I have a few silver fillings that I worry about due to the mercury in them. They also look - well, not so nice but it's the significant amount of mercury living in my mouth for decades now that I worry about.

I'd like to get them removed and replaced with white composite ones. Are they safer? And do they work as well as "traditional" silver ones?

Thanks

I am drinking all my drinks (except water) through straws to stop potential staining from caffenated drinks.

I brush my teeth three times a day but dark drinks play havoc with them and I'd like to keep them as bright and white as possible and can't give up my coffee for anything!

Does anyone know if this tactic actually works?

FRIDAY, Oct. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A simple test of saliva proteins may one day help doctors detect oral cancer, according to a new study in the Oct. 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

For their study, part of the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's Human Saliva Proteome Project, researchers collected saliva samples from 64 people with oral squamous cell carcinoma (a form of oral cancer) and 64 healthy people.

Two friends have reached out ot me here. Now, how can i ask others to be friends of mine?
warmly
Kare

Does anyone use any teeth whiteners that actually work? I am a smoker and I drink coffee that tends to dull the color of my teeth and without going to the dentist, is there anything over the counter that works well?

I have braces so am prone to canker sores but am wondering what I can do to avoid them as much as possible. They can be quite painful and take a few days to heal, and having braces obviously slows down the healing process.

Any tips?

Some of you may have heard of the tragic death of a 12 year old boy living in our nation's capital, who died when untreated dental issues caused a deadly infection. Deamonte Driver died when an infected tooth lead to a brain infection. His dental problems had not been addressed because his bother had so many rotted teeth that his mother was concentrating on getting those issues fixed.
The children had lost their Medicaid and his mother did not have the money to have his tooth removed, nor the dentists willing to treat him.

For more on the Deamonte Driver story, click here:

In a recent study published in Diabetes Care, it now appears that gum disease may be a predictor for the onset of diabetes.

The study is the most recent in a string of reports linking gum health to over all health. Last year, researchers at Harvard associated periodontal disease with pancreatic cancer.

I am wondering if an electric or battery operated toothbrush is better than a regular one. I have used both and don't seem to notice much difference except I tend to brush longer when using the battery operated one, which is probably a good thing.

Does anyone have a preference or an opinion?

By Carolyn Colwell
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- A new sweet treat that actually prevents children's cavities should please children and their parents, researchers say.

The tasty syrup, which contains the sugar substitute xylitol, prevented early decay in infants' teeth and may play a role in protecting permanent teeth, says a team from the United States and the Marshall Islands, in the South Pacific.

Xylitol has long been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is already found in food products such as chewing gum.