Is Maxigesic the New Oral Surgery Pain Reliever?

There are basically two types of OTC pain relievers. Some contain acetaminophen and others contain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), according to the FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Acetaminophen and NSAID's are used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds and fevers. You may see acetaminophen under the name of Tylenol®. Examples of NSAID's are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen. These drugs have had to be given separately, typically at different time intervals.

AFT Pharmaceuticals, a privately owned company with operations in both Australia and New Zealand, release the world's first combination analgesic in October 2009. Maxigesic® provides superior pain relief after oral surgery to acetaminophen or ibuprofen alone, according to NCBI, the National Center of Biotechnology Information. AFT will supply Maxigesic® in New Zealand and Australia.

Should We Save Teeth for Stem Cell Research?

According to NCBI, National Center of Biotechnology Information, both permanent and deciduous pulp tissue is easily available from teeth after extraction without ethical issues. They have cited that there is potential for clinical use of these stem cells. The National Geographic had an article late 2008, stated, "Like embryonic stem cells, the new cells—known as mesenchymal stem cells—are capable of developing into a variety of tissues, including bone, cartilage, and fat. These new lines of stem cells can be created without the use of an embryo—possibly sidestepping controversy." Harvard Stem Cell Institute, part of Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts, includes tooth stem cells into their stem cell biology toward understanding disease processes and the development of treatment.

Nitrous Oxide and Alcoholism

We have all heard that people with alcohol in their system have been shown to modulate and reinforce the effects of a number of drugs. Does this include nitrous oxide or laughing gas, which is an inhalation anesthetic used as an anesthetic in dentistry and in surgery. According to NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information, if you are a moderate drinker your chances are higher that you will have nitrous oxide during your dental treatment than a light drinker. So, that doesn't sound like anything extraordinary. Sure, if you are a more anxious person, you are more likely to drink and also have laughing gas during dental treatments.

What I do find extraordinary is people have treated alcohol withdrawal and other substance abuse states with nitrous oxide. This was found more effective than benzodiazepine or tranquilizers, such as valium. Although, JADA, the Journal of the American Dental Association, found that this cannot be used as a general guide for estimating the initial or the final dose of nitrous oxide to product comfortable conscious patients while using nitrous oxide. The NCBI also agrees with the American Dental Association and finds that nitrous (N2O) treatment did not decrease craving or liver enzymes during the 6-month follow-up of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). At the concentration used, N2O treatment produced signs of arousal instead of strong sedation.

Best Age for Rapid Palatal Expansion?

Many times when your child is getting braces, the orthodontist recommends a palatal expander. The reason for the expander is The Department of Orthodontics at the University of Ferrera, Italy performed a study recognizing that the most appropriate timing for treatment appears to be before the eruption of the permanent lateral incisors. That is the upper permanent incisors because the palatal expander is placed on the upper teeth. As you notice from the chart, the upper permanent lateral incisors generally erupt between ages 8 and 9.

The British Journal of Othodontics describes a study, with pictures, showing a technique which combines the use of rapid maxillary expansion and fixed appliance in growing patients, which covers certain circumstances. Even though the study is a number of years old, it still covers the basics.

As most of the air we breathe passes the lower nasal floor, an improvement in nasal breathing is likely after rapid palatal expansion, according to NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information.

These are just a few reasons for the palatal expander, in case it is something that your orthodontist recommends for your child.

Do First Signs of a Disease Shows Up in Your Mouth?

Your mouth is not just a bunch of teeth and a tongue, your mouth may be the first place where many diseases show up. If your have a healthy mouth, that is if your gums are healthy, bacteria will have a more difficult time entering your bloodstream. If you have gum disease, the bacteria has an entry point into your bloodstream, your infected gums. Sometimes medications that reduce saliva flow and cause a dry mouth can also allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream.

Diseases such as cardiovascular disease, adult diabetes, Type 1 diabetes mellitus in children, cocaine use, HIV/AIDS and osteoporosis may be linked to oral health. Let's first start with cardiovascular disease and go through each of the items above one by one.

There is a bit of controversy over good oral care and cardiovasular disease. A study documented by NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information, confirms that a lower frequency of daily teeth brushing is related to high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. JACC, Journal of American College of Cardiology reports that self-reported periodontal disease is not an independent predictor of subsequent cardiovascular
disease in middle-aged to elderly men. JADA, Journal of the
American Dental Association states that recommending periodontal treatment for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is not warranted based on scientific evidence. Some of the results are a bit unclear on whether periodontal disease is a predictor of subsequent cardiovascular disease or if people with cardiovascular disease are likely to have periodontal disease. JACC recognizes other sources which indicate that acute myocardial infarction patients are more likely to have periodontal disease than a comparable control population without coronary artery disease.

The ADA, American Dental Association, points out that diabetic individuals are at least two to three times more likely to develop periodontal disease than non-diabetics. Diabetes is found to aggravate periodontal disease and diminish the capacity to form new bone. This may make it more difficult for diabetics in particular to repair the loss of tissue that occurs in periodontal diseases.

Children with Type 1 Diabetes seem to have a higher amount of calculus formation than children without diabetes despite the same oral hygiene care, according to a study done at the Kaunas University of Medicine in Lithuania in 2008. This study was first done at the Clinic of Dental and Oral Diseases at the same University noting that children with Type 1 Diabetes generally consumed less sweetened drinks and sweetened snacks.

A study published in the National Association of Biotechnology Information suggests that cocaine use is a concern because recent use of cocaine increases the risk of a medical emergency during dental treatment, especially when epinephrine-containing local anaesthetics or retraction cords are used. Therefore, dental treatment should be postponed for 6 to 24 hours after the use of cocaine.

It is fairly commonly known that oral lesions are among the early signs of HIV infection and can predict its progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). While oral lesions are an early symptom of AIDS, a sore throat and swollen lymph glands may or may not be an early symptom.

It has been proven that it is possible to use dental panoramic radiographs to identify post-menopausal women with low skeletal bone mineral density (BMD) or osteoporosis.

It is possible that any changes in your mouth can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream, so keeping this all in mind, it is very important to keep your gums and teeth clean and healthy.