A HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER HALLOWEEN?

On Halloween, the goal of 36.3 million trick-or-treaters is the acquisition of some of the $19 billion worth of candy produced by nearly 1800 American makers. Americans consume about 25 pounds of candy each annually.* Additional information is available on the Spit Happens blog title Do You Want To Havity A Cavity? Won't you consider other Treats rather than Sweets this year?

Watch Your Mouth...Because Spit Happens!
*Inside Dentistry

WARNING: This product can cause gum disease and tooth loss.

I recently saw a print Ad in USA Today with this Post's title listed at the bottom of it. At first blush I thought it was a Camel cigarette Ad and I was surprised because print Ads have been banned for years. Upon further review...I discovered it was for a new to me product called SNUS. As a non-user myself, tobacco in its various formulations was an unexplored world. The significance of the advertisement was that New York City recently banned smoking and the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, who owns the Camel trademark, has their brand of this tobacco alternative available to those in need of a nicotine fix.
 

SNUS: Sounds Like Noose

 
As communities across the USA ban public smoking, heat is on the tobacco industry to offer their 'clients' these  alternative products. There is also a significant impact on the economy as tobacco farmers rely on income from sales and states enjoy the tax revenue.

So...What is with the WARNING? Well, to enhance the flavor of their products, manufactures add sweeteners and that sugar content supplies energy for the pesky bacteria throughout your mouth. The more food for the bacteria, the more active the bacteria become and it is the bacteria's acidic waste byproduct that decays teeth and attacks gums. Got it? Think of SNUS, Dip and Snuff as that material you put into your mouth which in time creates a toxic waste site.

Edited 8.23.12: Scientists ID Cancer-Causing Agent in Smokeless Tobacco:

 http://www.drugs.com/news/scientists-id-cancer-causing-agent-smokeless-tobacco-39974.html


Watch your mouth...Because Spit Happens!

Features That Catch Your Eye

Percentage of adults who say:

Overall Attractiveness     33%
SMILE                             23%
Eyes                                20%
Body Shape                    10%
Apparel                             6%

Source: StrategyOne for Listerine survey of 2024 adults.
By Michelle Healy and Veronica Salazar, USA Today

32 White-Hot Virgins

Teeth free of decay, dings or drilling are...virgin. Most people have 32 permanent teeth, including their Wisdom ones. I'm going to discuss Wisdom teeth in another post but the point is this: You're given these perfect pristine pearls that are 'Like a virgin...(until) touched for the very first time' (with apologies to Madonna). 
The anatomy and function of a smile is nothing short of a natural wonder and the resultant expression is generally considered very sexy!

 Hey btw, you know that old wives tale about it taking far more facial muscles to create a frown than a smile?  Well maybe, maybe not...see what Snopes (click on link) has to say about it. Smiling is the universal language of happiness so spread the joy of flashing a healthy white-hot smile. I've posted previously about teeth whitening so search this blog for the most up to date hype on the topic.

What makes those 32 virgins so hot? There are volumes of books and papers published by Psychologists on human attraction. What I am discussing here is how the arrangement and characteristics of the teeth make them appealing. First, size matters! Does your tooth size match your facial form? Usually though not always, but dentists can fix that. Second, do you have summer teeth?: "Som 'er here, som'er not". People with missing teeth are treated as second class citizens and pardon the expression, frowned-upon... hey, I'm just say'in. Thirdly, how are your teeth arranged? Like folks with missing teeth; overlapped, spaced & crowded tooth smile-styles just don't raise the Smok'in-hot-o-meter! Finally, if your virgin teeth have been violated ~ your dentist can recreate the image of Mother Nature's perfection.

Here's what I'm talk'in 'bout:

So here's the 32 White-Hot Smile recipe: Take one large helping of preventive care needed to preserve the natural wonder of the virgin tooth, add the appropriate supplement of a dentist's crafting to enhance color and match your teeth's size & shape to your facial form then mix the recipe following an Orthodontist's directions till done, and presto, you'll have a white-hot smile. It's that simple.

Watch your mouth...Because Spit Happens!

Penetrating the Pleasure and Pain of Piercing

Look, before you pierce about your lips, cheek, tongue...check out the need-to-know facts. As oral piercings become more common, so do the complications associated with them. The oral cavity environment is a unique playground for contaminates: bacteria, food and drink, irritation from chewing and contact with who knows what unsanitary objects!

Beware the wrecking ball, too. The Academy of General Dentistry recommends athletes remove oral piercing to prevent damage to teeth from contact sports. Tooth injury is so widespread that it has been designated the "Wrecking Ball Fracture".

OK, then why do people do piercings, anyway? To understand the 'Piercing Psychology' remember it is just an adornment. What motivates people to pierce is the desire to beautify one's body in order to produce a certain impression or create an image. Beauty however is in the mind of the beholder...

When selecting a piercer, safety is always paramount. Look for a piercer that meets the state health department standards and has a reputation as an established and professional business. Of course there is always the DIY method, too: 

Watch your mouth...Because Spit Happens!   

Do You Want To Havity A Cavity?

TO protect teeth from decay, don't eat one piece of dandy-candy or sweets now, then another piece an hour later t-out the day. Why: Because after eating just one piece of sugar laden goody your mouth becomes acidic and it can take up to one hour for the mouth's pH balance to return to normal. The longer the teeth are exposed to an acidic environment the greater the chance of decay.

IF you choose to eat sweets, limit your treats to one after-meal serving ~ the increased saliva production during and after a meal helps to wash away acidity. Also, try to brush or at least rinse your mouth with pH neutral fluid (that is water for the chemically challenged!) after eating sweets.

Here's a link to an interesting table of acidity related to your favorite soft drink. Please note I said soft drink because sugar-free doesn't affect the acidity of the beverage. Phosphoric acid is prevalent in all these drinks we consume daily. AND, I know you're drinking an average of 3 a DAY! I've been watching you.

                If You Snack and Sip all Day You Risk Decay.

Watch your mouth...Because Spit Happens!

The Mouth-body Connection

The relationship of your oral health to your overall health is not a one way street. It is said that the eyes are a window into the soul and today's dentists better understand how the mouth is a window into your general health.

The gums are often described as the "canary in the coal mine" or the "early warning system" for changes in general health. This is because the mouth is exposed to a greater variety and number of bacteria, fungi and viruses than perhaps any other part of the body.

Impaired host (that's YOU)! defenses become clinically visible more quickly in the mouth because of the rapid turnover of tissues. The warning signs are red and swollen gums that bleed easily. More advanced cases also display loss of bone surrounding the teeth. Dr. Mark Ryder of the University of California has published several articles on this topic. The Mouth-body connection is worth reading if you wish to live longer and healthier.

Edited February 20th, 2012: Advice from The Doctors TV show recently reported 3 Ways To Protect Your Heart:
1. Get Your Teeth Cleaned.
2. Drink Less Sugar.
3. Check YOur Vitamin D Level.

Watch your mouth...Because Spit Happens!