admin | Health FAQ

The History of Pepsodent Toothpaste

Millions of Americans went to bed each night brushing their teeth with Pepsodent toothpaste during the first half of the 20th century. The brand was spotlighted in numerous print, radio and TV ads with catchy jingles and snappy dialogue. Pepsodent stood out from the pack because of its notably minty flavor and teeth-whitening ingredients.

Origins

Information on Pepsodent’s earliest days is scarce. Company executives at Church & Dwight, the owner of Pepsodent, claim the brand was introduced in the early 20th century, initially as a tooth powder that eventually morphed into a paste form. Pepsodent allegedly struggled through the late 1920s, at which time it began sponsoring radio programs, including one hosted by Bob Hope. The move led to greater name recognition.

Unique Features

Pepsodent advertisements spotlighted the toothpaste’s distinguishing features. It had a minty flavor that was derived from sassafras, an ingredient found in some varieties of tea and such soft drinks as root beer and sarsaparilla. Advertisements also pointed out the presence of irium (otherwise known as sodium lauryl sulfate) as a mechanism for fighting tooth decay, and to an ingredient known as IMP for preventing tooth decay.

Decline

Throughout the 1950s, Pepsodent was one of the most popular toothpaste brands in the United States. But such brands as Colgate and Crest from competing companies were adding a new ingredient–fluoride–when it was discovered the chemical compound helped fight cavities. Heading into the 1960s, Pepsodent had not yet added fluoride, and sales were waning.

Change in Ownership

In 2003 household-manufacturing company Church & Dwight purchased the Pepsodent brand rights in the United States from Unilever, a British and Dutch company that sells an assortment of consumer products throughout the world. Unilever still holds the rights to Pepsodent, where it is sold outside the U.S. Church & Dwight also holds the rights to such toothpaste brands as Aim, Arm & Hammer, Close-Up and Mentadent.

Marketing in the 21st Century

Although the ingredients in Pepsodent have been tweaked over time, the brand never rebounded from the decline during the middle part of the 20th century. It is now considered a value brand alongside some of the bigger names in the industry. Stores selling Pepsodent usually offer it for half the price of such giants as Aquafresh, Colgate and Crest.

Claims by Church & Dwight

According to the company website, Church & Dwight offer two versions of Pepsodent–one with the original flavor and another with enhanced whitening ingredients. Both versions, according to Church & Dwight, feature a “proven cavity-fighting formula” that aids in the removal of plaque and promotes strong enamel and healthy gums as well as tartar control.

Source

How to Get Nicotine Stains off of Dentures

People who smoke and wear dentures normally end up with dark tar stains on their teeth. There are multiple products on the market to clean dentures, but they rarely get the teeth pearly white again. This homemade mixture can help.

Things You’ll Need

Drinking glass
Vinegar

Baking soda
Toothbrush

Pour enough vinegar into the glass to completely cover the dentures.
Pour 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the glass of vinegar. The combination will fizz and might run over a bit.
Place the dentures that need cleaning in the glass and let them soak for three to five minutes.
Remove the dentures from the glass and clean them with a toothbrush. Make sure you wet the toothbrush before scrubbing.
If all the nicotine stains do not come out, soak the dentures again in the vinegar and baking soda.
Rinse the dentures with tap water.

Tips & Warnings

Make sure to completely rinse off the dentures or they will retain the taste of vinegar.

Source

How to Clean Teeth Without a Dentist

Getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist can be expensive, especially if you do not have dental insurance. If you can’t afford to go to the dentist, but still want to make sure your teeth are clean and cavity-free, perform an at-home checkup yourself. Remember that it will not be as thorough or as effective as a dentist’s checkup, but it can be a temporary alternative to go to the dentist while you are not able to afford it.

Things You’ll Need

Metal dental pick
Metal dental mirror
Electric toothbrush

Prophy paste
Dental floss

Sterilize your equipment. Place your tools in boiling water or the dishwasher to clean them. Do not use dental equipment that has been used by someone else, even someone in your family. Purchase dental tools at your local drugstore, medical supply store or online.
Examine your mouth with a metal dental mirror. If you see any holes or chips, poke them with your metal dental pick to see if you experience any pain. If you feel any pain, see a dentist as soon as possible.
Scrape your teeth, playing close attention to between your teeth and around the gums, with the metal dental pick. You should not be scraping hard enough to make yourself bleed or to feel pain. Use the dental mirror and a bathroom mirror for precision.
Rinse with water to remove the plaque from your mouth.
Brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush and prophy paste. Prophy paste is the toothpaste that dentists use at checkups, but should not be used more than once every 6 months, because it is a strong abrasive. It will remove surface stains and excess plaque. You can purchase prophy paste at medical supply stores and online.
Floss your teeth. Insert the floss gently into the spaces between your teeth. Rinse after flossing.

Tips & Warnings

Use these tips as a transition between dental visits—this should not be your primary form of dental care.

If you see or feel anything that is swollen or painful, see a dentist immediately.

Source

What is Sandblasting for Teeth?

Sandblasting for teeth is a relatively new dental procedure that can be used in place of drilling to help clean teeth and remove decay. Most patients prefer this to the drill because is not as painful and does not have some of same uncomfortable sounds so many people associate with trips to the dentist. This technique is also known as air abrasion.

How it Works

Air abrasion is commonly called “sandblasting for teeth” because of its obvious resemblance to sandblasting. Instead of sand, a powerful stream of aluminum oxide is used. And instead of cleaning something like paint off a wall, decay is “blasted” off of the surface of the teeth.

Advantages

Air abrasion can be used in place of a drill for many—but not all—dental cleaning procedures. This technique can be used to remove plaque, tooth decay and even some stains. Teeth can be prepared for cavities and other procedures, and help expose hidden cavities in the teeth. Air abrasion is also faster than traditional drilling, and allows the dentist to treat more parts of the mouth in a single visit.

Precautions

Generally, a dental dam is used to protect the parts of the mouth and gums that will not be treated by the air abrasion technique. Protective eyewear is also generally worn by both the patient and dentist during the procedure to minimize the risk of particles getting into the eyes.

Pain

Air abrasion is generally considered a painless method, especially when compared with many traditional dental techniques. However, some patients do feel a small amount of pain. In particular, some patients feel discomfort when the particles used in the technique strike the gums instead of the teeth. A cautious dentist can limit that contact and limit the potential for pain at the same time.

Side Effects

There are no established side effects of air abrasion or sandblasting for teeth methods. No drugs are used in the procedure, and patients are generally not sedated (unless a sedative is required for a separate dental procedure performed in the same session).

Source

Risks of Invisalign Braces

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment alternative to traditional braces. The treatment consists of nearly invisible aligner trays that you place over your teeth. Every two to three weeks you change your aligner tray. The trays are designed to gradually shift your teeth in place. Invisalign is recognized by orthodontists as a good treatment option to help transform your smile without the inconveniences to your day-to-day life associated with traditional braces. There are, however, risks involved with Invisalign.

How to Get Free Braces in Los Angeles

Dental braces are very expensive. The cost of dental braces can vary anywhere from $8,000 to $3,000 depending on the amount of work that is needed and the orthodontist. If you are in the Los Angeles area and are hoping to get braces, there are several steps you can take to possibly receive free braces.

Call your dental insurance company. Many dental insurance companies help to cover the cost of braces. Contact your insurance company and ask how much they cover for dental braces. If the amount that they offer is high enough, you may be able to receive free braces. Once your insurance company has told you how much they will cover for braces, shop around for different orthodontists in the Los Angeles area. Orthodontists in Los Angeles can be found by visiting Orthopages.com. Once you have found an orthodontist you are interested in, ask to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Contact Los Angeles area dentistry schools. They sometimes allow individuals to receive free or discounted services. These services are performed by students under the supervision of professors and licensed dentists. Dentistry schools in the Los Angeles area include the University of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry and the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.
Ask orthodontists in the area if they are willing to give you free braces in exchange for free advertisement. Sometimes orthodontists are willing to offer their services pro bono. Be sure to thoroughly explain why they should help you and how you can increase their business.

Source

How to Keep Your Teeth Straight if you Lose Your Retainer

After wearing braces for a certain amount of time to straighten out your teeth, you may be required to wear a retainer. This will help keep teeth in place after they moved during the process of wearing the braces. Many people fall into the bad habit of wearing the retainer at first and then leaving it laying around after meals, and often forget to put it back in. This is the fastest way to undo all of the work done while wearing your braces. However, if you have lost your retainer, there are a few steps to take to ensure that your teeth don’t move before you can get a replacement.

Contact your orthodontist immediately. This is the only way to ensure that your teeth won’t move, as the office can replace your retainer quickly. Your orthodontist knows that every day that goes by without wearing the retainer means moving teeth, undoing years of good orthodontic work.
Ask your orthodontist for advice on what you can do to keep your teeth from moving until you get a replacement. While there may be nothing you can do to keep teeth straight until you get a new retainer, it’s worth an ask in the event that he has a few dos and don’ts to prevent movement among your teeth.
Ask about a temporary solution. There may be a temporary solution to moving teeth due to a lost retainer. Using a clear aligner may work, however, be sure to ask your orthodontist if this is a good option for you before doing it. Otherwise, it could cause more harm than good.
Avoid stress on your mouth, such as grinding or gnashing your teeth together. Doing this stretches the muscles in your mouth and in your jaw, which can cause your teeth to move. This might seem like a small thing, but until you have a replacement retainer, you need to do whatever you can to avoid movement among your teeth.

Source

How to Get an MRI With Braces on Your Teeth

The prospect of needing a neck or head MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image) can be intimidating, especially if you wear metal braces on your teeth. However, by providing your doctor, orthodontist and MRI technician with all applicable information, you will receive the best image results possible.

Before, During and After Your MRI

Ask your doctor if your MRI can be postponed until your braces are removed.
Speak with your orthodontist about replacing braces with ceramic or removable appliances if regular diagnostic tests are required.
Discuss the risks of incomplete or inaccurate results with your doctor to determine if an MRI is a good investment of your time and money while wearing braces.
At your MRI appointment, notify the technician of your braces. He will make necessary modifications to produce the most accurate images possible.
After your MRI discuss your results with your doctor. MRIs have difficulty producing correct images when metal is present in the scan area. Your doctor may find the test inconclusive and another MRI may be needed.

Tips & Warnings

If you require regular diagnostic testing discuss this with your orthodontist before having braces implanted. She may suggest ceramic appliances, which may produce better MRI images.

Braces do not pose a health risk for patients having MRIs.

Source

How Long Do Braces Take to Get On?

Your dentist and parents may have talked about sending you to an orthodontist because you need braces. You’re worried because you don’t know how long everything takes, how long it takes for the orthodontist to put the braces on, how long you’ll have to wear them and how much your mouth might hurt.

Function

Orthodontic braces are brackets, arch wires and ligating donuts that are put on teeth that are misaligned. The bracket is either a ceramic or a metal tool glued onto a tooth–one per tooth so the arch wire has a place to stay while it is working to move your teeth. The band is a metal ring placed on your tooth to hold other parts of your braces. The arch wire is a metal wire attached to the brackets on all of your teeth.

The orthodontic chain is a tiny plastic chain that is used to hold your arch wire and move your teeth. The ligating donut is a tiny plastic band that is placed over the arch wire on each bracket. A retainer is the device the orthodontist makes from a mold immediately after your braces are removed. This device helps keep your teeth in their new placement.

Process

After you have been referred to an orthodontist by your family dentist, the orthodontist will take X-rays of your teeth. She will also make a mold of your teeth so she can get a 3-D image of where your teeth are as she is developing a treatment plan for you. You will first have separators placed in between your teeth–these are tiny rubber “O” rings the orthodontist uses to make a little more space so she can put your brackets on your teeth. You’ll wear these for one week before you have your first set of brackets put on your teeth.

Some orthodontists put one set of brackets on their patients’ teeth first, then at another appointment, she will put the second set of brackets on. After the brackets have been glued to your teeth, the orthodontist will insert the arch wire that does the actual mechanical work of moving your teeth.

Time Required

You will spend, on average, about two hours sitting in the orthodontist’s chair to get a set of brackets glued onto your teeth. Your orthodontist has worked hard to figure out the exact placement of each bracket for each tooth. His assistants will painstakingly place each bracket and have the orthodontist check himself to make sure that each bracket is placed right. If a bracket is placed too high or too low, it may rotate your tooth in a way the orthodontist does not want even as it is moving that tooth in the direction the orthodontist wants.

After each bracket has been correctly placed and glued into place, the orthodontist will place the arch wire and ligating donuts, or he will have his assistants do this work. Because your orthodontist wants your teeth aligned correctly, he is going to take his time making sure the work he and his assistants do is right the first time.

Effects

You won’t experience any pain when the orthodontist puts your braces on. Once she has put the arch wire and ligating donuts on, you will begin to feel some soreness because the arch wire is very strong and will begin to exert pressure on your teeth right away. If you are uncomfortable, you can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen every four to six hours to help. You should avoid chewy and crunchy foods–partly because you may be in pain and partly so you don’t break the brackets. Eat softer foods until you feel better.

Time Frame

The length of time you wear your braces depends on how badly misaligned your teeth are and how compliant you are with your treatment. If your teeth are significantly out of alignment or if you have additional orthodontic problems, your treatment may take longer.

If you don’t wear your elastics or any prescribed headgear as your orthodontist orders, this will lengthen your treatment time as well. The elastics (small rubber bands) are used to help move one set of teeth back and the other set of teeth forward.

Source

How Do Orthodontists Take Braces Off?

Many kids look forward to the day that their braces will be coming off but as the countdown draws closer, their anticipation may turn to worry if they are unaware of how the mission is accomplished. Visions of yanking and pulling may come to mind, along with an imaginary sensation of a lot of pain. But once the experience is over, many kids wonder what all of the fuss was about.

The Pliers

The pliers that an orthodontist uses may look scary, but they are actually a necessary part of the procedure. The pliers are used to snip the small bracket that wraps around the tooth and fastens the brace. Each snip is quick and painless and the bracket and brace usually comes off in one fell swoop.

Braces With No Brackets

Some braces will be attached to the teeth with cement instead of a bracket. The removal of these braces will entail the use of the pliers as well. However, instead of snipping the orthodontist will squeeze. Each individual brace will be squeezed until it separates from the tooth. Although this procedure may sound a bit frightening, it is actually quite painless.

Scraping

Once all of the metal is removed, any remaining glue or cement will need to be scraped off so that the pearly enamel can shine through. The orthodontist will employ a device that looks a bit like pliers but is actually much softer on the teeth. The hand tool will not only help to remove all of the glue in under 10 minutes, but also shine the teeth as it works its magic.

The Photo Op

When all of the hardware is removed and the glue is scraped away, the orthodontist will often want to take photos of his latest masterpiece. The photos will usually serve as an evaluation tool that will help the orthodontist determine how successful the entire treatment process was. Pictures of before and after are often compared along with additional X-rays that can provide insight into any future dental work that may need to be done.

The Retainer

The orthodontist may recommend that the patient wear a retainer for a specified amount of time to hold the newly aligned teeth in place. An impression may be taken at the time that the braces are removed or some time before, that will serve as a template for the laboratory that is designing the retainer. The retainer will be ready to wear in a few days or the day of the brace removal procedure. It is important that the retainer is worn as often as recommended to avoid needing brace treatment again in the future.

Source

Types of Dental Cements

Dental cement is a type of dental material that can be used for different purposes. Some cements are used to restore dental work, while others are used to create original dental work. Some are permanent, while others are temporary. Dentists must make sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions for each type of cement, in terms of mixing, using the correct ratios and subjecting it to the correct temperatures. There are five types of dental cement: zinc-oxide eugenol, zinc phosphate, polycarboxylate, glass ionomer and composite resin.

Zinc-Oxide Eugenol

Zinc-Oxide Eugenol liquid is composed of eugenol, water, ascetic acid, zinc acetate, and calcium chloride. The powdered version is composed of zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and silica. It comes in two types – the first is weaker and is useful for temporary cementation, and the second includes reinforcing agents that make it more effective in permanent cementation.

Zinc Phosphate

Zinc phosphate liquid is composed of phosphoric acid, aluminum phosphate, and water. The powdered version is composed of zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and silica. It also comes in two types—fine grain and medium grain. The first type is used for permanent cementation of crowns, inlays, onlays and bridges. It creates a thin layer which is useful in accurate seatings of dentalwork. The second type is used as insulation for the filling of deep cavities.

Polycarboxylate

Polycarboxylate is composed of polyacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, and water. The powdered version is composed of pure zinc oxide. Polycarboxylate is used for permanent cementation of stainless-steel crowns and orthodontic bands, and it can also be used as a base without causing irritation.

Glass Ionomer

The liquid form of glass ionomer is composed of itaconic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid and water. The powdered form is composed of zinc oxide, aluminum oxide and calcium. There are three types of glass ionomer. The first is used to cement metal restorations and orthodontic brackets; the second to restore eroded areas near the gingiva. The third to line or bond the dentin.

Composite Resin

Composite resin is versatile when used as dental cement. Its low film thickness and insolubility in water enable permanent cementation. It is used to cement ceramic or resin inlays and onlays, ceramic veneers, orthodontic bands and brackets, and metal castings.

Source

Davidoff Cool Water Ingredients

Released in 1988, Davidoff’s Cool Water was created by famed perfumer Pierre Bourdon, whose other creations include Good Life, Iris Poudre and Dolce Vita. Peter Schmidt designed the iconic silver and blue bottle, which is featured today in advertisements starring model and actor Josh Holloway. Its light, crisp aroma and subtle warm undertones make Cool Water an international best seller two decades after its introduction.

Promoted by

Base Notes

Cool Water contains base notes of musk, amber, cedar, tobacco and sandalwood. In the fragrance world, this would classify Cool Water as an aromatic fragrance, though there is some debate as to whether or not Cool Water can be considered an aromatic aquatic fragrance, or an aromatic fougere (fern-like) fragrance. Fragrances with these base notes are typically considered warm and masculine, though these notes appear in perfumes for both sexes.

Middle Notes

The middle notes, or heart notes, of Cool Water include neroli, geranium, jasmine and oakmoss. Neroli and oakmoss are darker, earthier notes, but the brightness of jasmine and geranium tempers their influence. A hint of crab apple and citrus adds sparkle and verve.

Top Notes

Top notes in Cool Water include lavender, peppermint, rosemary, coriander and orange blossom. It is the cool, sharp green notes that give Cool Water its sense of freshness and cleanliness. Wearers typically explain these fragrances by saying that Cool Water makes them feel like they have just stepped out of an invigorating shower, or emerged from a long swim in the ocean.

Chemicals

In terms of chemicals, Cool Water contains the following ingredients: Alcohol Denat., Aqua/Water, Parfum/Fragrance, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3 Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool. Cool Water may also contain other chemicals that Davidoff is not required by law to post on its packaging. According to the Cosmetics Database, many of the chemicals found in Cool Water are associated with risks of cancer and genetic development interference, and some of these chemicals may trigger allergic reactions. However, the risk of harm presented by Cool Water is low, and the perfume can be worn safely.

Source