News You Can Use

As part of our commitment to you, we feel that we have a professional responsibility to continually update our knowledge, skills and technology. In July, several of us attended the annual Washington State Dental Convention in Seattle to help us do just that. We attended several classes and workshops, including courses on the impact of herbal medicine on clinical dentistry, female considerations in periodontal therapy, team building, and workshops on improving techniques for taking radiographs and making temporaries. We always pick up some new and helpful information and we'll share a few "gems" with you.

From the class on herbal medicines by Karen Baker, R.Ph.,M.S. Pharm:
We need to be very careful about using herbal products because they are not regulated by the FDA. They may not contain the amount of pure herbal product they claim on the container, they may contain contaminants and their claims may be outrageous and not supported with scientific research. Remember, "natural" does not equal "safe". (Anthrax, quicksand and snake venom are "natural"!) This does not mean all herbals are not helpful. Until the 1940's, most drugs in the U.S. were of herbal origin and many common drugs today still contain active ingredients derived from plants. More and more research is being done to test the effectiveness and safety of herbal products.

Seventy percent of patients will not tell practitioners they are taking herbal products. Why is this important? Because many herbal medicines and supplements have adverse side effects and/or harmful drug interactions. For example, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng and feverfew can cause increased bleeding. This may show up as bleeding gums, but more importantly, your health practitioners need to know if you are taking these products because some of them need to be discontinued seven days prior to any surgery. If you are already on a blood thinner, such as coumadin, these products may cause more "blood thinning" than is safe. St. John's Wort may be helpful in mild to moderate depression, but it has many adverse drug interactions!! Please tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking this. It can reduce effectiveness of birth control pills.

For more information on specific herbal products, see our web-site, www.smilevancouver.com, under "Newsletters Articles".

From the class on Female Considerations in Periodontal Therapy by Joan Otomo-Corgel, DDS, MPH:
Women - Is scaling at your dental "cleanings" more uncomfortable some visits than others? Progesterone peaks seven to ten days before your menstrual period (PMS) and in the third trimester of pregnancy. This increase in progesterone can cause increased tissue sensitivity, increased tissue fragility, increased tissue permeability, increased ginigivitis, increased GERD (acid reflux), increased root sensitivity and reduced effectiveness of dental anesthetic. Makes you think twice about when you schedule your dental visit!

Asthma in males tends to be worse pre-pubertal and better post-pubertal. Females tend to have worse asthma post-puberty. Attention Deficit Disorder tends to follow the same pattern. Dr. Otomo-Corgel said that "ADD" might be associated with asthma in some cases. If a child has poor ventilation, they may become agitated. The treatment of choice may be an inhaler, and there might be overnight improvement. It's worth checking into with your doctor.
Jean