Caution About Alzheimer's Study Coverage

Below is a reproduction of Inside Dentistry article regarding the recent study published by Nature magazine that had studied the possibility of transmission of certain proteins that may contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD). As you will find below, there is no data that shows that dentistry poses a risk for AD. In fact, "dentistry may play an important role in reducing the risk" of AD.

Please always be mindful when reading studies and articles pertaining to your health. It is important to bring any of your questions up to your health provider to get more details of the strenghts and/or weaknesses of a study. Thank you!

Until next time,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

AGD Cautions Readers About Articles Concerning Alzheimer’s Study 
CHICAGO (Sept. 16, 2015)—The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) cautions readers about news articles on recent scientific findings concerning proteins that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. 

In its Sept. 10, 2015, issue, Nature published a study that indicates the inconclusive possibility of human -to-human transmission of certain proteins that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Some news articles have suggested that these proteins may be transmitted through the use of surgical instruments during certain dental procedures. However, this is not what the study, published in Nature, states. 

“Our current data has no bearing on dental surgery and certainly does not argue that dentistry poses a risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” study author and University College London Neurology Professor John Collinge stated in a press release from the American Association of Endodontists. 

“The study does not claim that dental treatment causes Alzheimer’s disease,” says AGD President W. Mark Donald, DMD, MAGD. “On the contrary, previous research has shown that dentistry may play an important role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, not causing it.” 

Indeed, studies have suggested a link between poor oral health and risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Re- search published over the past decade in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, CNS & Neurological Disorders– Drug Targets, and the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease identify possible links between periodontal dis- ease and Alzheimer’s, and opportunities to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s through oral health care. 

“The deeper we delve into the research, the more we find relationships between oral health and systemic diseases, and the more we realize that the mouth is truly the gateway to overall health,” says Dr. Donald. “Visiting your dentist twice a year can result in more than healthy teeth and gums. For some patients, going to the dentist can be lifesaving.” 

The Hangover That Lead to Ibuprofen Discovery

More than 50 years ago, Dr. Stewart Adams took 600mg of Ibuprofen after his hangover and it has now become one of the leading painkillers used today. Read this really neat story here.

I cannot express how important Ibuprofen has been to the field of dentistry. It is my number one recommended go-to medication for toothaches (unless patient has sensitivities or other contraindications to Ibuprofen, of course). It's definitely one of the many things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday!

Feeling thankful,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

8 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Teeth

Discovery News put a little compilation of 8 amazing things you didn't know about your teeth. For the full details and to check out the full article click here. 

1. Straight teeth could help you ace an interview.
2. A dog's mouth is cleaner than yours!
3. Tooth enamel is the hardest thing in your body.
4. You could fill a swimming pool with your saliva.
5. Athletes are prone to cavities.
6. Chocolate is good for your teeth (dark chocolate, that is).
7. Wisdom teeth may be disappearing!
8. Cavities are the most chronic disease in children. 

Happy Friday,

Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com

Have It All with Xylitol

October brings to mind harvest, pumpkins and CANDY! With Halloween just around the corner, I wanted to highlight an awesome sweetner you might have heard of already: Xylitol. A few quick notes about this amazing, natural product:

• Regular use of xylitol has been shown to reduce dental plaque - the first stage of cavity development, tartar formation, and tooth staining.
• Xylitol gum or mints used 3-5 times per day (total of 5 grams) is considered optimal. 
• Use of xylitol immediately after meals is the most effective at reduction of plaque and limiting contact time of sugar on teeth.
• For more on xylitol: Xylitol Fact Sheet

Happy October,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

E-Cigs and Your Oral Health

As the debate continues on the safety and risks surrounding e-cigarettes, I wanted to share this little, short Fact Sheet on e-cigarettes and how they can attribute to your overall health. Although a lot of information is still unknown about these products, there are some definites which include their addictive nature. As always your dental team can provide you with information on these products. 

E-Cigarette Fact Sheet

Here's to an awesome weekend,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

Review of Mouthguards

As football season gets under way, I thought it would be an opportune time to review sport mouthguards. I often get asked by patients what the difference is between a custom mouthguard and an over-the-counter one. As a member of the Academy of Sports Dentistry, we take teeth/jaw/soft tissue protection very seriously and have compiled a short and sweet summary to answer most questions about guards. If you have any further questions, I'm just an email away!

Mouthguard Summary Sheet

Go Texans (Why Texans? Ask me to find out.),

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

"Can't Feel My Face" Dentistry Cover

Being a big The Weeknd fan myself, this was just too good to not share!

Happy Friday,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

Dr. Tran Receives Fellowship Award from AGD

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is pleased to announce that Lynda Tran DDS, MBA, FAGD, of Santa Cruz, CA received the association’s Fellowship Award during the AGD 2015 annual meeting, which took place June 20th in San Francisco.

The AGD Fellowship Award is presented to dentists who seek to provide the highest quality dental care by remaining current in their profession. To earn this prestigious honor, Dr. Tran completed 500 hours of dental continuing education, passed a comprehensive written exam, and fulfilled three years of continuous membership in the AGD.

As a Fellowship Award recipient, Dr. Tran joins more than 6,600 active AGD Fellows who have gone above and beyond the basic requirements to care for their patients’ oral health.

“We are proud to honor Dr. Tran for her commitment in reaching this lofty goal,” says AGD Immediate Past President W. Carter Brown, DMD, FAGD. “She has distinguished herself professionally among her peers and is a role model for both her fellow dentists and the Santa Cruz community.”

Dr. Tran graduated from UCSF School of Dentistry in 2010 and currently practices dentistry in Santa Cruz.

New Water Fluoridation Recommendation

On April 27, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its final public health service recommendation for the optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. It has been more than 50 years since HHS has adjusted its federally recommended fluoride levels. HHS is now calling for 0.7 mg per liter of water instead of the once suggested 0.7 to 1.2 mg range.

According to the HHS’s official press release:

The change was recommended because Americans now have access to more sources of fluoride, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, than they did when water fluoridation was first introduced in the U.S. As a result, there has been an increase in fluorosis, which, in most cases, manifests as barely visible lacy white marking or spots on the tooth enamel. The new recommended level will maintain the protective decay prevention benefits of water fluoridation and reduce the occurrence of dental fluorosis.

The AGD fully supports community water fluoridation programs and HHS’s updated recommendation for its use. In light of the revised guidelines, patients may have concerns about this recommendation as well as general questions about using fluoride to promote oral health and reduce tooth decay. It is important to stress to your patients that the safety and benefits of fluoride are well-documented and have been reviewed comprehensively by several scientific and public health organizations, both in the U.S. and around the world.

For more information on the HHS recommendation, email advocacy@agd.org.

Happy Friday,
Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com

Himalayan Health Exchange: April 2015

Earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to take a little time off and travel to the Himalayas. Here are just a few pictures from the trip...

Our Home Away From Home

Performing Extractions at a Local Classroom 

Outdoor Clinic Set Up 

Challenging Treatment Conditions (i.e. Heavy Rain and Cold Weather)

The Amazing Dental Team
(Dr. Doug, Me, Dr. Madalyn, Harish - Our Translator)

Some of My Favorite Kids :)

Future Doctors

The Himalayas

I was able to push myself to provide treatment for patients in some of the most challenging conditions I have experienced. I met some of the smartest, most talented, and caring doctors (and soon-to-be doctors) on this trip and was so thrilled to get to know all these amazing individuals. This truly was a life changing adventure and I hope to have the opportunity to return to this special place. My thoughts and prayers go out to families and those effected by the earthquake. 

Namaste,

Dr. Lynda Tran

KaiDentistry.com

Snot, It Does the Teeth Good

Full Disclosure: Grossness ahead! Article below details how snot is good for teeth and good for your health. Or you can check it out here.

To snoggery snots,
Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com

The Goo That's Good for Teeth

You brush. You floss daily (OK, weekly… or is it monthly?). Twice a year, you grit your teeth and do your best to take whatever your dentist dishes out with her scraping, buzzing, incomprehensible tools of oral torture. So we’re sad to break the following news: The best defense against cavities might not be your own diligence, much less those fluoride treatments, sealants or fillings. In fact, the silver bullet feels warm, moist and even a bit slimy. That’s right: snot.

Mucus, along with skin and tears, makes up our first line of defense against disease. They form a physical barrier against invading germs. And, as it turns out, crucial proteins in mucus called salivary mucins protect our teeth from a type of bacteria that’s responsible for causing cavities, known as Streptococcus mutans, according to a study published this year in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Unlike toothpaste and mouthwash, which kill bacteria, mucins prevent bacteria from latching onto teeth and secreting acid that bores holes through a tooth’s hard outer surface, or enamel. Now, researchers who led the study are engineering synthetic mucus that could be added to toothpaste or chewing gum. Booger bubble gum, anyone?

As gross as it sounds, synthetic mucus might go well beyond preventing cavities. Studies suggest that mucins might also defend against respiratory infection, stomach ulcers and even HIV, for example. Since mucins don’t kill bacteria (they merely prevent bacteria from inflicting damage), they’re seen by some as a better alternative to antibiotics, which may kill not only harmful bacteria, but also certain helpful bacteria, possibly allowing more dangerous strains to take their place. That means synthetic mucin might offer a less intrusive alternative, used “not necessarily to resolve infections but to stabilize or prevent infection,” says Katharina Ribbeck, an assistant professor in the department of biological engineering at MIT, who co-authored the study with Erica Shapiro Frenkel, a Ph.D. student in her lab.

It’s possible that MUC5B encases S. mutans in “a 3-D spiderweb” that traps the acid they secrete.

Cavities form when bacteria like S. mutans cling to our teeth, forming an intricate, meshlike arrangement known as a biofilm. The bacteria that make up the biofilm feed on sugars from the food we eat to produce acid that can then dissolve the tooth enamel. To investigate how mucus might guard against this process, Ribbeck’s group got down to the molecular level and homed in on a mucin known as MUC5B. While that sounds like a covert government agency, it’s actually the most commonly found mucin in the mouth.

First the researchers isolated MUC5B from saliva samples of volunteers. Then they grew S. mutans bacteria with sugar and a special broth in plates containing wells that were made from a plastic often used to model a tooth’s enamel in lab experiments. Some wells also contained MUC5B. In the end, Ribbeck andFrenkel counted the number of attached S. mutans bacteria at several points in time and found more of them floating in the growth broth than attached to the plastic in wells containing MUC5B. That suggests the mucin somehow prevents S. mutans from sticking to the tooth surface.

How, exactly? The researchers aren’t sure, but it’s possible that MUC5B encases S. mutans in “a 3-D spiderweb” that traps the acid they secrete, Ribbeck says. MUC5B might also form a bacteria-repellent coating over the tooth surface, or even turn off S. mutans genes involved in attachment and biofilm formation.Ribbeck and Frenkel are still teasing out the most likely mechanism, though they also suspect that mucins might maintain bacterial diversity in the mouth by not only keeping S. mutans alive, but also neutralizing the toxins or other molecules that different bacterial strains release to outcompete each other. 

Synthetic mucus could even be used to prevent food spoilage or biofouling.

Of course, scientists still need to confirm mucin’s protective role before they begin investigating the mechanisms involved. Ribbeck and Frenkel’s study was done in plastic wells — not on actual teeth in actual living animals. William Bowen, a professor emeritus at the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, also points out that cavity-causing bacteria embed themselves in a gluey film that forms over the tooth, known as plaque — not directly to the tooth surface itself. And many other bacteria in the mouth cause cavities, not just S. mutans. “It’s not a major acid producer,” Bowen says. 

Still, Ribbeck and Frenkel have reported similar results with other surfaces, hinting at “a more general mechanism” of MUC5B. Translation? Benefits of synthetic mucus could extend far beyond human health and be used to prevent, say, food spoilage or the accumulation of bacteria on ship hulls and other surfaces, a process known as biofouling. “The applications are enormous,” Ribbeck says.

Our 1st Birthday!

It's hard to believe that a year has passed by since Kai Family Dentistry started! What a year it has been, too. We are so thankful for all the support from our wonderful patients. Lots of exciting things to come for the practice, so stay tuned!

We'll save you a slice of cake,
Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com

How Smiling Changes Your Brain

A recent article from Fast Company details the awesome benefits of smiling. Notably, a study from Penn State University discovered that "people who smile appear more likable, courteous and even more competent". The benefits for smiling can even result when you're faking it! Check out the full article by clicking on image above. 

So here's my prescription to you:
Drug: Smiles
Dispense: 10^6
Instructions: Take at least 5 times a day and as needed.
Side Effects: Facial muscles may become sore with excessive smiling. Best taken with a few laughs. Risk of overdose unlikely.
Refills: Absolutely!

Doctor's orders,
Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com

A Shark-Tooth-Power Saw in Action

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone's new year is starting off well. To start things off this year, we have a shark-tooth power saw made by biologist to study the chewing habits of sharks. Check out the full article here or below. Pretty neat stuff!



Have an awesome Friday,
Dr. Lynda Tran
KaiDentistry.com