Waterless Toothbrush Saves Water & Teeth

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DENTAL NEWS: Two health professionals from New York have developed a toothbrush that doesn't require the use of running water. Called AquaFree, the toothbrush uses its own water supply concealed in the brush's handle for rinsing.

AquaFree is the brain child of entrepreneurs and health professionals Todd Spinelli and Frank Ottaviani and was unveiled earlier this month at the annual Greater New York Dental Meeting and Convention.

More than 100,000 of the new toothbrushes will be handed out to local school children in New York City and Long Island in the upcoming months to conserve more than 2 million gallons of water from local residents a day.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated the average citizen wasted 2 gallons of water daily as part of brushing teeth and oral hygiene.

More than 2 billion people in the world don't have access to sanitary water and the AquaFree toothbrush could provide a healthy alternative as well as contribute to the well being of others in which water conservation is mandatory, Spinelli and Ottaviani said.

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DENTAL VIEWS: Saving water is all well and good but I think the creators of this toothbrush fail to realize the biggest advantage of their product is not that it'll save a few gallons of water per year but rather that it'll make it easier for the average person to brush of their teeth more often without having to have access to running water all the time.

Count me as one of these "average persons".

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More Dentists Offering Quick HIV Tests

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Dental News
Nationwide, a handful of public health agencies are trying to bring HIV testing to the dental chair. Nowhere is this testing more prevalent than in New York State. "The surprise factor is you are offering this," said Dr. Catrise Austin, who has tested some 100 patients for HIV at VIP Smiles, her New York City clinic, since July.

"The topic of HIV can be uncomfortable for some, so we decided we would talk about it with patients in a matter-of-fact way, the way we talk about cavities and gum disease."

To test for the AIDS-causing virus, all a dentist needs to do is swipe a patient's upper and lower gums with a $15 OraQuick Advance kit. Within 20 minutes, the swab will change colors to indicate a positive or negative result just like a home pregnancy test.

Approximately one in 10 Americans visit a dentist but not a physician each year, and about a quarter of HIV-infected people don't even know their status, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

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Gift Cards To Pay Your Dental Bills?

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Dental News
Health care providers this year rolled out a different sort of stocking stuffer: Gift cards that can be used to pay your dental bills for specific services.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida might have the largest program, selling gift cards at over 1,000 Winn-Dixie and CVS stores in the state. The providers selling them say they can make a good gift, but industry observers say some cards may not be right for many consumers.

In the Blue Cross Blue Shield program, a $19 gift card gets recipients a 10% to 50% discount on braces, dentures, crowns, fillings, oral surgery and cosmetic dentistry and/or a 10% to 60% discount on eye exams, glasses or contact lenses. "They are a wonderful solution, but they are not the ideal solution for everyone," said BCBS of Florida spokesman Doug Bartel who pointed out that the cards do not cover everything and do not replace comprehensive health/dental insurance plans do.

Some say health care is too complicated to be covered by a thin piece of plastic. But supporters disagree. "It's hard enough to afford Christmas, let alone check-ups and doctor's visits," says Sean Ness of Syracuse. "I'd love someone to hand me a card that would cover even some of those [health care] expenses."

Critics Disagree
Some health care professionals point out that health-based gift cards frequently come with numerous restrictions or cost more than the benefit is worth.

One recent version of a health care gift card which failed was Pennsylvania health insurer Highmark who dropped a card after one year because of consumer confusion. "A card is an inanimate object. Health care is a complicated product. It's very difficult to understand. And even the card itself, it had those restrictions and confusion around which products could be bought and which ones couldn't," Highmark spokeswoman Kristin Ash said.

Charlie Villar, who was shopping at a CVS store in Miami where the Blue Cross cards were being sold, said medical and dental bills are too complex for gift cards. "Even with my own health care, you have to take a close look at what your plan offers you. And for $59 or $19, I mean I don't know what I'm going to be giving someone," said Villar, a 38-year-old marketer.

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Dental Expense Deductions You're Entitled To

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Dental News
To alleviate the high cost of health care, you can take advantage of tax breaks allowed by the IRS for medical and dental expenses. To qualify, your medical and dental expenses for the year must be higher than the '7.5% limit' of your adjusted gross income. Once your expenses exceed this percentage, you can deduct the cost of treatments from physicians, dentists, and other practitioners. The expense of buying medical aids such as glasses, contact lenses, wheelchairs, and hearing aids can be deducted as well. If you used your car for medical reasons, you can claim 18 cents a mile.

Additionally, certain health/dental insurance premiums, and most medical/dental tests and procedures will count as deductions. If you're self-employed, up to 100 percent of your health/dental insurance costs can be deducted. Medical-related expenses that are not deductible include cosmetic surgery performed for appearance only and over-the-counter medications. Keep in mind that you should maintain good records showing what you and your insurance company have paid. These tips are meant to provide general information on federal income taxes.

For specific advice, please consult a tax advisor or call the toll-free number for Federal Tax Information and Assistance at 1-800-829-1040.


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Dental Plaque, Raisins & Bran Flakes: A Sugary Connection

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Added Sugar In Raisin Cereals Increases Acidity Of Dental Plaque
Elevated dental plaque acid is a risk factor that contributes to cavities in children. But eating bran flakes with raisins containing no added sugar does not promote more acid in dental plaque than bran flakes alone, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Published in the dental journal Pediatric Dentistry, the study involved children ages 7 to 11 and four different types of test foods -- raisins; bran flakes; raisin bran cereal with added sugar; mix of bran flakes with raisins without added sugar. The study found that adding unsweetened raisins to bran flakes did not increase plaque acid compared to bran flakes alone.

Some dentists believe sweet, sticky foods such as raisins cause cavities because they are difficult to clear off the tooth surfaces, said Christine Wu, professor and director of cariology research at UIC and lead investigator of the study. However, studies have shown that raisins are rapidly cleared from the surface of the teeth just like apples, bananas and chocolate, she said. In a previous study then at the same university, researchers identified several natural compounds from raisins that can inhibit the growth of some oral bacteria linked to cavities or gum disease.


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Dental Health and Information: How Invisalign Braces Work?

Invisalign braces work by having the patient wear a clear plastic staff, is characterized, the patient's mouth and teeth change position over time to fit. Change Invisalign retainers every two to three weeks from the general Council dentist in this free video on dentistry and braces.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSWMN-i5-bM&hl=en

Sonic toothbrushes - Most Affordable Method of Dental Hygiene

No dental hygiene program may be more expensive than just keeping your teeth and gums with dental caries infection. Includes audio cleaning teeth, there is plenty of affordable way to healthy teeth and gums. If you take care oral hygiene on a daily basis, you will not be expensive to repair, modification and concerns dentures.

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Sonic toothbrushes that are good for dental hygiene have features to be effective. Timer is an important feature that you brush up your teeth thoroughly clean. Automatic shut-off keeps your soundToothbrush with a system where you run many applications before the batteries need to be changed. Some toothbrushes have recharge indicators audio as well.

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Dental hygiene is very important for maintaining general health. Sonic toothbrushes can you see that you have the best care of your teeth and gums. It is one of the largest transactions in health care today.