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^{No, that’s not a satellite photo of a distant planet. That’s a super-enlarged photo of eroded tooth enamel.}

The other day, we talked about how Dr. Nate’s Naturals toothpaste is gluten-free.  We made this decision because healthcare providers are finding that more and more people suffer from celiac disease or gluten intolerance, a painful auto-immune condition which causes inflammation of the small intestine, which in turn can lead to poor absorption of nutrients and a whole host of resultant problems.  It’s estimated that the condition can affect more than 1% of the population.

Because celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder, and because it can block absorption of mineral and nutrients into the system, it has also been linked to excessive erosion of tooth enamel.  More worryingly, it is particularly connected to enamel erosion in children, and this can lead to significant dental care challenges as they grow older.

What does this mean for you if you or your child has celiac disease or is gluten-intolerant?

Well, I’m not a medical doctor (though I am a dentist!), but here’s what I recommend to my patients:

• If you suspect that you or your child has celiac disease or is struggling with a gluten sensitivity, see your doctor to get tested.  A gluten sensitivity in an adult may be managed simply by watching your diet; full-blown celiac disease, especially in a child, needs professional diagnosis and careful healthcare
• If your child has celiac disease or struggles with gluten tolerance, it’s extra-important to ensure that s/he is getting regular, comprehensive dental attention, to identify and treat any enamel-related issues early
• Make sure to tell your dentist about the celiac disease in yourself or your child, and ask about extra steps you can take to stop problems before they start
• Your dentist can provide you and your child with gluten-free checkups and oral healthcare products – just phone ahead and ask

And don’t worry!  Many people struggling with celiac disease and gluten intolerance say that when they manage their diet well – i.e. ensure they’re following a gluten-free diet plan – their dental problems decline dramatically.  Dentists are more aware of the connection between dental health and overall health than ever before, and you might be surprised at how much they can help.

The Rutherford County Commission’s Steering, Legislative and Governmental Committee has voted to recommend Dr. Nate Schott’s appointment to the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board this week.

As a practicing dentist and owner/operator of Murfreesboro Dental Excellence and part-owner of the Trust Point Hospital being built near the Middle Tennessee Medical Center, as well as the “Dr. Nate” in Dr. Nate’s Naturals oral healthcare products, Dr. Schott will become the voice of healthcare on the board.

“We have a lot to offer companies who will potentially come to our area with its terrific workforce and our business climate,” said Dr. Schott.  ”I’m looking forward to being a part of that.”

Most of us don’t look forward to going to the dentist, and when we’re finally there, we spend most of the time counting the minutes until we can leave again.  So you might not know that your neighborhood dentist may be much more involved with your community than you realize.

Today, we wanted to share some stories about dentists who are helping others.

‘Give Kids a Smile’

Dentist Sam Romano has donated his time to provide dental services to needy children in Guatemala, and recently participated in the ‘Give Kids a Smile’ program, a day of free dental care for kids 12 and under in Madison and surrounding areas.

In Minnesota, dentists and hygienists were able to help more than 6000 kids in the same program.

We’re so happy to see that this program continues to grow every year!

Free dental clinics

1500 volunteers, including dentists, hygienists and support staff, are coming together to hold a free dental clinic in Connecticut in March, where over 2000 people will be treated regardless of income or where they live.

In Oklahoma this week, more than 2000 patients were treated at another free dental clinic.

And in the Chicago area, a group of local dentists are working together to provide free or low-cost dental care for 130 patients a year in their Dentist With a Heart program.

What we’re doing

This week, we received a nice thank you – in the form of a blog – from one of our patients, Rick McGrath.  Rick’s flooring business was recently almost destroyed by flooding and he thought he would have to delay his dental work until things got going again.  But dental health is important – so we took care of it.

And this week Dr. Nate, along with Daryl Mackin from A Soldier’s Child, judged the Iron Chef cooking competition at the local high school, where kids get to show off their new-found life skills.

Dentists really are trying to put more smiles on more faces!

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to participate in the Knowledge is Power: Autism Resources mini-conference sponsored by Learning Rx here in Murfreesboro.

It was a great event, and we loved meeting all the parents, families and caregivers of children and young adults struggling with autism.  And we gave out a lot of toothpaste!

One of the questions I was asked most often was:  ”Is your toothpaste gluten-free?”

The answer:  Yes, 100%.

Many people believe that a gluten-free and casein-free diet can improve the behaviour of kids with autism.  And of course people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities find their symptoms are greatly improved when they remove gluten (and often casein) from their diets.

(I do want to state here that we are not autism experts, and not everyone agrees about using a gluten-free and casein-free diet to treat autism behaviors.)

What we do know is that Dr. Nate’s toothpaste can be helpful to parents of kids with autism and other special needs because it’s non-toxic, fluoride-free, and not poisonous.  So if you’ve got kids who can’t always be trusted to spit out their toothpaste, or are prone to swallowing it or even trying to eat it, our toothpaste is safer to have around the house.

We’re very pleased to announce that Dr. Nate will be participating in the Knowledge is Power: Autism Resources and mini-conference here in Murfreesboro tomorrow, January 25.

It’s hosted by Learning RX Murfreesboro, and brings together parents, families and healthcare practitioners to share information and resources about coping with autism in the family.   The keynote speakers will be Phil and Amy Parham, stars of “The Biggest Loser” reality series, and parents of a child with autism. Come join us for an informative evening!

It’s going to be a very informative evening – click here to join us!

I know that the received wisdom in the blogosphere these days is (often) that if information is being provided by a ‘big company’, it must be biased and/or unreliable.

That can be true, especially if a company is trying to sell you something or convince you of a specific point of view.

However, sometimes big companies do provide good resources – particularly when their goal is to convince healthcare practitioners that they’re credible and reliable.

One such site is DentalCare.com.  You’ll see that it’s ‘brought to you by Crest and Oral-B’, but the site has been designed for dental healthcare professionals, not the general public, so the quality of information is quite high and it has good basic information on dental health.

We like:

Kid’s Mouths – An Insider’s View
This is an easy-to-understand guide to children’s teeth development from birth to 10 years old.

Parent’s Guide to Caring for Children’s Teeth
This is a handy guide to taking care of your kids’ teeth, and helping to teach them good oral hygiene.  And it talks about everything from antibiotics to orthodontics.

Wisdom teeth
Good basic information about wisdom teeth, what happens when they become impacted, and what happens when they’re removed.

We’ve extended our  promotion

Toothpaste – $6 (+ shipping)

Toothpaste – 2 for $10 (+ shipping)

Lip Therapy – $5 (+ shipping)

Click here to start shopping!

We recently received this question from one of our online customers:

“I have a problem with getting sores on my tongue from a lot of different toothpastes.  Toothpastes with whitener seem to make it worse – and it’s hard to find toothpastes without whiteners these days.  But after reading your information I’m wondering if it’s the fluoride instead.  Can you help?”

Mouth sores – which can range from canker sores to irritated spots to mouth ulcers – can be painful, and can lead to bigger problems.  Here’s what we recommend:

1.  If the sores persist for more than a few days, or keep returning, visit your dentist.

Most of the time, mouth sores aren’t serious, and they’ll clear up on their own.  However, in some rare cases they can be indicative of a larger problem, and left untreated, they can lead to infection.  So if you’re in any doubt, check with your dentist.  There are medications that can help with serious conditions.

2.  Are you getting enough vitamins?

Deficiencies in vitamin C, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc have been linked to mouth ulcer formation.  Think about what you’ve been eating lately – it may be time to add a multi-vitamin to your daily routine.

3.  Have you recently quit smoking?

People who have recently stopped smoking may find that they start to develop canker sores or other mouth irritations.  Doctors aren’t sure exactly why this happens, but you  may find that eating yogourt, adding a multi-vitamin, or using an antiseptic mouthwash will reduce the problem.  Most former smokers find that the sores eventually stop recurring – don’t let it get in the way of quitting smoking!

4.  Check your toothpaste

There is evidence that SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), which is the chemical that causes ‘foaming action’ in toothpastes (as well as soaps and shampoos, among other products) can cause mouth sores in some people.  Try using a natural toothpaste without SLS (like Dr. Nate’s or others) and see if that reduces the occurrence of sores.

When considering ‘whitening’ toothpastes, have a look at the ‘whitening agent’ (i.e. the chemical used to promote whitening).  Most people will not have a negative reaction to a whitener like baking soda, but if you’re prone to mouth sores, you may want to stay away from other types of whitening agents.

Some people who suffer with mouth sores find that using a toothpaste without fluoride also helps improve their symptoms, though there is little research to suggest a causal connection.  Our advice is to try going fluoride-free for a few weeks and see if that makes a difference.

Got a dental question?  We’d love to hear from you!

Email Dr. Nate at info@drnates.com.

People often ask us exactly what’s in Dr. Nate’s, and if it really is ‘natural’.

Here’s the complete list of our ingredients, and links to more information about the ingredients you might not be familiar with:

• Glycerin
• Purified water
• Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (this is a calcium-based mineral)
• Hydrated silica
• Dicalcium phosphate (a dietary supplement of calcium and phosphorus)
• Zinc citrate (a supplement)
• Xylitol (a natural sweetener)
• Natural mint flavor
• Aloe barbadensis leaf juice
• Tea tree oil
• Carageenan (a seaweed extract)
• Sucralose
• Sodium bicarbonate

And our toothpaste is always fluoride-free!

We’re very pleased to announce that you can now buy Dr. Nate’s toothpaste and lip therapy in Bangkok, Thailand, at the Cherie Amour BKK store!

Cherie Amour is a beautiful lifestyle home and accessories store which features everything from handmade (reclaimed) teak furniture to jewelry and candles.

If you’re travelling to Thailand, be sure to stop in for a visit – and if you’re not, stop by their Facebook page anyway, because their furniture and jewelry is worth a look!