Imagine your hygienist added “consume chocolate” to your oral health regimen. That’s one step I’d be sure not to miss. It’s a nice thought, but we all know chocolate isn’t good for your teeth, although, research suggests an extract of cocoa might be.

Research behind the theory that a cocoa extract would be beneficial to your teeth began in the 1980s. Through extensive clinical studies, Tetsuo Nakomoto, and a professor at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans discovered a cocoa extract was beneficial in fighting cavities.

The discovery wasn’t widely recognized until Arman Sadeghpour used the research as part of his doctoral thesis at Tulane University. Sadeghpour compared the effects of cocoa extract and fluoride on strengthening tooth enamel which confirmed that cocoa extract strengthens and enlarges the crystals that make up the tooth, resulting in stronger enamel. Fluoride, on the other hand, strengthens teeth by adhering to and incorporating itself into the tooth.

Inspired by these findings, Nakomota and Sadeghpour developed a new toothpaste in Louisiana that contains no fluoride and instead, relies on a blend of cocoa extract and other minerals to strengthen and harden tooth enamel. The toothpaste – called Theodent – gives consumers who worry about consuming fluoride another option.

Is the toothpaste chocolate flavored? No. It has a mint flavor, like traditional pastes on the market, though developers hope to eventually expand the product line to include a sugar-free, chocolate-flavored toothpaste for kids.

Next week, the toothpaste will hit the shelves of Whole Foods grocery stores in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, New York, New Jersey and a number of stores along the West Coast.

Sedeghpour, now Theodent’s CEO, said that this year, Theodent plans to seek the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance.

Is this a product you’d be interested in trying? The high price point might be a deterrent. At $9.99 a tube, I struggle justifying spending so much on toothpaste, especially without the novelty of a chocolate flavor!

Dental professionals are very excited because scientists have found that our teeth contain valuable stem cells that, if properly stored, could potentially hold the cure to a number of diseases, like Parkinson’s, diabetes, and cancer, and with the future potential to help heal spinal cord injuries, as well.

Stem cell research has been immersed in controversy over the years for many reasons, with the main issues including the following:

• Embryonic stem cells carry technical and ethical challenges.
• Bone marrow stem cells are very painful to collect.
• Cord blood stem cells can only be harvested at birth.

However, with the discovery of stem cells in teeth, an accessible and readily available source of stem cells has been identified. What’s more, dental stem cells are very convenient to collect, while possessing similar benefits for the development of new restorative medical therapies.

Extracting teeth poses a much lower risk than harvesting stem cells via more invasive surgical procedures, and patients also experience far fewer complications. Dentists can now be at the forefront of regenerative medicine, and also serve as a valuable ally to the medical and research communities.

Dental stem cell research, collection, and storage are gaining strong momentum in the dental industry. For example, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Council on Clinical Affairs published a policy on stem cells that contained this statement:

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes the emerging field of regenerative medicine and encourages dentists to follow future evidence-based literature in order to educate parents about the collection, storage, viability, and use of dental stem cells with respect to autologous regenerative therapies.

A child’s tooth under the pillow may be worth a buck, but that same tooth, properly collected and stored, will be far more valuable in the future.

With a click of button, you can have the perfect smile you never had.  Technology has done it again. Cheaper and faster than ever, iPhone^®, iPad^® and iTouch^® users now have the capability of what would cost hundreds of dollars to whiten teeth for a low-cost of just $4.99.

Although not a true makeover, the Apple^® website describes the up-to-the-minute application “Whitening Simulator”, as the world’s first automated teeth whitening app.  It incorporates an advanced face and smile detection engine to show users how white your teeth can be.  The application allows users to enhance personal photos by instantly whitening your teeth and then shows a before and after photo illustrating the results!

The application is being used for more than just iPhone^®, iPad^® and iTouch^® users’ pleasure.  Some dentists are even taking the application to a new level and bringing the “Whitening Simulator” into their offices to help patients decide if they would want to invest in a brighter smile.

In a recent article written on the Mobile Applications Blog, Dr. Chasen, DDS explains, “I am impressed with how realistic the results from “Whitening Simulator” are.  In just a few seconds, I can take a picture of a patient and show them what they would look like with whiter teeth. It is fun and helps me motivate my patients to take better care of their teeth.”

What are your thoughts about bringing this application into the dental practice?  Do you think this crafty application will drive more patients to invest in that whiter smile?

According to a survey from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 99.7% of adults believe a smile is a key social asset, while 74% feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s career success. If these results reflect consumer opinion, how do these statistics differ for dental professionals? For dentists interviewing office managers, is a dingy smile a deal-breaker?

Of course, when hiring a hygienist, it’s important to find one with an impressive set of teeth. Patients may run in the other direction if the person cleaning their teeth has a not-so-sexy smile, but for other employees in the office, what weight does their smile hold?

The same question can be asked for dental professionals working outside the dental office: manufacturers, marketing professionals, journalists, etc. Day in and day out, you’re plugged into what makes a healthy and beautiful smile. You’re inundated with details about the latest and greatest procedures, including veneers, implants, whitening gels, and other processes that offer cosmetic value. Does this knowledge create certain expectations for your employees?

I would imagine it’s difficult not to be judgmental, but at the same time, being so close to the dental industry leaves us with a greater understanding of the costs associated with cosmetic procedures. Everyone wants a perfect smile, but not everyone can afford it, especially within the current financial climate.

Considering the results of the AACD survey, does working in the dental industry dramatically increase the pressure to have an attractive smile? Are you that much more inclined to shell out the dough for costly cosmetic procedures if it means impressing your peers?

-Marisa Tranchina, Lanmark360 Social Media & PR Coordinator

‘Tis the season!  The holidays are right around the corner, and yet once again Christmas has crept up on us.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and what better time than now to get your loved ones what they have been waiting for…DENTAL PRODUCTS.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), 99.7% of Americans believe a smile is an important social asset.  A clean mouth is a happy mouth and a bright smile is a white smile!

Dental products can be great stocking stuffers for all ages; I have created a list of a few items that are slender enough to throw into those stockings that will help get that happy smile.

1. Floss picks – these nifty flossing gadgets usually come in a bag of 100 and are great for traveling and just having around the house when that unwanted piece of food gets stuck in the hard-to-reach areas.
2. Electric Toothbrush – as technology continues to advance so should your mouth.  An electric toothbrush is designed to vibrate at a high speed, producing much more brush strokes per minute than manual toothbrushes.  In a simpler context, they improve dental health.  These brushes can range in price, so be sure to get one that fits in your budget.
3. Colgate^® Wisp^™ – For those times when you need to freshen up your mouth, but you are out and about.  Wisps are disposable mini-toothbrushes with a breath-freshening bead that allows you to have a clean, fresh mouth without water or rinsing.  This brilliant savior is small enough to travel with you anywhere.
4. Gift Certificates – the mouth has become more than just a health concern, it is now a cosmetic concern as well.  More and more people are looking for a better smile.  Dentists are catching on and many are now providing gift cards during the holiday season.  Contact your local dentist and inquire about gift cards for different dental services.
5. Whitening Strips – want professional results?  At-home whitening strips are doing the trick.  More advanced than ever, they will leave your teeth glistening for the New Year!

These are just a few ideas among many other products out there. Hope this helps and enjoy a happy healthy holiday season!

-Lynn White, Lanmark360 Intern