Survey Finds DIY Teeth-Straightening Attempts On The Rise

THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- An orthodontist recalled a patient who devised her own means of straightening two wayward teeth.
"The patient tried to close a gap between her lower incisors by wrapping string around the two teeth," the orthodontist explained.
But the do-it-yourself method brought only trouble.
"I was horrified to see the string deep in the gum and the severe mobility in the two teeth," the unnamed orthodontist said.
Examples of people attempting to straighten their own teeth -- often using dubious "how-to" guides accessed on the Internet -- is on the rise, according to a survey by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO).
People are resorting to the use of potentially dangerous objects such as rubber bands, string, paper clips and fake retainers to circumvent the orthodontists' office, the AAO said.
But this type of jerry-rigged orthodontics can lead to permanent damage, the group warns.
"What most people don't understand is that moving teeth is a biological process that involves bone that dissolves and rebuilds as teeth are moved into their new positions," AAO president DeWayne McCamish said in a news release from the organization.
"Moving teeth is best done under the direct supervision of an orthodontist after an in-person assessment, including complete diagnostic records," he said.
Social media has played a significant role in the dangerous do-it-yourself orthodontics trend, McCamish added. "There are literally hundreds of videos on YouTube alone, with 'tutorials' on how to straighten your own teeth," he said.
In the new survey, AAO members were queried on their experiences with patients who attempt to straighten their own teeth.
The survey found that nearly 13 percent of the orthodontists said they'd had patients -- ranging from the age of 8 to over 60 -- who tried to fix their own teeth by pushing on their teeth, biting on pencils or using a variety of household items, including paper clips.
In some cases, those who tried to straighten their teeth caused irreversible problems, the survey authors noted.
"It's really a shame when someone comes in after attempting DIY orthodontic treatment and we determine that the damage they've done to their teeth is so extensive that teeth cannot be saved," McCamish said.
"By the time a lay person recognizes something is wrong with their teeth, it may not be reversible, even with professional help," he said.
"The cost of dealing with replacing a lost tooth can easily exceed $20,000 over a lifetime and certainly be much less than ideal," McCamish said. "You have to remember that the goal of good orthodontic treatment is obtaining a healthy, beautiful smile for a lifetime -- shortcuts can be disastrous."
Of the orthodontists who said they'd had patients who tried to straighten their own teeth, 39 percent said they had to then provide treatment to correct damage that had been done as a result.
Most of the orthodontists polled believed that their patients would actually have saved time and money if they had gotten professional help to straighten their teeth.
"If it's a matter of economics, many orthodontists do an initial consultation at no cost and with no obligation," McCamish explained. "It's an opportunity to get the expert's opinion about your problem, options to resolve it and, in so doing, avoid the unintended harmful consequences that could result from DIY treatment."
-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas

How to Clean Your Teeth Like a Caveman

Could brushing your teeth be far more ancient than we thought?

New evidence from a rare find deep in the mountains of northwest Spain sheds light on how ancient peoples dealt with dental problems. The concept of toothbrushing has been around for millennia, and for good reason: dental problems bring pain, infection and true danger to one's health, especially in times when the effectiveness of antibiotics were not well-understood.


The first toothbrushes were discovered buried in tombs with the ancient Egyptian royalty circa 3000 BC, carved from fibrous wood with one end sharpened to use as a pick, and the other frayed to use as a brush. The Egyptians used a surprisingly sophisticated vinegar and pumice paste to provide whitening action as well. Many thousands of years later, Chinese under the Tang dynasty in 618 AD created a toothbrush that would later give rise to the modern style - that is, bristles attached to a handle. The Chinese favored boar bristles collected in Siberia, since the cold made the boars produce stiffer hair. These were then threaded into a bamboo, bone or ivory handle. Soon after, early European travellers to China brought the idea to the Western world. Until recently, that was the narrative preferred by historians, at least.


Dr. Karen Hardy, an archaeologist studying the lives and behavior of prehistoric cave people in the Sima del Elefante, noticed tiny interproximal grooves that suggested something had been wedged in between them repeatedly over the course of the person’s life. However, with very little organic matter preserved along with the fossils, there was no conclusive evidence of what the primitive human had used for this purpose. Dr. Hardy, however, knew her dentistry, and guessed that something of the tool might still have been left in the fossil - calculus.


As any dentist knows, in just a few days sticky plaque is calcified into rock-hard calculus so resilient it can fossilize rather than decay as most other organic material would. Using special rock-excavation drills modified for the world’s longest hygiene recall, Dr. Hardy collected samples of this preserved calculus to break down and analyze microscopically.


The analysis revealed that in addition to the seeds, insects, grass and meat particles trapped within the ancient biofilm, long fibers of indigestible woody material were collected in parallel lines between the the teeth, suggesting a fibrous tool like the Egyptians used to clean their teeth.


So how did cavemen clean their teeth? Dr. Hardy’s evidence indicates they probably selected a tough, fibrous twig and chewed on it to allow small portions of woody bristles to be pushed between the teeth in an attempt to remove plaque and bits of food. This discovery is important for archaeologists, as many other jawbone fossils bear calculus that can be examined to uncover behavioral and dietary information about our earliest ancestors

10 Things to Toss From Your Bathroom Today: How Many Do You Have?

By Julie Ryan Evans | Feb 6, 2017

jat306/iStock

What’s that lurking in your bathroom? Don’t answer. Really, we don’t want to know. Just go take a look, and you’ll probably realize there’s a lot more in there than necessary. From the medicine cabinet to those cupboards under your sink and beyond, there are things hanging out in your bathroom that need to go—for the sake of space, your health, and your sanity.
Here are 10 things you can toss immediately.

1. Old toothbrushes

How long have you been brushing with that toothbrush? If it’s been more than three or four months, that’s too long, according to the American Dental Association.

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If the bristles become bent or frayed, toss the toothbrush sooner. Not only do bristles lose their effectiveness over time (hello, plaque and cavities you’re trying to prevent!), they also may collect bacteria that could lead to infections. Gross!

2. Expired medications

Check the dates on those medications—both prescription and over-the-counter varieties. According to the FDA, using expired medication can be risky, as the makeup of the drugs can change over time. They may not only be ineffective (it’s no wonder that headache won’t go away), but also harmful. Don’t just toss them in the trash, though. Check out these guidelines for safely disposing of expired medication.

3. Old makeup

So pretty, so full of promise, so difficult to part with! When your makeup is past its prime, you’ve really got to make like Elsa and let it go. Many cosmetics don’t have expiration dates, so it’s up to you to remember when you scooped them up or, better yet, write the date on them. If you can’t remember when you bought it, chances are it’s too old.
In general, most makeup shouldn’t be kept more than a couple of years, with the exception of eye products such as mascara, which should be replaced after three to four months to avoid infection.

4. Expired sunscreen

Once the expiration date has passed, there’s no guarantee sunscreen is going to be effective, and you could get literally burned. The good news: Sunscreen is designed to be effective for three years from the time it’s manufactured. However, if you use the recommended amount of sunscreen experts say you need to stay safe in the sun (about one-fourth of the bottle), you shouldn’t have it around nearly that long.

5. All those hotel toiletries

It always sounds like a good idea to grab those little toiletries before you clear out of your hotel room, but if you’re a frequent traveler, you may pile up more than you’ll ever use. (Tip: Toss them in your gym bag.) So if you’ve hoarded shower caps and small bottles of mouthwash from every trip you’ve taken since you were 10, it’s time to clear some out.

6. Nearly empty shampoo bottles

Waste not, want not is great to a point, but when your shower is full of upside-down bottles (who, me?) because you’re trying to eke out the last drop in each one, it’s time to just toss them.

7. Beauty products that didn’t change your life

Same goes for all of those hair products, lotions, and potions you just had to have that didn’t quite produce the life-changing effects you were expecting and have migrated to the back of the shelf. While most  beauty products don’t have an expiration date, many will have a POA (period after opening) mark, which can typically be found on the product label or the container itself. There will be a number and an “M” to indicate the number of months it’s expected to work as promised. There are also apps such as Beauty Keeper that help you look up and keep track of your beauty product expiration dates.

8. Expired condoms

Unless you’re looking for a baby surprise—probably not, if you’re using birth control—take time to toss those that have expired. Over time, the effectiveness of spermicide breaks down, and condoms can dry out and break more easily, leaving you open to unwanted pregnancy and disease. So check the expiration dates so that when the time is right, you’re ready to go.

9. Gifts

We’re sure your aunt thought the bath bomb would be da bomb as a gift, but if you’re more of a shower person, that ball of fizzy indulgence is probably collecting dust just like all of those other pretty little soaps, salts, and powders that seem to be the go-to gifts for many. Some people probably love them, but if you’re not one of them, then bombs away into the trash.

10. Old razors and blades

How long have you been shaving with that disposable razor? Probably too long, as experts say you should throw them out after just a few uses. If you don’t, you risk bacteria building up on the blade, which could lead to those dreaded little red bumps, otherwise known as folliculitis.
Don’t just throw razors and blades into the trash or recycling bin, though. The blades can get stuck in recycling equipment and cut sanitation workers. Instead, wrap blades in several folds of paper or cardboard before throwing in the regular trash.

Julie Ryan Evans is an editor and writer who has covered everything from politics to pop culture and beyond. She loves running, reading, cold wine, and hot weather.

Follow @julieryanevans