SMILE REHAB REJUVENATION DENTISTRY SMOKING AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums and the bone that surrounds your teeth. The infection is caused by bacteria that live in the plaque, the sticky film of food and bacteria that form constantly on your teeth. The bacteria infect the tooth roots and cause pockets of infection to form In the gums. New Treatment, Ancient History Judith Doner Berne Special to the Jewish News M odern-day hyperbaric medicine has undersea roots. But historical accounts trace the very first use of increased atmosphere pres- sures on humans to the fifth cen- tury BCE. Some 1,1000 years later, a British clergyman built the first sealed chamber in 1662 to treat inflammation, scurvy, arthritis and rickets, but likely had too little compression to work. Oxygen was discovered in the early 1770s. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been used clinically since the mid-1800s, although not always reliably, according to various reports. It was tested and developed by the U.S. military after World War I and used safely since the 1930s to help displace nitrogen and relieve decompression sickness, com- monly known as "the bends." The U.S. Navy in the 1950s uncovered a number of added ben- efits from exposure to hyperbaric oxygen chambers. The Navy's clinical trials showed that oxygen under pressure could counter carbon monoxide poisoning and bacterial infections. In 1967, the Undersea Medical Society was formed; but in 1986, it became the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS). The name change reflect- ed the rapidly growing interest in hyperbaric oxygen physiology and therapy. The UHMS's purpose is to provide scientific information to protect the health of sport, mili- tary and commercial divers and to improve the scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, pro- mote sound treatment protocols and standards of practice and pro- vide accreditation. In the 1960s and '70s, hyper- baric oxygen became the wonder drug, according to Dr. Bruce Ruben, a Farmington Hills HBOT practitioner who also lectures on its history and uses. "But it was over utilized for multiple maladies without scientific justification," he says. A review by UHMS determined that HBOT was scientifically valid for 13 major indications, which are covered by Medicare and most major insurers. They are: • Air or gas embolism • Carbon monoxide poisoning (complicated by cyanide poison- ing) • Gas gangrene • Crush injury • Decompression sickness • Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds (diabetic ulcers, for example) • Exceptional blood loss (ane- mia) • Intracranial abscess • Necrotizing soft tissue infec- tions • Osteomyelitis (refractory) • Delayed radiation injury (soft tissue and bony necrosis) • Skin grafts and flaps (compro- mised) • Thermal burns "New areas of investigation include the treatment of acute vision loss due to arterial or venous occlusion and jaw injury due to drugs used for the treat- ment of cancer in the bone," says Dr. Richard Moon, medical director of Duke University's Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology in Durham, N.C. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy now occupies a legitimate place in modern medical practice and there has been consistent growth in the number of hyperbaric cham- bers," Moon says. Duke is a national center for studies involving hyperbaric medi- cine. Smoking helps cause periodontal disease In two ways: it reduces the production of saliva, and it damages the body's ability to fight off infection. Saliva is necessary for oral health because it helps wash bacteria from the teeth, so less saliva means more plaque. Smoking damages your immune system by causing blood vessels to constrict throughout you entire body. This constriction reduces the flow of Infection-fighting white blood cells, oxygen and nutrients to the gums making them more susceptible to Infection. Besides contributing to the onset of periodontal disease, continuing to smoke after periodontal treatment makes It much harder for your gums to heal. By becoming a nonsmoker you can strengthen the fight against periodontal disease and keep your teeth. ROBERT..P.. 'DI PILLa. -DDS PC FELLOW ACADEMY OF GENERAL DENTISTRY New York, NY 212.355.4777 Birmingham, MI 248.646.0442 Golnick Pediatric Dental Associates Jason M Golnick DDS, MS Michelle Tiberia DDS, MS Arnold L. Golnick DDS, MS The Pediatricians of Dentistry BAUM MITIVAN SPECIAL FREE CLEANING* 2 melts of your child's nal Milluah Golnick Pediatric Dental Associates treat the dental needs of infants, children, adolescents. • Positive and friendly staff • Emergencies seen promptly • Most insurances accepted Nitrous oxide and sedation available • Open daily Lakes Medical Center 2300 Haggerty Road Suite 1180 West Bloomfield, MI 48323 1264080 248-668-0022 OeliTINIESSEI 2007 33