and copper. It also contains traces of Indium or Palladium and Zinc: And although non-conclusive, Mercury toxicity has been linked to fatigue, high blood pressure, depression, heart conditions, infertility and even Alzheimer’s disease. Hence more and more people are asking Cosmetic Dentists to replace their existing Amalgam Fillings. Not only because they are aesthetically more pleasing but also because of concerns with regards to the Mercury they contain.

The Research

Initially, the American FDA said there was no real conclusive evidence to indicate any serious health issues were connected with Amalgam Fillings. However, extensive studies by the American FDA with regards to the ‘mercury issue’ now suggest that harmful mercury can be released when chewing which can have a “neuro-toxic effect upon the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses” – (US FDA). Norway and Denmark banned Amalgam Fillings many years ago. In addition Japan and Norway have restricted its use rigorously. Nevertheless, millions of children and adults continue to have Amalgam Fillings in the UK every year and White Fillings continue to be regarded as Cosmetic Dentistry: That is effectively, not ‘necessary’.

Mexican pharmacy

There are General Dental Practices and Cosmetic Dentists in the UK who will not work with Amalgam Fillings – And there are certainly those who would say they have very good reason for doing this: It has since been ‘accepted’ that small amounts of Mercury do pass into the system and some Dentists have been found to have high levels of Mercury in their bloodstream and organs. If you are worried about existing Amalgam fillings speak to a Cosmetic Dentist.

It’s Your Choice

More and more people are opting to replace existing Amalgam Fillings because they not only look great but there are no ‘health issues’ surrounding their use to date. They are also a durable and affordable choice for most even if they are not as durable or affordable as Amalgam. Regardless of whether White Fillings are regarded as Cosmetic Dentistry or no, it is your choice. Cosmetic Dentists will generally work with composite resin white fillings not only because they are more aesthetically pleasing by far, but also because of the health issues pertaining to Dental Amalgam.

If you are in search of a reputable Cosmetic Dentist the Perfect Smile Spa is London’s leading Cosmetic Dentist and Spa. Located in the Hornchurch high street they are conveniently situated for patients living in the London and Essex region. Call them for advice with regards to your Cosmetic dentistry needs.

Here are some things that you need to consider when looking for the best electric toothbrush:

1. Do you want a battery or mains operated (rechargeable) toothbrush?
2. Do you want a gentle clean or a robust scrub?
3. What brush action would you prefer and do you want a built in timer?

When you’ve answered the above questions to your own satisfaction, make yourself a chart or spreadsheet with your criteria down the side, e.g.

• Rechargeable Battery
• Battery Life
• Battery Indicator
• Timer
• Brush Action
• Cleaning Modes
• Number of brushes included
• Storage for spare brushes
• Cost of the unit
• Cost of replacement brushes
• Warranty
• Customer Ratings
• Other Features

Now go to an online store such as Amazon and search for electric toothbrushes. Choose three or four which are in the price range that you want to pay and put the names across the top of your chart. Now read all the available information and fill in your chart.

Decide which features are the most important to you. It’s a good idea to ignore the price of the unit at this stage, just concentrate on the tooth brushing aspects. On your chart highlight the best result in each category. For example if Brush No. 1 has a 14 day battery life and that is the best of the ones that you have chosen, highlight that box on your chart. You should end up with a highlighted box for each of your criteria and one of the toothbrushes will have more highlighted criteria than the others. This should give you a good idea of which is the best electric toothbrush for you.

When you’ve decided which toothbrush you want to buy, it’s best to shop around both offline and online for the best pricing deal as prices can vary tremendously for the same product. You may even find that some stockists have “specials” which include extra spare brushes.

Check out online comparison sites which may have done all the hard work for you, including finding the best prices out there or you could subscribe to a technical investigation type magazine such as Which? which does in-depth research into all sorts of electronic products and which will help you identify the best electronic toothbrush.

Panama City – An estimated one in five American children goes without dental care each year. Two thirds of states do not have effective policies in place to ensure proper dental health and access to care.

Gulf Coast Community College’s dental hygiene program is trying to change those numbers, hosting a free “Kidz Clinic” this week, in honor of National Children’s Dental Health month.

The clinic provides free exams, cleaning’s, x-rays, instruction on proper brushing and flossing techniques for children ages 3 to 12.

Clinic officials expect to see around 100 kids this week.

“This is something that there’s no excuses. The children come first, and we want to provide that care, so yes ma’am, it’s absolutely free,” said Melani Rochford.

Brenda Liles heard about the free dental care from co-workers and decided to bring her three children to the clinic Monday morning. The staff saw all three of her children at once.

“Here having them all go in at the same time, and being able to go back and forth is definitely a plus, and the free thing is always going to be great when you have three kids, and it’s always going to be cost effective to go to a free clinic,” said Liles.

Liles’ 10 year old daughter Mackenzie couldn’t agree more.

“I like that all of the rooms are close together, so I can hear my brother in the next room,” she enthused.

Love your pets with proper dental care

Although February is coming to a close, it’s Pet Dental Month and vets across the country are reminding Canadians how important it is to keep their pets’ mouths healthy all year long.

I talked to a local veterinarian to share some tips on keeping your pet’s chops in top shape.

Dr. Karyn Jones, veterinarian and owner of Ajax Animal Hospital, said oral care is critical for pets.

“I think it’s a really important part of overall health,” she said. “We kind of take it for granted that pets eating a hard kibbled food is going to keep their teeth clean.”

She equated the misconception to humans thinking that eating pretzels would keep their teeth and gums healthy.

Dr. Jones said similar to people, chronic infections and inflammations in animals could lead to problems with the heart and kidney, so it’s important to address a dental problem as soon as possible, or to prevent the issue altogether.

Pet owners should have a good relationship with their vet, and make sure their pets’ oral hygiene is examined during each visit. Also, pet owners should start a home dental-care regime when the pets are young.

“That would be getting used to them having their teeth brushed,” she said.

There are also pet mouthwashes or toothpastes, dental and oral-care treats, but she added the oral-care products used must be especially for pets; toothpaste for humans is not safe for animals.

Pet owners should look out for signs that a pet’s oral hygiene is at risk, such as pus in the mouth, red or inflamed gums or one of the biggest signs: bad breath. Some animals may become quieter than usual, or pull away when their mouth is touched, she said. If a pet stops eating, chances are the pain has gotten serious.

“It takes a lot of pain to actually make a pet stop eating,” she said.

If your pet is prone to dental problems, it’s best to increase vet visits to twice a year, Dr. Jones said.

According to the American Veterinary Dental Association, some other signs of dental disease are loose teeth or teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar, drooling or dropping food from the mouth, bleeding from the mouth and loss of weight.

Dental health stressed for kids’ first year

“Get it Done in Year One” is the theme for National Children’s Dental Health month, which is observed in February.

And following that theme, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is encouraging parents and caregivers to use protective measures and care for healthy teeth. Pediatric dentists say parents should make an appointment with the dentist before the child’s first tooth appears.

Studies indicate dental costs for children who have their first dental visit before age 1 are 40 percent lower in the first 5 years than for those who do not see a dentist before to their first birthday.

“A lot of people don’t realize you need to see a dentist as soon as the teeth erupt,” said Dr. David H. Merritt, DMD, of Florence, in an e-mail.

According to AAPD, reasons for performing a dental exam in the child’s first year include:

To check for early signs of tooth decay or white spots.

To review with the child’s primary caretaker proper oral hygiene habits.

To offer nutritional counseling including a review of sugar intake and bottle or sippy cup use.

To discuss thumb or pacifier habits to optimize normal growth and decrease the chance for necessary orthodontic treatment.

To answer any questions the child’s caretaker may have concerning oral health, normal facial growth patterns and nutrition.

Visiting a dentist for the first time can be a frightening experience for many children. To alleviate that fear, Dr. Kenneth H. Swindle, D.M.D., of Florence, recommends parents bring their child with them on visits.

“Bring the child with you so children can see what it’s like to get your teeth cleaned,” he said.

Merritt said dental care goes beyond annual visits to the dentist.

“It’s what you do all day long that destroys your teeth,” he said.

Dr. Alan C. Sherrill, who has an office in Russellville, agrees.

“Prevention is the essential key,” he said. “Brush and floss daily and have two check-ups a year so you won’t have to have a root canal. It hurts me to see people let their mouths go. Take time to floss once a day and brush twice.”

By following those simple steps, Sherrill said 90 percent of dental decay could be prevented.

Niah A. Lilly is a student at the University of North Alabama, Florence.

Deciding which one you want will depend on your budget, insurance coverage, availability and preference of course. Laser is the most expensive of all methods of professional whiteningand the most extreme as it whitens the tooth almost immediately. Unfortunately, spot laser whitening can cost hundreds of dollars and laser whitening an entire set of teeth could cost thousands and most insurance companies do not cover this procedure.

If you suffer from teeth that are badly in need of whitening and can afford the professional laser whitening you’ll soon find that the results will be amazing and worth the cost. In fact, most of those who get laser whitening are more than completely satisfied with their results and recommend the procedure to everyone they know. Keep in mind that laser whitening does have side effects including over-bleaching and extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.

Gel applications applied in a dental office are a bit less expensive than professional whitening by laser but at a cost. The in-office gel method doesn’t offer instant results instead it provides noticeable results within a few applications, depending upon the amount of stain of course. This method is quite simple and basically involves the dentist painting the gel onto your teeth and activating it with a special light. The dentist, or whitening technician, will then process all areas of the teeth covered in the gel with the light until all gel has been activated.

Take home professional whitening systems that consist of dental grade whitening gel and custom whitening trays for the user’s teeth are another professional method many choose because of the freedom it offers. You get to decide when, how much, how often and how long you want to bleach your teeth and you can monitor your own results. Many love this method because they only need one or two trips to their dentist and they have a complete, professional teeth whitening set to use at home.