Latex Glove Allergies: The Facts

Latex gloves have proved effective in preventing transmission of many infectious diseases to dental personnel. But for some, exposures to latex may result in allergic reactions.This blog addresses this important and relevant dental practice issue.

What is latex?
In this blog, the term "latex" refers to natural rubber latex, the product manufactured from a milky fluid derived from the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Several types of synthetic rubber are also referred to as "latex," but these do not release the proteins that cause allergic reactions.

What is latex allergy?
Latex allergy is a reaction to certain proteins in latex rubber. The amount of latex exposure needed to produce sensitization or an allergic reaction is unknown. Increasing the exposure to latex proteins increases the risk of developing allergic symptoms. In sensitized persons, symptoms usually begin within minutes of exposure; but they can occur hours later and can be quite varied. Mild reactions to latex involve skin redness, rash, hives, or itching. More severe reactions may involve respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, scratchy throat, and asthma (difficult breathing, coughing spells, and wheezing). Rarely, shock may occur; however, a life-threatening reaction is seldom the first sign of latex allergy.

Who is at risk of developing latex allergy?
Health care workers are at risk of developing latex allergy because they use latex gloves frequently. Workers with less glove use (such as housekeepers, hairdressers, and workers in industries that manufacture latex products) are also at risk.

Is skin contact the only type of latex exposure?
No. Latex proteins become fastened to the lubricant powder used in some gloves. When workers change gloves, the protein/powder particles become airborne and can be inhaled.

How is latex allergy treated?
Detecting symptoms early, reducing exposure to latex, and obtaining medical advice are important to prevent long-term health effects. Once a worker becomes allergic to latex, special precautions are needed to prevent exposures. Certain medications may reduce the allergy symptoms; but complete latex avoidance, though quite difficult, is the most effective approach.

Are there other types of reactions to latex besides latex allergy?
Yes. The most common reaction to latex products is irritant contact dermatitis- the development of dry, itchy, irritated areas on the skin, usually the hands. This reaction is caused by irritation from wearing gloves and by exposure to the powders added to them. Irritant contact dermatitis is not a true allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis (sometimes called chemical sensitivity dermatitis) results from the chemicals added to latex during harvesting, processing, or manufacturing. These chemicals can cause a skin rash similar to that of poison ivy. Neither irritant contact dermatitis nor chemical sensitivity dermatitis is a true allergy.

How can I protect myself from latex allergy?
Take the following steps to protect yourself from latex exposure and allergy in the workplace:
1) Use nonlatex gloves for activities that are not likely to involve contact with infectious materials (food preparation, routine housekeeping, general maintenance, etc.).
2) Appropriate barrier protection is necessary when handling infectious materials. If you choose latex gloves, use powder-free gloves with reduced protein content.
-- Such gloves reduce exposures to latex protein and thus reduce the risk of latex allergy.
-- So-called hypoallergenic latex gloves do not reduce the risk of latex allergy. However, they may reduce reactions to chemical additives in the latex (allergic contact dermatitis).
3) Use appropriate work practices to reduce the chance of reactions to latex.
-- When wearing latex gloves, do not use oil-based hand creams or lotions (which can cause glove deterioration).
--After removing latex gloves, wash hands with a mild soap and dry thoroughly.
-- Practice good housekeeping: frequently clean areas and equipment contaminated with latex-containing dust.
4) Take advantage of all latex allergy education and training provided by your employer and become familiar with procedures for preventing latex allergy.
5) Learn to recognize the symptoms of latex allergy: skin rash; hives; flushing; itching; nasal, eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and (rarely) shock.

Invisalign Advanced Training

The doctors and staff attended the Invisalign advanced techniques and training course held at the Mariott Marquis on Friday 20th June. We are very anxious to bring these new techniques to our patients as soon as possible.

Healthy Gums May Prevent Systemic Diseases

Recent research shows that diabetes, low birth weight babies and heart disease are linked to gum and bone disease in the mouth that can be prevented by teeth cleanings. Treating gum disease might even prevent heart attacks, a new study suggests.

"Certain bacteria present in the mouth may be related to clogging up the arteries by contributing to the plaque that builds on the walls of the arteries," said New York University oral microbiologist Walter Bretz.

And treating gum disease, or periodontal disease, can improve the long-term function of endothelial cells that line blood vessel walls, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center. With better performing endothelial cells, plaques that cause heart disease will decrease, diminishing the risk of triggering a heart attack. The authors of the study, detailed in the March 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, estimate that severe periodontitis affects up to 1 percent of adults in the U.S., and as many as 80 percent of American adults have some form of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is also quite common among pregnant women. Expectant mothers' gums react differently to the bacteria due to their increased levels of estrogen and progesterone. Women may experience swelling, bleeding or tenderness in the gum tissue. Several studies have linked gum disease to an increased risk of giving birth to a premature and underweight baby. Yet, an article published in a 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reported that, although treatment of gum disease in pregnant women is safe and improves periodontal health, preterm birth and low birth-weight babies were unaffected by the treatment.

The jury is still out on whether a mother's unhealthy gums can affect her unborn baby, but scientists are learning more from a large clinical trial currently under way at the University of Minnesota, focusing on whether treating periodontal diseases in pregnant women may prevent preterm and low birth-weight babies.

Unlike the case for pregnancy, researchers have found direct links between gum disease and diabetes. Gum disease is known to increase the risk of diabetes, and vice versa. Studies show that inflammatory periodontal diseases may increase insulin in the same way that obesity increases insulin. Meanwhile, doctors recognize diabetes as an important risk factor for severe gum disease and infection that may result in the destruction of tissues and bone surrounding the tooth.

Taking care of teeth can combat complications of diabetes and may reduce inflammation throughout the body associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

Interesting video all our patients should view

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/251.6/popup/index.php?cl=6027336

Why choose our Invisalign Practice

Well the answer is very simple yet complicated. Invisalign is a product. We offer you a service. Products are used; services are experienced

What do we mean? Simple. Invisalign is a technology developed by Align technologies. The process involved in developing invisalign trays is mostly automated and a typical dentist offering the invisalign product simply inserts the trays in your mouth and sends you on your way. Not caring how the outcome will eventually be. They will charge you a fee and regardless or not if your case turns out as it is supposed to as predicted by the clincheck you will be stuck with the results for the rest of your life. Too many dentists out there are taking advantage of this technology and as a result are offering sub-standard services to their patients.

Invisalign is a "theoretical" technology to achieve a solution to an orthodontic problem. The effectiveness can be far reaching and is not fully considered efficiently by many patients and dentists. Many dentists allow invisalign technologists who are usually not dentists to do the treatment planning because of a lack of knowledge of the limitations to this technology and orthodontics.

Dr Douglas Magner is a trained Orthodontist with 25+ years of experience. A vast majority of orthodontic cases can be treated with Invisalign but there are exceptions.

To achieve results that go beyond what regular dentists provide, we provide standard orthodontics utilizing invisible porcelain braces, epoxy coated wires and clear elastics. By providing a multitude of approaches to your tooth straightening situation we can achieve the most effective efficient results at a price that suits your financial capabilities. We work with your insurance company to maximize the benefits that you are eligible to receive.

JAMA Reports Dental Amalgam Is Safe

The "60 Minutes" segment on dental amalgam was called "Poison In Your Mouth." It interspersed remarks from an American Dental Association representative with statements by three amalgam critics and four patients who claimed to have made a remarkable recovery from arthritis or multiple sclerosis after their amalgam fillings were removed. Well now there is some new evidence that sheds a different light on the amalgam safety controversy.
According to two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, children with dental amalgam fillings do not experience adverse effects related to neurobehavioral, neuropsychological (IQ) and kidney function, reinforcing the ADA's longstanding position on the safety of dental amalgam.The ADA reports that both independent studies "reinforce the substantial body of peer-reviewed scientific literature that supports the safety of dental amalgam."According to JAMA, both articles, "Neurobehavioral Effects of Dental Amalgam in Children" and "Neuropsychological and Renal Effects of Dental Amalgam in Children," are the first randomized controlled trials comparing the health effects in children treated with amalgam fillings with those treated with composite resins. The former was conducted in Lisbon, Portugal, and involved 508 children, ages 8 to 10, who were randomly assigned amalgam or composite fillings. The latter took place in Boston and Farmingham, Maine, and comprised 534 children, ages 6 to 10, who also were randomly picked to receive amalgam or composites. Both studies were funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and were made up of children who had no previous restorations. The studies conclude that there were no clinical adverse effects on neurological and kidney function in children with dental amalgam fillings and health effects of amalgam restorations should not be an issue when choosing a restorative material. The studies also noted mercury in urine increased in children exposed to amalgam restorations, but remained within the range of normal background levels. The ADA's press release to the public says, "The bottom line for consumers: Dental amalgam remains among several safe, effective options for treating dental decay."

Infective Endocarditis: NEW AHA GUIDELINES

New guidelines for prevention of infective endocarditis were released by the American Heart Association April 19, 2007. The AHA and ADA now recommend that fewer dental patients with heart disease receive antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures to prevent the heart infection called infective endocarditis (IE). The guidelines were developed by a group appointed by the AHA that included experts in infectious disease and cardiology and members representing the ADA. The guidelines were endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.After reviewing relevant scientific literature from 1950–2006, the group concluded that bacteremia resulting from daily activities is much more likely to cause IE than bacteremia associated with a dental procedure. In addition, only an extremely small number of IE cases might be prevented by antibiotic prophylaxis, even if prophylaxis is 100% effective. Based on these conclusions, antibiotic prophylaxis is now recommended before dental procedures only for patients with underlying cardiac conditions associated with the highest risk of adverse outcome from IE, such as patients with artificial heart valves, a history of endocarditis, certain serious congenital heart conditions and heart transplant patients who develop a problem with a heart valve.

Periodontal disease, pancreatic cancer

(The following was reprinted from the Wall Street Journal)According to a recent study, men with a history of periodontal disease could be at increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This finding, presented at the 2006 Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting in Boston, received online news coverage from Reuters Health and the American Association of Cancer Research, which hosted the recent conference.
In this study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, the University of San Juan, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute aimed to determine if periodontal disease or tooth loss may be related to pancreatic cancer. As noted by the research team, previous students suggested a potential association between periodontal disease and pancreatic cancer, but those studies could not discount the role of confounding factors such as smoking history.
To analyze this periodontal-systemic association further, the authors reviewed 16 years of health data on over 51,000 male health professionals, all between the ages of 40 and 75 years at the study’s inception in 1986. The data were compiled as part of the Health Professional Follow-Up Study, an ongoing evaluation of health factors that may be related to cancer and other diseases.Over a 16 year follow-up period (between 1986 and 2002), 216 men developed pancreatic cancer. After adjusting for age, smoking history, diabetes, obesity, diet and other potentially confounding variables, the reviewers found that men with a history of periodontal disease had a 63% increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men without a history of periodontal disease. While the prospective cohort study provides a long-term statistical association between periodontal disease and pancreatic cancer, it does not establish a definitive cause-effect relationship between the two conditions.
Pancreatic cancer is often detected at an advanced stage, and is commonly linked with tobacco smoking, age, or family history. While the authors claimed that periodontal disease or tooth loss may increase pancreatic cancer risk through “plausible biological mechanisms,” further research is required to validate this association. The role that diabetes played in the results also requires further investigation, because diabetes is associated with both periodontal disease and pancreatic cancer.
Today, over 70% of the adult U.S. population has some form of periodontal disease. To maintain oral health and prevent periodontal disease, the ADA promotes the importance of good oral hygiene and regular dental care. The ADA also encourages dentists to take thorough health histories, evaluate patients for oral diseases, promote tobacco cessation, and identify risk factors that may predispose patients to periodontal disease.

What's more precious than gold?

Nothing is more precious than good health including teeth. We fill teeth with silver, crown them with gold. Teeth are designed to last a lifetime, but we take them for granted until it's too late. I tell my patients that with their help I can make their teeth last a lifetime. It's easy. Some old sayings may get the point across. These sayings have stuck in my mind and may have stuck in yours such as : "Only floss the teeth you want to save", and "Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you". Recent studies have shown that brushing alone will not clean between teeth. New findings show that it doesn't matter if you eat sweets, but how long the food stays on your teeth that causes cavities. So brush and floss after eating. Some foods like processed carbohydrates which include potato chips, pretzels and even pasta actually stick on your teeth for hours and can be worse for your teeth than sweets. When brushing your teeth use a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride prevents cavities and can last up to a half a day on your teeth. Therefore, brush twice (2x) a day. The use of fluoride is also important in adults and even senior citizens. As we mature, the gums shrink exposing the unprotected roots of teeth. These roots are prone to cavities, and fluoride will help protect these roots.
Other studies out in 1992 indicated that many patients wait too long
before capping a tooth. Teeth that have a root canal treatment or have a very large filling( one that covers two thirds of the tooth) is susceptible to breaking. If the tooth breaks the wrong way, you can loose it.

Benefits of Cardio and Strength-Training Exercise

If you’re someone who works out on a regular basis, you already know the answer to this question: what are the benefits of cardio and strength-training exercise?
While I could answer that question by quoting numerous studies, I’d rather tell you why I got up with the birds this morning to take a 6 a.m. spin class, why I set aside a couple of hours each week to lift weights, and why regular exercise will always be a part of my life.
It feels goodFor starters, I’m a happier person when I exercise. There’s nothing like an hour of sweating on the bike to relieve stress, in part because the sweat helps cleanse away toxins, and in part because I like the rush of feel-good hormones, called endorphins, that follows my workout. I’m much calmer after my workout, and I’m less likely to feel anxious, stressed, or frazzled during the day. If I skip exercise for three or four days in a row, I can feel the anxiety and “grouchy germs” start to build up, and I know I need a good workout to clear my head.
I have increased energyWorking out also gives me more energy, and it gives me mental clarity. On the days that I’ve moved my body, I’m more likely to cruise through my work and household tasks, chugging along with steady energy and an even mood. I also feel better about myself, because I’ve done something good for my heart, my muscles, and my figure. Let’s face it—as we age, we’re more likely to build up fat reserves or suffer from sagging skin. Working out keeps my legs tight and muscular, and it helps keep my arms toned. What’s more, doing my core exercises on a regular basis keeps my lower back from hurting. When I’m tired at 8 or 9 .p.m, I know I’ve put in a full day, and I can go to sleep without guilt.
I maintain my weightBy working out every day, I’m able to eat enough to keep me satisfied, but not worry too much about counting calories. If I’ve overdone it at the dessert tray, I can offset those calories by working out, thereby keeping a steady balance between calories in and calories out.
I look and feel fitLet’s face it—summertime means bathing suit time. Everyone wants to feel good when they’re less covered up, and because I work out regularly, I feel more comfortable in my skin. No, I don’t have a perfect figure, and yes, I could probably reduce my body fat, but knowing that I work out gives me confidence when I’m walking down to the water’s edge or throwing the football with my boys. Instead of comparing myself to all the very thin women on the beach, I think about how strong I am and how far I can bike without feeling tired. This is especially important as I age, as being athletic gives me a very real feeling of accomplishment and a different appreciation for my body.
I’m strongI lift weights two times per week, and I’m proud of how strong I am. When I’m not in the weight room, however, I’ve noticed that strength training really gives me a lot of everyday strength, also known as functional fitness. Whether I’m carrying groceries, using the weed wacker in my backyard, or kayaking with my kids, I’m strong enough to hold my own. What’s more, I’m rarely sore the next day unless I’ve really overdone it.
It’s good for my jointsWhen many people think of strength training, they think of toning muscles or reducing fat. While these are both benefits of lifting weights, it also benefits the surrounding joints, ligaments, and tendons, and helps prevent brittle bones, as lifting weight stimulates bones to produce more calcium.
I’m fighting the effects of agingOne of my favorite fitness experts, Judith Sherman-Wolin, has a good way of describing muscle: she calls it anti-aging tissue. Judith, author of Muscle Your Way Through Menopause and Beyond, says weight training is critical for women as we age because being strong gives you a great sense of strength, confidence, and beauty. As we get even older, being strong can also help ensure independent living, including walking and caring for yourself.