All teeth have very slight movement. This can usually be perceived by placing one's fingers over the front teeth and wiggling them. A gadget was devised by a dentist to measure this small amount of tooth movement. In certain oral disease situations and in dietary deficiencies this movement has proved to be greater than normal.

With this fact in mind another simple scientific test was devised whereby a random sample of patients coming into a dental school had the amount of their tooth movement recorded. They were then given a single vitamin supplement and, will wonders never cease, within a very short period the amount of tooth movement was materially lessened. The excessive moveability of teeth present in so many with pyorrhea and other gum diseases starts with such almost unperceptible tooth movement.

For these reasons we think most people are helped by adding a multiple vitamin mineral supplement to their diet. When doing so it should be considered, not a pill or medicine, but merely part of one's food intake. While we must realize that this is a guess as to what is needed, for the most part such additions to our diets seem to work reasonably well.

Vitamin K Prevents Hemorrhaging After Tooth Extraction.

As hemorrhaging after tooth extractions does occur fairly often we supply patients before and after surgery with a supply of vitamins and and minerals to enhance and hasten healing. This includes a chlorophyll complex that is high in vitamin K. It works quickly and it is amazing how it lessens bleeding during intricate surgical procedures. The following is typical of the experiences of patients who improve their nutrition before oral surgery.

Dear Dr. Meinig: You advised me to take a chlorophyl complex high in vitamin K after breakfast for four days before I was scheduled to have my two remaining wisdom teeth removed. I had such a remarkable experience compared to the first extraction four months ago that I want to tell you about it.

I had absolutely no pain, no swelling, no soreness and no bleeding except for just a few minutes about a half hour afterwards because I was talking so much. The nurse gave me strict orders not to rinse, no hot liquids, pain killer prescription, etc. About 5 hours after surgery I ate dinner as usual, except for crunchy vegetables. My mouth was a little difficult to open completely but that was all the discomfort I had. I brushed my teeth and rinsed with warm and cold water.

No bleeding. The next morning my mouth was all back to normal. This was a most pleasant surprise since after the last wisdom tooth extraction it took several weeks for my mouth to get back to normal, not to mention the bleeding and pain immediately afterwards. Sincerely, S.N.H.

Gum is a Lot of Gook. A friend told me you advised her not to use chewing gum. I realize sugared gum is bad for our teeth but the ads all say 4 out of 5 dentists recommend sugarless gum. Is this true? The advertisement saying that 4 out of 5 dentists advise chewing sugarless gum implies dentists generally recommend gum chewing. While some do, I doubt that many make this recommendation. Anyway, I am one out of five that says, "Save your smile... stop chewing, it's verboten."

The main reason is all that chewing just plain wears out teeth. The amount of wear one gets from masticating food is relatively little but gum is a constant repeditive problem. If the teeth do not occlude well, there is in addition great strain which is harmful to the jaw joint.

Copyright (c) 2007 Sung Lee, and George Meinig D.D.S