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May 2022 Newsletter

What´s New at Savon

Quote Of The Month:   “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there‘d be a shortage of sand.”  (Milton Friedman – American economist & statistician – 1912 – 2006)

Congratulations To:

D. Cooley of Glendale, Arizona and M. Little of Fountain Hills, AZ  Winners of our April early payment drawings for 1 free additional year of membership.

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.

To Your Health With Jourdin Hendershot:

Allergic Rhinitis

Jourdin
In this day in age sneezing or coughing in public is a big “no–no” unless you want to be stared down with looks of disgust.  Am I right?

Unfortunately, it‘s allergy season and that means sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, and many other symptoms that will affect millions of people.

Did you know that the medical term “Allergic Rhinitis” is also known as hay fever, seasonal and year–round allergies?  Luckily, there are effective ways to manage allergic rhinitis!

If a person‘s allergies act up during the spring this is typically due to airborne allergens such as pollen, grass, trees, and many more.  On the other hand, if a person‘s allergies are consistent all year long, this could be due to allergens in the form of animal dandruff, dust mites, mold, or a host of other possibilities.

When the person‘s body is exposed to these allergens, “your immune system overreacts to an allergen by producing antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE).  These antibodies travel to the cells that release chemicals, causing an allergic reaction" according to an article in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.  This is when you may start to experience an itchy nose and throat, sneezing, stuffy nose, cough, and runny nose.
It‘s extremely difficult to know exactly which thing you are allergic to unless you ask your primary care physician for an allergy test.  Even if an allergy test is performed it‘s hard to avoid whatever sets off your symptoms.  There are however, many options a person has to help prevent the attacks from even happening, such as:
  • Corticosteroids – This is a nasal spray, which is the most effective treatment.  Keep in mind it can take several days before these becomes fully effective.  Some nasal sprays to consider using are Rhinocort, Flonase, and Nasacort.

  • Antihistamines – These products help block the action of histamines.  Recommended over–the–counter medications are Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, and Benadryl.

  • Decongestants – These may help reduce congestion or swelling inside the nasal passage.  Recommended medications are pseudoephedrine, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, and Zyrtec-D.

  • Allergy shots – This is done by a medical professional.  This is known as immunotherapy and with regular injections helps desensitize the body‘s system.  However, it can take up to 6 months for full effectiveness.
Remember, before starting any type of preventive treatment, always consult with your primary physician.  They are the professionals and will be able to give the best advice on which medication you should try.

If you have questions you would like to discuss with Jourdin, feel free to drop her an email by clicking here.

The above health material is provided as an information service.  It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.

Grandma´s Kitchen With Grandma C.:

Breakfast Salad?

(Yep, it‘s a thing and it‘s growing more popular!)

Grandma C.
Ingredients
  1. 8 slices bacon
  2. 1¼ lbs baby gold potatoes, halved
  3. 1 bunch of red leaf lettuce, torn
  4. 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  5. 8 eggs, soft boiled, halved
  6. 1 avocado, sliced
  7. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  8. ¼ cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
  9. Salt and Pepper
  10. *Any salad dressing of your choice

Brown bacon until slightly crisp, drain on a paper towel.  Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Boil potatoes for approximately 7-8 minutes, drain and let cool.

Place lettuce and spinach leaves in a large bowl.  Top with bacon, potato halves, eggs avocado, tomatoes and parmesan cheese.  Add Salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle with salad dressing and toss lightly to coat.

Recipe will serve 4 people.

Enjoy your healthy breakfast!   And remember, if it looks and smells good, eat it!!

If you have a recipe that you would like to share with Grandma C., drop her an email by clicking here.

spotlight
 

Atlantic Dental
Dental Center
Our spotlight for May stays in our home city of Phoenix, Arizona and shines on Dr. Mark Ashtiani and the staff at Atlantic Dental

Dr. Ashtiani graduated from Marquette University, school of dentistry in 1996.  He has been practicing in Arizona since 1999 and opened his own practice in 2002.  Dr. Ashtiani's main goal is to provide outstanding and quality dentistry.

The mission of Atlantic Dental is:  “To provide affordable dental care, without sacrificing quality or convenience.”  This mission is both reinforced by their talented group of dental professionals and supported by their patients who recognize the quality of care they receive.  “Our patients rely on us to provide quality, professional dental care, and we deliver that - one smile at a time.”

The practice is located at 3229 East Greenway, Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona 85032.  The phone number is 602-923-0700.  We also invite you to visit them on the web.

Say thank you to your dental office for the excellent manner in which you are treated by nominating your dentist!

Fun Facts:

Crazy, Zany Facts We Bet You Didn´t Know

confused
  • Dr. Seuss invented the word “nerd.”

  • New Jersey grows two–thirds of the world‘s eggplants.

  • The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

  • In 1912, a law passed in Nebraska where drivers in the country at night were required to stop every 150 yards, send up a skyrocket, and wait eight minutes for the road to clear before proceeding cautiously, all the while blowing their horn and shooting off flares.

  • In 1993, Rod Stewart hosted the largest free concert.

  • Metallica is the only band to have played on all seven continents.  (Yes, including Antarctica.)

  • The two highest IQ scores in history both belonged to women.  (Honestly, we‘re not surprised.)
Come back for more in next months issue!

Dental Talk - A Member Blog Forum:

Blogging
Come blog with us!  Dental Talk with Savon is a fun forum to post your interesting topics!  Your comments are welcome, it´s free to use and no membership is required.

Some of the topics include;

These are just a few of the topics.  Our blog site contains many other interesting topics.  Please join us!!

Here´s Your Answer

Questions From Our Members

A. Hoffman of Seattle, Washington asks: 

“ I‘ve just read that there was a Ransomware attack on the American Dental Association and the members data has been leaked.  Does this affect me and if so, how? ”

Savon’s Answer

Yes it is true that there was an attack on the ADA by a ransomware crew calling themselves “Black Basta”.  Although this is a serious situation, it primarly affects dentists that are members of the ADA and more importantly the ones that use the ADA platform to help manage their accounts.

Because the ADA is a group developed for the dental field, most patients would never input any personal information on their site so the “common person” should have nothing to worry about.

That being said and using an abundance of caution, Savon Dental Plan has removed all links from our website to the ADA website for the time being.

Tooth Talk With Tommy The Wisdom Tooth

Why Our Ancestors Had Healthy Mouths Without Flossing

A direct reprint of an article by Dr. Alvin Danenberg, DrBicuspid.com contributing writer
Tommy
Our primal ancestors generally had healthy mouths.  How could that be?  They never brushed their teeth with commercial chemical toothpastes.  They never flossed with manufactured cotton string.  And they never went to their neighborhood dental cave to get fluoride treatments.

But our primal ancestors also had different eating habits, including the following:
  • They didn‘'t eat junk foods, processed foods, or chemical additives.

  • They consumed a high percentage of animal protein and animal fat.

  • They ate low to moderate amounts of healthy carbohydrates occasionally.
Basically, our primal ancestors ate a healthy diet — one full of bioavailable nutrients.  They benefited from the connection between oral health and diet, so they generally had healthy teeth and healthy gums.  Their diet was the main factor that created a balance of healthy bacteria in the gut, a healthy gut lining, and a balance of healthy bacteria in the mouth.

Peer-reviewed papers show how diet affects oral health

Millenia after the stone age, peer–reviewed medical papers are uncovering just how much diet can impact the health of the mouth.  Below are three papers on that very topic.

Study 1: The impact of the stone age diet on gingival conditions in the absence of oral hygiene (J Periodontol, May 1, 2009, Vol. 80:5, pp. 759-768)

In 2009, Dr. Stefan Baumgartner led a study set in Switzerland.  In this controlled experiment, 10 individuals were not able to brush or floss for 30 days.  Their diet consisted of primal foods endemic to their specific area in Switzerland about 5,700 years ago.  No processed foods were available.  These participants had to gather and forage for most of their food.

At the beginning and end of the study, researchers measured the gum space between the teeth and the degree of bleeding.  Cultures of bacteria were also taken from the dental plaque around the teeth and from the tongue.

After the experiment, the researchers were surprised with the results.  Participants experienced a significant decrease in bleeding in the gum tissue and a significantly healthier gum space around the teeth.  Amounts of dental plaque increased greatly, but pathogenic bacteria did not increase either in the plaque or on the tongue.  Dental plaque and other oral microbes were in a state of balance at the end of the four–week experiment.

Bottom line: A diet that completely removes overprocessed foods reduces the signs and symptoms of gum disease.  This type of diet allows the interactions of bacteria in dental plaque to become and stay balanced and healthy.

Study 2: An oral health optimized diet can reduce gingival and periodontal inflammation in humans — a randomized controlled pilot study (BMC Oral Health, July 26, 2016, 17, e28)

In 2016, Dr. Johan Woelber and colleagues performed a randomized clinical trial.  Only people who had signs of gum disease and were eating a diet heavily based on processed carbohydrates were selected for the study.  The group enrolled 15 participants: 10 in the experimental group and five in the control group.

As far as oral hygiene was concerned, all 15 participants were instructed not to clean between their teeth with dental floss or interdental brushes.  However, they did not have to change the way they brushed their teeth with a toothbrush.

The experimental group also had to change their diet to one that consisted of foods low in processed carbohydrates, rich in omega–3 fatty acids, and abundant in vitamins C and D, antioxidants, and fiber.  The control group was instructed to not change their eating habits.

Signs of gum disease were recorded at the start of the four–week study and at the end.  At the conclusion of the trial, all disease parameters decreased significantly in the experimental group by approximately 50% from the starting point.  In contrast, in the control group, all inflammatory markers increased from the starting point.

Bottom line: A diet that eliminates free sugars and processed grains and includes healthy foods can reduce the signs and symptoms of gum disease.  Therefore, a healthy diet can maintain dental plaque in a healthy state.

Study 3: Diet and dental caries: The pivotal role of free sugars reemphasized (J Dent Res, October 2015, Vol. 94:10, pp. 1341-1347)

In a paper published in 2015, Dr. Sheiham and an associate reported on the pivotal role of free sugars in dental decay.  The paper evaluated many previous research studies and came to the following conclusions:
  • Dental decay is diet mediated.

  • Free sugars are primary and necessary factors to develop dental decay.

  • Acid–producing bacteria and other factors facilitate the development of decay, but free sugars are required.

  • Processed food starches possess very low decay potential.
Free sugars include all sugars added to foods in any way.  Free sugars cause an imbalance of gut bacteria, compromise the immune system, and feed decay–producing bacteria in healthy plaque.  Healthy plaque then becomes unhealthy plaque.  Free sugars also allow potentially pathogenic bacteria to overgrow and produce excessive acids that cause tooth decay.

Bottom line: Dental caries is a diet–mediated disease.  Free sugars are the primary and necessary factors in the development of dental decay.

Is keto the key?

Based on their healthy diet full of bioavailable nutrients, our primal ancestors most likely were in a state of dietary ketosis most of the time but still cycled out of ketosis when their level of carbohydrates increased.

Dietary ketosis — also known as physiologic ketosis, or nutritional ketosis — is a healthy metabolic state in which your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for fuel.  It creates a clean energy source for the body and reduces the inflammation caused by eating a diet high in carbohydrates.

Ketosis is characterized by elevated serum ketones and normal blood glucose and blood pH.  In dietary ketosis, blood ketone levels generally remain between 0.5–3 mmol/L.  You can get into ketosis through methods that increase the breakdown of fatty acids by the liver, including through fasting, prolonged exercise, or a high–fat/moderate protein/low carbohydrate way of eating.

Ketosis has numerous health benefits, but most importantly, it allows for a healthy gut microbiome and a healthy gut lining, which improves the immune system.  A robust immune system helps maintain a healthy and diverse garden of microbes in the mouth.  With a balanced oral microbiome, tooth decay and periodontal disease hardly ever become a problem.

But our bodies are not designed to stay in ketosis forever.  Our metabolism needs to cycle out of ketosis and burn carbs cyclically to improve insulin metabolism, which allows for metabolic flexibility.

If you or your patients are experiencing issues with your dental health, look at the diet first and then at other environmental factors.  The takeaway for us is that we can mimic the ancestral way of eating as well as avoid toxic elements to maintain our gut and dental health.  Eating this type of high–fat diet can do wonders for your mouth, brain, and entire body.

Dr. Alvin Danenberg has retired from the private practice of periodontics in Bluffton, SC.  He continues to be on the faculty of the College of Integrative Medicine and created its integrative periodontal teaching module.  He also spent two years as chief of periodontics at Charleston Air Force Base earlier in his career.  His website is drdanenberg.com.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Savon Dental Plan or DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.

Until next time; brush, floss and keep smiling!

The above material is provided as an information service and is not intended as medical advice.

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