On Monday night, Dr. Schonberg was one of several people honored by the New Jersey Dental Association. Installed as the new president of the Essex County, he was presented with a plaque by the current NJDA president, Dr. Byron Roshong. Also present was Dr. Greg LaMorte, President-elect of the NJDA and the Executive Director, Art Meisel, Esq.
From the Amereican Dental Association ( ADA):
Good Morning America Segment on Microbeads in Toothpaste
ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) contacted the ADA for a segment that aired today on microbeads (polyethylene) in toothpaste. All of the varieties of Crest ProHealth® toothpaste which have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance contain microbeads.
The ADA provided a press statement to the GMA producer indicating, “According to the American Dental Association, clinically relevant dental health studies do not indicate that the ADA Seal should be removed from toothpastes that contain polyethylene microbeads. Products with the ADA Seal have been independently evaluated for safety and effectiveness by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.”
Local news stations, including ABC 7 Chicago, have previously reported on microbeads from health and environmental angles. Procter & Gamble (P&G), the manufacturer of Crest ProHealth®, includes information for the public on their website and has indicated they plan to remove microbeads from toothpaste.
According to P&G, “While the ingredient in question is completely safe, approved for use in foods by the FDA and part of an enjoyable brushing experience for millions of consumers with no issues, we understand there is a growing preference for us to remove this ingredient. So we will. Crest will continue to provide consumers with effective and enjoyable products which are designed to their preferences.”
The following suggested talking points may help you discuss the issue with your patients should they ask you about microbeads in toothpaste:
Some concerns have been raised about the safety of triclosan, an ingredient in Colgate Total toothpaste. At present it is believed to be safe in the amounts used, though the EPA is looking into data concerning the endocrine effects, developmental and reproductive toxicity, chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity. There are also concerns about the possibility of Triclosan contributing to making bacteria resistant to other bacteria.
Triclosan has been shown to be effective in preventing gingivitis. Colgate’s website refutes some of the research claims about carcinogenicity and endocrine effects, and offers the extensive research which supports the use of Triclosan in toothpaste. It remains to be seen then, whether further research will continue to vindicate its use in toothpaste.
This information comes from the United States Environmental Prtoection Agency factsheet on Triclosan, the the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration Factsheet, and Colgates’s website.
To better serve our patients we have enlisted the services of Smile Reminder. Through the use of technology, Smile Reminder communicates with our patients through their e-mail, text messages, and phone calls. We hope our patients find this system easy and convenient. While we work out the process and preferences of our patients, we apologize for any inconvenience.
Very few communities in New Jersey have water fluoridation. As such, the benefits of fluoride for the prevention of tooth decay must be obtained through other means. For children, this is in the form of an ingestible source, typically a vitamin with fluoride added, or simple fluoride drops. To avoid excess fluoride consumption the following recommendations have been made. It breaks down into three columns of possible external sources of fluoride consumption, such as bottled water, or areas where fluoride occurs naturally in drinking water.
| Age | <0.3 ppm other sources of fluroide | 0.3-0.6 ppm other sources of fluroide | >0.6 ppm other source of fluoride |
| Birth to 6 Months | None | None | None |
| 6 months to 3 years | 0.25 mg/day | None | None |
| 3 to 6 years | 0.50 mg/day | 0.25 mg/day | None |
| 6 to 16 years | 1.00 mg/day | 0.50 mg/day | None |
It should be noted iingestible fluoride is only of benefit when the teeth are being formed and the fluoride can become incorporated within the enamel . After teeth have erupted, ingestible fluoride is of no use, and only topical applications of fluoride are of benefit, such as toothpaste and/or fluoride applications or rinses.
The May 2014 edition of the Millburn-Short Hills magazine featured Top Dentists, and Dr. Schonberg was honored to be included as one of the Top Dentists in the General Practice category. Selections were made by asking area dentists to nominate colleagues they would choose in seeking dental care. This was further refined by the Super Dentists research team, which further evaluated peer recognition, professional achievement and disciplinary history.
As the winter thaw passes and the warmth of spring embraces us, sports fill the schools and parks. Certain sports such as Lacrosse mandate the use of mouthguards, but any contact sport should. The price of the mouthguard is a fraction of the cost if the tooth has been injured, or worse, lost. While fillings may cost hundreds of dollars, a single implant can cost thousands. Paying for the mouthguard isn’t the hard part, it’s getting the kids to wear them in sports that don’t yet require them. I have encountered soccer players who have smashed heads into each other fighting to win the head ball. I have seen soccer goalies kicked in the head by overzealous strikers. I have seen teeth knocked out by a fast pitch and miss hit baseball. The emergency rooms experience a large amount of oral trauma from sports, much of which was preventable.
We now offer a variety of mouthguards, from the high end UnderArmour custom made mouthguards to the prefabricated UnderArmour microwavable “boil and fit mouthguards, with the to the moderately priced custom made Tekfit appliances in the middle. With the wide variety of mouthguards, we can offer protection for anyone in any type of sport environment.
On March 21, 1889 Bernard Cyril Freyberg was born. He would later become Lieutenant General Bernard Freyberg, and would earn numerous awards in World War I and II , including the Victoria Cross, the Croix de Geurre (France), the Legion of Merit (United States), and the Cross of Valour (Greece), to name but a few. Bernard Freyberg went on to become the Governor General of New Zealand after World War II. What is most amazing to me about this man is that he started his career in 1911 as a DENTIST in New Zealand, a career cut short by war. I think no one would dispute Bernard Freyberg had a more brilliant military career. Nonetheless, Happy Belated Birthday to the dentist who went on to help save the world and govern a nation!
Some time an estimated 7,500 to 9,000 years ago, early man is suspected of using flint tips to drill into the enamel of teeth. Several skulls were found in Pakistan which appear to have molars drilled with flints, as reported in Nature in 2006. More recently though, a 6,500 year old tooth has been found in Slovenia with what is now regarded as the earliest (to date) dental filling material: beeswax. The early Neolithic inhabitants where the tooth was found engaged in farming, and used bees and wax. Many times primitive remedies find modern uses. Modern dentists use beeswax too, but not as a filling material!
Back in 1992 I attended a lecture which convinced me to stop using amalgams, the mercury-silver fillings that look black in people’s mouths. Besides the obvious concern of mercury toxicity to both patients and myself, was the fact amalgams weaken the tooth and set it up for fracture. Tooth colored bondings, on the other hand, help hold the tooth together, and have the obvious esthetic advantage. While the American Dental Association maintains dental amalgams are safe, several European countries have outlawed them. It should be stressed however, there is no proof that having the amalgams removed will improve any ailments. While it is true mercury is toxic, there are no conclusive studies that link the mercury in dental amalgams to any specific diseases. That being said, we still chose to stop placing the silver-mercury fillings and offer the better alternatives instead. Our patients are happier, and so are we!
