A numbing agent for toothaches was to blame for the blue skin, nails and even the navy blue blood of a 25-year-old woman who was diagnosed with methemoglobinemia — a rare blood disorder — at a Rhode Island hospital, according to The Guardian.
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The woman took herself to the hospital, telling medical staff, “I’m weak and I’m blue.” The woman’s condition had been triggered by a numbing agent containing benzocaine. The woman was treated with an antidote, methylene blue, and within minutes reported feeling better, the report said.
Even though it’s widely known that your oral health is directly connected to your overall health, dentistry remains distinctly separated from the field of medicine.
Due to a lack of access to affordable dental care, every year more than a million people with dental problems end up in emergency rooms. The cost of these visits is more than $1 billion a year.
At least 40 million suffer from sensitive teeth resulting from irritants reaching nerve endings through a tube system in the dentin of your teeth. This dental anatomy was discovered in the early 1900s when a doctor found anaerobic bacterial growth in these tubes was infecting teeth and gums and traveling throughout the body.
When bacteria spread throughout the body it can lead to chronic diseases, including heart disease, arthritis and neurological conditions.
Root canals leave dead teeth in your mouth, which ultimately become infected, just as any dead part of the body does. These bacteria can circulate through your body as your blood and lymphatic systems drain toxins from the area.
Poor oral health increases your risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and heart disease. One step toward achieving good oral health is to integrate holistic and preventive nutritional and oral health strategies to support your oral microbiome and to seek the care of a biological dentist.
Periodontal disease, which may impair your immune system, and dental caries, have both been linked to specific bacteria. Type 2 diabetes and periodontal disease are strongly connected, and research shows those who fail to brush their teeth at least once a day increase their risk of dementia by as much as 65%, compared to those who brush three times a day.
Tooth whitening has become a popular aesthetic dental treatment, and the market continues to grow. Home care kits have taken the place of in-office treatments. Research has shown that whitening kits damage your teeth and scientists are unsure if the damage is permanent.
Tooth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide, which can damage the proteins in your teeth. A better option is using inexpensive and safe baking soda, which works against bacteria-causing periodontal disease and, at the same time, removes plaque and whitens teeth.
Poor oral health increases your risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and heart disease.