Things are changing in today’s dentistry. Where once the focus was almost entirely on teeth our horizons have expanded. Today’s leading progressive dentists such as myself look at the bigger picture ; the whole person.
We know that poor oral health is associated with a number of diseases. That list includes heart disease, birthing issues, and certain blood disorders, among many others. It is a new ballgame out there.
The reverse is also true. Many diseases adversely affect oral health. The most well known is diabetes. I have personally seen in my Encino dental office that diabetics always seem to have a terrible problem with their gums. Healing and infection fighting are poor. It is a battle.
Being concerned about my patients overall health I have some information to share with you about a major cause of many health problems: obesity. It’s a national epidemic.
FYI below is a list of the fat content of some fast foods for your information. Note that the USDA recommends no more than 65grams of fat per day in our diets.
1.Firehouse Thai Chili Pork Sub. 95 grams of fat.
2. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger. 95 grams of fat
3. Burger Kings Triple Whopper. 75 grams of fat
4. Wendy’s Triple Cheese Burger. 66 grams of fat.
5. McDonald’s Clubhouse Sandwich. 38 grams of fat.
6. Taco Bell’s Cantina Burrito. 28 grams of fat
7. Subway’s Pepperoni Flatizza. 26 grams of fat
The average amount of sodium for the above is 2045 mg . Recommend daily max is 2300mg.
Don’t forget that typically these foods are not eaten alone. Fries come to mind. If you eat these or similar fast foods on a regular basis you have a problem. Admittedly I have picked some of the worst offenders but there are many similar.
My point in writing all of this is not only how dental health is related to heart health. That is pretty well known. I understand how we often choose to ignore health risks sometimes. As an Encino dentist I see it everyday. It reminds me of the same behavior I see daily with flossing or the lack there of. Remember, your dentist knows. You can’t fool me.
Tip of the Day: A toothpick is not obsolete. It effectively removes food and massages the gum at the same time. It can remove plaque. Used gently it can be very beneficial. Ask your Dental Hygienest.
Allan Melnick DDS
