They’re back. Seasonal allergies, and soon the flu.

A lot of people are coming in for their dental appointment and report having a cold for a couple weeks, sore throat, headaches, and feeling run down – with the HIGH pollen count (click here for our local pollen count), it’s is most likely you have seasonal allergy symptoms.

The Seasonal Flu Vaccine

And … it’s time again to think about getting a flu shot, which is generally offered between September and mid-November - typically before the late-fall to early-winter start of flu season. It takes up to two weeks to build immunity after a flu shot. Read the rest of this entry »

The recent nationwide recall of eggs does not affect our area in Northern Virginia (Washington, DC metropolitan area).

The recall affects eggs shipped since May 16, 2010 were sent to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Washington (state), Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Iowa.

For more information from the FDA about this recall, click here. Specific information about affected brands and descriptions is available on EggSafety.org, click here.

Fast Facts:

• The current recall of eggs in their shells, or “shell eggs,” is part of an ongoing and intensive investigation by local, state, and federal officials into the cause of recent cases of Salmonella Enteritidis.
• This recall affects shell eggs produced by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa. The eggs are packaged under different brand names and distributed nationwide.
• The shell eggs may contain Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and may cause serious illness.
• Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
• Consumers should throw away the product or return the product to the store

Photo identification with fingerprints gives authorities vital information to help them locate a missing child.  The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office periodically schedules events where you can get a FREE photo of your child and a set of his or her fingerprints using quick, clean, inkless technology.

Events scheduled for Aug. 14, 2010 :

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Springfield Whole Foods
  Health and Safety Fair/Child ID Event
  8402 Old Keene Mill Road
  Springfield, Virginia  22152

For more information, please contact 2nd Lt. Jonathan Ortiz via e-mail or call 703-246-2274 (TTY for the hearing impaired: 711). 

We’ve known for decades that dental disease (cavities, gum problems) is contagious. Cavities and gum problems are caused by bacteria that are transmitted from person to person. When children are born they’re sterile – no bacteria, but right away they pick up bacteria for their skin, mouth, intestines.

In a recent article in Pediatric Dentistry (Volume 32, Number 3, May / June 2010 , pp. 205-211(7), published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) researchers concluded that “mothers are an important source of infection [with Streptococcus mutans – the primary bacteria causing cavities in children] for the child at an early age.”

What this means is that they dental health of the mother is more responsible for the risk for cavities in their children. Cavities need three things: a tooth, food and bacteria. What can be modified to prevent cavities is straight-forward: a healthy diet, effectively cleaning teeth (brushing and flossing), sealants, and fluoridated water and toothpaste. In addition, moms can work towards a very healthy mouth for their own benefit, but also for their children. Children will further pick up on what their parents do (or don’t do), and will model their behavior after them: if parents brush and floss regularly and go to scheduled dental checkups this will not be lost on what the kids perceive about the importance of dental health.

Want to access my site on your phone quickly? Just scan my QR code (Quick Response) below with the camera application in your phone, and voila, my mobile site!

Yep, it’s Shark Week again on Discovery Channel, and as much as it makes me nervous to go ocean swimming after seeing these episodes it definitely is entrancing to watch.

Here is some information about shark teeth to go along with Shark Week:

Shark teeth are some of the most unusual aspects of a shark. They are very sharp, wedge-shaped, serrated and can grow as long as five centimeters (1 inch = 2.54 centimeters). It’s very common for a shark to have more than four sets of teeth during its lifetime, some even have as many as five or six sets of shark teeth throughout their lives. 

The shark teeth are arranged in rows, most sharks have about five rows of teeth at any time. As the shark teeth are worn out and fall out, they are replaced by the next row. Shark teeth are replaced very quickly, some sharks can wear out a full set of teeth in less than six months. In a lifetime some sharks can grow and lose between ten thousand and thirty thousand teeth.

Nope, nada, gone. Wild Flossers – you can’t find ‘em anymore – that’s because they were discontinued by Johnson & Johnson in August 2009. Some online resources still have them, but once that runs out they’re gone.

So … Glide has always been the best floss, the platinum standard for almost 25 years. You won’t find a dental professional using anything else (#1 brand of floss in dental office use, and #2 floss in retail.). Glide does comes as a floss pick too, and now that you can’t get Wild Flossers, look for ‘Crest Glide Floss Picks’.

The xylitol gum I’ve recommended for many years, Xylimax, is no longer available. In it’s place you can now get a comparable gum, Xponent gum from GlobalSweet.com.

 In addition, the xylitol mints, Smints, have been discontinued, and a Fragmints from GlobalSweet.com are a great replacement.

Xylitol is a naturally derived sweetener that does not cause cavities. Bacteria grow on other widely used sugar alternatives used by manufacturers, such as sorbitol and mannitol. You’ll notice that the commonly available “sugarless” products never say cavity-free. They’re sugarless because they don’t contain sucrose (sugar).

I’ve updated the links on for the gum and mints throughout my site.

Recently a patient asked my about the cavity-free xylitol gum I recommend, and in checking the link on my website I was amazed to find the link was down. The company that imported the gum from Finland is apparently no longer in business, and in fact the Finnish manufacturer was acquired by another larger confectionery company in 2008.

To date, the FDA has not issued any advisory to the public or the profession on this issue.

Nearly 35 million people in the United States wear dentures and many of the widely used denture adhesives previously contained zinc. If a denture wearer used large amounts of the adhesive, and swallowed it, there are claims that a person could receive too much zinc, potentially resulting in a lowering of copper and possible serious neurological issues.

Since 2009 lawsuits have been filed claiming inadequate warning labels on Poligrip and Fixodent alerting wearers to potential effects of too much zinc consumption. There is a recent resurgence in television advertising for such lawsuits and it is important to note that zinc containing denture adhesives have been pulled by major manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline. Zinc-free is now clearly shown on packaging.

• American Dental Association (ADA) statement on Zinc in Denture Cream, click here.

Denture wearers are advised to see their dentist if their dentures do not fit well or if they have questions about the use of dental cream. Dental examinations and appropriate care can reduce the need for denture adhesive products. Regular dental checkups are important for everyone, including denture wearers.

Hard to believe, but it really is not long before school starts up again. Make sure if you or the kids are due for your checkup that you schedule your appointment during the summer break when it’s easier. If college students need to have wisdom teeth removed, that’s best done at least a few weeks before returning to school.

Most contact sports require a mouthguard, and once all permanent teeth are present you may want to consider a custom mouthguard that protects teeth 9 times better than the boil and bite type.

School calendars: Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Prince William and Loudon.