Dr. Michael Rouff

Show Us Your Smile Contest

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:08:10 +0000

Bye Bye To The Dentist Drill?

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:24:28 +0000

We thought this article would be of particular interest to our patients and all of us actually. We will keep an eye out for any updates and report here.

Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello, DDS in the Little Shop of Horrors

If researchers at the University of Missouri have anything to say about it, the dental high-speed handpiece will go the way of the horse and buggy. They are well on their way to replacing it with a new device called the Plasma Brush. It is silent and painless in operation…something that has been dreamed about for decades if not longer.

It would take only about 30 seconds to remove the average size carious lesion. The chemical reactions involved would be able to clean and disinfect the area of decay easily before restoring the tooth to its proper form and function. In addition the surface prepared by the plasma brush results in an increased bonding strength for the restoration (filling).

It is estimated that approximately 200 million fillings annually cost patients about $50 billion, and about 75% of those are considered replacement fillings. Hao Li, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the MU College of Engineering said,,,,,, “The plasma brush would help reduce those costs”. He estimates that restorations placed using the plasma brush are 60% stronger than those presently being used. Undoubtedly these restorations will have an enhanced life span, thus reducing costs for patients and their insurance companies. It is estimated that human trials will commence in 2012, and if things go according to plan, the plasma brush could be in dentists hands by 2013.

Source: The Blaze, 12/22/2011 by Liz Klimas

Tooth Cleaning May Lower Heart Attack Risk

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:31:31 +0000

Abstracts of two new studies are available online at AHA Journal Circulation citing more links found between oral hygiene, periodontal disease and predisposition to cardiovascular events. Researchers in Taiwan have found that dental patients who had their teeth cleaned professionally had reduced risks of heart attacks and strokes. Simultaneously researchers in Sweden found that the type of periodontal disease may also predict the degree of risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Tooth Cleaning May Reduce Heart Disease

Researchers examined data on over 51,000 adults who underwent dental scaling compared to a group who had never had their teeth professionally cleaned. . Patients who had scaling done frequently or occasionally reduced the incidence for heart attack by 24% and stroke by 13% compared to those who did not undergo scaling. Frequent scaling was defined as two scalings in two years while occasional was defined as once or less in two years. Other potential risk factors for predisposition to heart disease were not taken into account in this study.

The research study done in Sweden involved 7,999 patients with periodontal disease and cites predisposition to cardiovascular disease as related to the number of teeth present, severity of gingival bleeding as well as the severity of periodontal disease present in the oral cavity.

Source: Medical News Today, 15 Nov 2011…Catherine Paddock, PhD. Link to full article.

Tips For Finding A Good Dentist

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:26:32 +0000

There are many reasons why you may be searching for a new dentist (relocating, insurance changes, etc.). We get asked this question a lot, and thought it might be a make for a good blog post. So, we added a few tips that may increase your odds of finding a suitable dentist, assuming a non-emergency situation.

Consult local dental specialists

Research dental specialists in your community, (orthodontist, oral surgeon, periodontist, endodontist, pediatric dentist, etc.). Call them and ask if they can refer you to an excellent dentist, preferably one considered to practice preventive/biological/natural dentistry. This immediately limits the field. Any dentist who truly wants you to enjoy excellent dental health for a lifetime will help you learn what is involved in the preventative/natural process.

Consult local Health Practitioners

Find natural health practitioners (Naturopath, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, etc.) and call their office to request a referral to a local dentist. The focus of the natural practitioner should point you to the right direction of a natural/holistic dentist.

Consult Google!

In the age of the Internet, many dentists (including myself) have websites to help you be more discerning in selecting a dentist without having to commit to making an appointment for your first exam, etc. No question this can be a practical first step in your search, and by doing this often you will see a difference among sites and quite possibility sincerity of intent. Cross reference the dentists you find through Google with Facebook and Twitter. See if the dentist has an online presence and read their posts and updates. This is a great way to see if you connect with the doctor’s views.

Read The Reviews

When you have narrowed down your list, Google those names. Look for any reviews on the dentist. Many sites (Yelp, Kudzu, Healthgrades, Dr. Oogle, Angie’s List, etc) will list the dentists name and then share what has been said about them from, hopefully, actual patients. Remember, not all reviews have to be glowing. Perfect, does not exist in our society, so if there are a few negative reviews, don’t let that scare you away. Don’t base your entire decision on reviews, if there is something that concerns you, ask the doctor directly about the excerpt of the review that concerns you.

Make The Call

When you have narrowed your search to two or three possibilities call each office. If you are confident through your research that this the dentist for you, make an appointment. If not, when calling for the first time, explain briefly why you are calling and ask if the doctor offers a free consult. If not, ask if you may speak with the office manager to go over a few questions you may have before committing to an appointment. Obviously politeness, enthusiasm and willingness to talk with you and answer all of your questions will certainly give you a clue about what might await you in the future.

Recent Study Links Health Improvements After Removal of Amalgam Fillings

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:59:56 +0000

In the treatment group, there were significant reductions in intra-oral and general health complaints from inclusion into study to the 3-year follow-up. In the reference group, changes in the same period were not significant. Comparisons between the groups showed that reductions in intra-oral and general health complaints in the treatment group were significantly different from the changes in the reference group. The mechanisms behind this remain to be identified. Reduced exposure to dental amalgam, patient-centred treatment and follow-ups, and elimination of worry are factors that may have influenced the results.

Link to full report by Blackwell Publishing here.

How to Protect Yourself from Abusive Doctors

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:41:43 +0000

I recently got sucked into this blog post regarding how patients can protect themselves from abusive doctors. The post tells the story of a patient who had precancerous cells in the lining of her uterus and had two doctors that recommended a hysterectomy as the treatment. Dr. John McDougall who was the originator of the article, questions these doctors who recommended the hysterectomy.

Read the full post here: How to Protect Yourself From Abusive Doctors

Read Dr. McDougall’s article here: Dr. McDougall Protect Article

The two things I took away from the article: The suggestion for patients to work with their family doctor/internist as their advocate to communicate with other specialists and especially to challenge them when necessary. The other is to “do lots of research when you are considering any new medical treatment.”

I also want to suggest that you consider natural alternative treatments as well as and perhaps even in conjunction with western medical advice and treatments. There are a large variety of herbal remedies available that have the same positive results as prescription drugs. Also, there are many alternative treatments such as ozone and prolozone therapies that can sometimes remove the need for surgery completely.

The take away: do your homework. Research the diagnosis, the treatment and the doctor. Many of the review sites such as Healthgrades.com or Angieslist.com will list patient reviews for specific doctors. And please consider alternative treatments whenever possible. Naturopathic Physicians are a great place to start if wanting to discuss alternative treatments.

Mercury In Vaccines?

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:27:03 +0000

Yes! I was re-reading a 2005 article from Mercola.com about the fact that the flu vaccines are loaded with mercury. As stated by Dr. Mercola, mercury can cause “a devastating array of problems, including: MS, Autism, Alzheimer’s Disease and Central Nervous System Disorder.”

As dental professionals, are aware of the danger of mercury, which is why we are a mercury free dental practice and offer safe mercury removal.

But, re-reading this article made me curious about whether flu vaccines today still contained mercury. The answer is yes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Thimerosla, the mercury-based preservative used to prevent the growth of germs, bacteria and fungi was approved and is being used for the 2011-2012 Seasonal Flu Vaccines. Read more here.

All the more reason to follow Mercola’s advice: eat healthy, eliminate sugar, exercise, rest, eat garlic, manage your stress and consistently wash your hands. Embrace a healthy life style, instead of putting possibly harmful mercury-based preservatives into your body.

Contest Extended

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:17:31 +0000

Let’s face it, we are no where near 200! So, we are extending our “Help us reach 200″ contest for one more month. We promise we are not going to be one of those “forever” contests and we will be announcing the winner on January 5th. And, we will not extend this contest again, just one more month to see if we can get a little closer to our goal.

Winners will receive $100 for iTunes and be announced January 5th on our website and Facebook Fan Page. Thanks for your support!

Fluoride Update

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:47:10 +0000

Another city has voted to remove fluoride from their water source. The Windsor Star reports that the Lakeshore Ontario council has removed fluoride from its entire system.

But the Fluoride Action Network, which opened a local chapter in Windsor this summer and has already attracted 200 community members, is applauding Lakeshore’s decision. Members say they will keep up the pressure so other municipalities in Essex County will follow.

“Cities are falling away from fluoridated water,” said Donna Mayne, a group member, citing recent decisions by Calgary and Waterloo. “They are happening at a quick rate.

“People are realizing how unnecessary it is and the potential harm. It doesn’t make sense for cities to act like our doctor. It’s time for people to stop drinking the Kool-Aid. Fluoride in our bodies can cause havoc on many levels. It was never meant to be ingested.”

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), whose membership includes 5,000 physicians and health care workers across Canada, has come out against fluoridation of drinking water.

The organization released its study in November, 2008 which concluded based on the “weight of evidence” fluoridation of drinking water is “scientifically untenable” and should not be a public health initiative.

Tips To Enjoying Halloween Candy!

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:04:24 +0000

Happy November! We hope you all had a very safe and happy Halloween. On the subject of Halloween, I recently heard a story from one of my friends who also happens to be a dentist. He said that one year his father, who was also a dentist, gave out toothbrushes for Halloween. He had to hide his face for days at school after that one!

This story however, made me think it might be a good time to bring up proper brushing and flossing techniques since the chances of all of us consuming more sugar than usual is highly probable over the next few days.

I know, you all know how to do it, geezz, you’ve have been brushing our teeth twice (at least) a day for the multiple years, decades, etc. But, I figured it couldn’t hurt to add a couple of how-to videos in case any of you out there wanted to brush up (pardon the pun) on your techniques!

The point here is that we can all enjoy some candy, just make sure to take care of your teeth and gums after indulging.

Note: The Expert Village YouTube channel is a great resource for finding videos on just about every topic.