A 2002 survey established that smell impairment might affect fourteen million Americans older than 55 years old.  It affects 50% of the population between 65 and 79 years old and 75% by the age of 80.  A dog has one billion taste cells and we humans have only 1% of that. 

Spices and condiments of various kinds such as horseradish, salsa, mustard, and catsup are detected by a different system than the tastes:  sweet, sour, bitter, salt, and savory (as in meat broth due to MSG).  The trigeminal system is made up of nerves from the tongue and the whole inner mouth.  These are the same nerves which are deadened when the dentist numbs your mouth to do restorative work.

THE SMELL ORGAN

Our smell organ resides in the upper part of the nose and is responsible for identifying odors.  It is also important in recognizing flavors in our food such as chocolate or vanilla.  If you put your food in your mouth and hold your nose, you will still be able to identify flavors since the molecules of the food travel to the back of the throat and go up to the back nasal passages to reach the smell organ during the swallowing and exhaling phase. 

SMELL TESTING AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

Smell testing is being used as a diagnostic tool in differentiating neurological disorders.  In recent studies some patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI-defined as memory loss only)  that have low scores on smell testing and no apparent reason for the low score (such as cigarette smoking, certain medication use, or recurrent nasal and sinus disease) are more likely to be developing early Alzheiner's disease than those with MCI and normal smell function.  Ten odors are more likely to be missed by patients with MCI who might be developing Alzheimer's.  They are:  menthol, clove, leather, strawberry, lilac, pineapple, smoke, soap, natural gas, and lemon.

Eight odors are more likely to be missed by patients with idiopathic Parkinson's and/or Lewy body dementia.  Licorice, coconut, banana, dill pickle, paint thinner, turpentine, cherry, and soap.  The American Academy of Neurology just recently included smell testing as one of the diagnostic tests for Parkinson's disease.

The five basic tastes and the texture, temperature, and spiciness of food are usually normal in Alzheimer's disease.  However, because of the smell impairment, flavor recognition is impaired and food does not always taste the same.  Foods that are creamy and thicker allow time to contact different parts of the mouth and tongue to stimulate more taste in the sensory receptor.  Liquids in general, like soups and beverages,  are usually quickly swallowed and spend less contact with the taste receptors and thus are less likely to give enjoyment in eating. 

COMPENSATING FOR SMELL IMPAIRMENT IN RECIPES

Recipes that emphasize texture, spiciness, and basic taste (sour, sweet, and savory) tend to be more enjoyable.  When making fish, chicken, or beef, try marinating them in fruit juices or sweet and sour sauce or Italian dressing.  This emphasizes texture, temperature, spiciness, and basic tastants, which are normal in Alzheimer's disease and other disorders.  Add a small amount of MSG to meat, fish, or chicken to give the savory taste sensation.  Use salsa or other spice-like foods such as horseradish or mustard to baked potatoes, eggs, meat, and chicken.  Try adding flavor extracts in higher concentrations in some food where flavors like vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate are important.

OralRisk (R) HPV is a new diagnostic test that enables a dental office to assess a patients' risk for developing Human Papilloma Virus before an oral lesion is even visible.  It is currently estimated that 50% of all oral cancers are associated with HPV lesions.  HPV is sexually transmitted and is the causative agent in more than 90% of all cervical cancers.

The death rate associated with oral cancer is particularly high due to the fact that it is usually not discovered until its later stages.  This is according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.  Not all versions of HPV are equally destructive.

This is a link to a video that discusses the link between oral cancer and why early detection can save lives:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJY2ynlXoKA

Be aware and alert.  Proactive!

Floss your teeth at least once a day after brushing (Some people who have not flossed before are surprised as to how much extra debris can be removed by flossing in addition to brushing.) If you are not sure how to floss, then ask your dentist or dental hygienist. Briefly: the 'usual' floss looks a bit like cotton thread. Cut off about 40cm. Wind the ends round your middle fingers of each hand. Then grab the floss between the thumbs and first finger to obtain a tight 3-4 cm section which you can pull between teeth. Gently scrape the floss against the sides of each tooth from the gum downwards. This will clean the narrow spaces between the teeth which toothbrushes cannot get to.
 

Effective cleaning with your interdental brush:
1. Slide the brush at right angles very gently between your teeth. If it does not glide easily, work it in gently or choose a smaller size.
2. Move the brush full length back and forth until the interdental area is clean. If the brush is angled, first at one side and then at the other, it will clean larger surfaces. 3. Cleaning between your back teeth will be easier if you curve the wire so that it can be moved in at right angles. Once curved, do not straighten or curve at another angle to avoid damage to the brush.
 

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."

http://www.crossfitdental.com/dental_nov08/nov08_hygiene.htm

With today's high consumption of popular soda pop drinks and the gaining popularity of certain high energy drinks, destruction of dental enamel from the acids within the drinks can be potentially devastating.

Stomach acids are also a destructive agent. Persons who are Bulimic or have refluxive disease often sustain damage to the lingual surfaces of both their anterior and posterior teeth. Left untreated, considerable restorative efforts may be required to maintain proper oral health.

Lemons also can compromise the integrity of dental enamel. Patients who have acquired long standing habits of eating or sucking lemons typically require any number of restorative procedures to restore the surfaces of their teeth.

Crowns, veneers and in extreme cases, tooth replacement is required for treating enamel erosion.

©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Coffee, tea, and cola are notorious for leaving stains on your pearly whites.

Tobacco -- whether it's smoked or chewed -- is one of the worst offenders. Coffee, tea, and colas are culprits as well. Other possible causes include fruit juices (especially grape), red wine, fruits such as blueberries, soy sauce, and curry. Think of it this way: If a food or beverage can leave permanent stains on clothes or carpets, it can probably taint your teeth.

Aging also contributes to the yellowing of teeth. The enamel, which is the hard outer coating of your teeth, wears thin, allowing the underlying layer of yellowish dentin to show through.

And some stains are what's called intrinsic. That is, they actually occur on the inside of the tooth. For example, children who take the antibiotic tetracycline (or whose mothers took it during pregnancy) often have such stains. Silver-colored fillings can sometimes leach out and stain the surrounding tooth.

Some folks simply go ahead and take matters into their own hands, risking damage to their teeth and gums in the process. Before you can safely take action, however, you have to understand what kind of stains are dulling your teeth. And you need to be realistic, too, in what you seek: Even the healthiest, most perfectly maintained teeth are not pure white.

Only your dentist can correct intrinsic stains, through the use of such cosmetic procedures as composite resin bonding and porcelain laminate veneers (which essentially cover the offending colored area with opaque material). Stains from food and drink can often be removed with a professional dental cleaning. Another option is in-office bleaching, such as "Zoom".

Brush your teeth twice daily using a toothpaste containing fluoride. To get the most benefit from the fluoride, do not rinse the toothpaste away after brushing.

Clean between your teeth using dental floss, woodsticks or an inter-dental brush according to your dentist's advice. Visit your dentist regularly. This way, problems can be diagnosed early and your treatment will be more straightforward.

What should I do if I have toothache?

If you have toothache, seek immediate advice from your dentist before the problem becomes severe.

Pulpitis is often reversible and, once your dentist has identified and treated the problem (usually with a simple filling), the toothache will disappear. A dental abscess will require extraction of the tooth or a more complicated filling (root canal treatment ) if the tooth is to be saved.

However, the following advice may be helpful until you are able to see your dentist:

--avoid hot, cold or sweet stimuli. This will help prevent pain from pulpitis.
--if the pain is prolonged and severe, painkillers such as ibuprofen (eg Nurofen) may provide some relief. Remember even if the pain goes away, without treatment it will eventually become worse.
if the pain is caused by exposed root surfaces, toothpaste for sensitive teeth, either used normally or rubbed onto the exposed root, may be helpful.
--a hot saltwater mouthwash (a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water) used to thoroughly rinse the painful area may help if the problem is caused by a tooth erupting.
--a saltwater mouthwash can also prevent infection if you have mouth ulcers.
visit your dentist as soon as possible. This way any treatment will be simple.
 

What causes toothache?

--Dental decay.
--A fracture of the tooth.
--A cracked tooth. This may be invisible and so can be difficult to diagnose.
--Irritation of the pulp following dental treatment. Regardless of how well it is done, dental treatment and the materials used to fill the tooth can sometimes cause pain later.
--An exposed tooth root, which can occur if the gums recede or are damaged by over-vigorous brushing.

The following problems can also cause symptoms similar to toothache, even though the teeth themselves may be free of disease:

--an abscess in the gum (lateral periodontal abscess).
--ulceration of the gums (acute ulcerative gingivitis).
--ulceration of the soft tissues can sometimes be mistaken for toothache.
--inflammation of the gum around a tooth which is in the process of growing/breaking through (pericoronitis).
--inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis) can be mistaken for toothache in the upper jaw.
--Several other conditions may also cause pain in the mouth - always seek advice from your dentist if you have toothache.

It is worth remembering that the nerves supplying the teeth sometimes give the wrong message to the brain. This means that, although you feel pain in a particular tooth, the problem may actually be in a different tooth - even one located in the opposite jaw.