The Smile Blog

What's in your toothpaste?

It was recently reported that the Canadian government has asked companies using chemical Triclosan in their products to voluntarily remove the ingredient from their formulations. The concern is that Triclosan will begin to build up in the environment and then cause problems with microorganisms, plants and animals. Triclosan is included  in many anti-bacterial hand soaps and also in Colgate Total toothpaste. In soap, its presence is intended to help kill bacteria, although the FDA has stated that there is no evidence that Triclosan provides any extra benefits. Colgate Total uses Triclosan as the key gingivits fighting element in their toothpaste.

One of the most significant claims againt Triclosan is that studies show it can combine with chlorine from tap water to form chloroform and chloroform is considered likely to cause cancer by the U.S. EPA.  Another concern is that when released into the environment through waste waster, Triclosan may interact with plants and inhibit photosynthesis. Triclosan has also been found in concentrations which can cause health issues in marine life such as bullfrogs and dolphins.  Studies also suggest that Triclosan can affect the human body’s immune system and increase the possibility of allergies and hay fever.  It should be noted that studies have been conducted which have found no direct human health issues with the use of Triclosan used in toothpaste.

For those concerned about the effects that Triclosan may have on the environment as well as animals and humans, there are alternatives. One would be to stop using soap, hand sanitizers and other such products that include Triclosan.  Triclosan is listed as an “active ingredient” when it is included in the product.

For persons seeking an alternative to Triclosan in preventing and fighting gum disease, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been shown to be effective in treating gingivitis when applied to the gums.  CoQ10 is a substance that occurs naturally in the body.  It has a dual function, to provide energy to all the cells in the body and to act as a powerful free-radical fighting antioxidant. CoQ10 has been shown to provide a host of healthly benefits including lowering blood pressure, increasing cognitive abilities, increasing energy, and as stated above, helping reduce the signs of gum disease (gingivitis).

Perfect Smile offers two toothpastes as well as mouthwash and chewing gum, all which include Microactive CoQ10, an exclusive, highly advanced formulation of CoQ10.  Microactive CoQ10 can be absorbed more readily by the body than regular CoQ10. And unlike regular CoQ10 which is fat-soluble and therefore water-resistant, Microactive CoQ10 has been formulated to be water soluble and therefore it is easily absorbed into the gum tissue.  The complete line of Perfect Smile CoQ10 Oral Care products can be purchased online at www.4theperfectsmile.com.

Sources:
http://www.montrealgazette.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan

Titanium Knee Joint

The systemic connection between our mouths and the rest of our body has been the subject of scores of studies in recent years. We recently posted an article about how “Your Dentist Can Save Your Life” that discussed how many ailments evidence themselves in your mouth. Your dentist may be able to give you a “heads up” on other diseases or deficiencies that might be occurring in your body based on what he or she sees going on with your teeth, gums, tongue and throat.

Now, a new potential connection has been made between oral bacteria and the failure of hip and knee replacements. Doctors and researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, tested DNA of bacteria in the joints of patients who have had joint replacements that failed and found that this bacteria had the same DNA as bacteria found in plaque taken from people with gum disease. While they explain that much more research regarding this possible connection is needed, the doctors conducting the study are hopeful that treating gum disease will help patients avoid the need for joint replacements in the future.

Read more about the CWRU oral bateria study here.

Question: Is your Natural Fluoride-free CoQ10 Toothpaste safe for kids?

Answer: As with any toothpaste, parental supervision is recommended for use by children.  Nobody (children or adults) should swallow toothpaste, especially fluoride toothpaste.  On our CoQ10 Toothpaste with Fluoride Toothpaste Carton under directions it states:  “Supervise children as necessary until capable of using without supervision.  Children under 2 years of age, consult your dentist or doctor.”  Because there is no fluoride (an FDA regulated ingredient) in our Natural CoQ10 Toothpaste, there are no such warnings required, however we still recommend that you always supervise your child’s oral care activities.

Research has found that there is a connection between periodontal disease (gum disease) and other ailments such as heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.  Although it is not totally clear as to why this connection exists, one thought is that poor dental hygiene can cause excessive growth of bacteria in the mouth.  These bacteria may not initially cause problems in the mouth, but can enter the bloodstream through the gums and can then clump on blood vessel walls and grow into plaque that clogs the arteries and eventually leads to heart attacks and strokes.

As recently reported by ABC News, Dr. Daniel Meyer, the Senior Vice President of Science and Professional Affairs for the American Dental Association has stated that “Regular dental visits are important to diagnose and treat dental disease.  Some conditions in the mouth may indicate disease elsewhere in the body, so by maintaining a schedule of regular dental visits, the dentist can certainly refer patients to physicians or other health care providers for evaluation of potential systemic disease.”

To help safeguard your overall health as well as your teeth and gums, be sure to practice good oral hygiene and see your dentist for regular checkups and cleaning.  Using Perfect Smile toothpaste and mouth rinse containing ingredients that help promote healthy teeth and gums like CoQ10, Xylitol and Vitamin C, along with daily flossing will help you achieve and maintain good oral health.

In the near future we will relay some exciting news about a new technology that will soon be available to your dentist which will help him or her to identify the potential for periodontal disease well in advance of it actually occurring.

We try to get the word out about the connection between oral health and overall health any chance we get. For instance, numerous studies and articles point to significant links between gum disease and cardiovascular disease.  So when we ran across an article about oral health and general well being in a recent issue of Real Simple magazine, we were excited to see some highly visible coverage on the subject. Perfect Smile’s line of CoQ10 Oral Care products contain advanced, proprietary ingredients that can help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Our CoQ10 Oral Care products can even help reverse the symptoms of gum disease!  Take a look at the Real Simple article “Your Dental Health, Examined” and then check out our Perfect Smile CoQ10 Toothpaste, CoQ10 Mouthwash and CoQ10 Chewing Gum to help you get and keep a whiter, brighter, healthier smile.

We’ve been passing along info regarding the oral health – heart health connection for quite some time and here is a great web posting that again confirms it AND specifies supplementing CoQ10 in your diet as a method of defense. Perfect Smile offers a CoQ10 Oral Health Supplement which contains 100mg of CoQ10 in each capsule. In addition, our exclusive MicroActive CoQ10 has been found to be up to 22 times more bioavailable than regular CoQ10 which means more CoQ10 gets into your system, faster.

Read Dr. David Brownstein’s web post here.

Click here to order your 30-day supply of our CoQ10 Oral Health Supplement