Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What is the advantage of baking soda and peroxide toothpastes?

A: Many decades ago several theories were advanced purporting beneficial effects of baking soda and peroxide, and these ideas were revived by a prominent dentist who lectured extensively on the subject in the 1970's. Since that time, however, after exhaustive research in this area, almost all of these claims have been dismissed as unsubstantial. Unfortunately, most of the public (and sadly many dentists) are ignorant of this fact, and several manufacturers have capitalized on this misinformation.

Over the past few years, the market has been flooded by toothpaste products which contain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and hydrogen peroxide. Many of these products carry the American Dental Association seal of acceptance. The advertisements for these products are highly misleading, however. You will notice that none of these companies make any direct claims of beneficial effects of these ingredients. The reason why is because they can't. There simply is no credible scientific evidence that either of these ingredients are of any benefit to oral health whatsoever, in spite of extensive research in this area. In fact, if you read the labels, sodium bicarbonate and peroxide are listed as "inactive ingredients", "flavorings", or simply "other ingredients." These products carry the ADA seal of acceptance because they contain the "active ingredient" Fluoride.

Presently, the only scientifically substantiated claim (although still dubious) of peroxide in toothpaste is not health related at all. Many toothpaste manufacturers promote their products as "whitening toothpaste", because peroxide can have the effect of bleaching the teeth, however it is highly unlikely that one would see a significant effect because of the low concentration of peroxide contained in these products.

Q: What is the difference between Family Dentistry, Cosmetic Dentistry and General Dentistry?

A: In Illinois the designations "Family Dentist" and "Cosmetic Dentist" are technically illegal, since they are not recognized dental specialties. Many practitioners are either ignorant of the law or are simply taking their chances, since this law is rarely enforced. Many people are easily confused because there are recognized medical specialties of Family Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery, both of which entail formal training and specialty board certification.

From a legal standpoint, a General Dentist may inform the public of services which he/she renders, but may not advertise to hold a specialty which does not exist. (e.g. Dr. Provenzale Jr. is certified and licensed to perform general anesthesia, and has completed a formal hospital residency program. However, since there presently is no recognized dental specialty of Anesthesiology, he legally cannot advertise to be a Dental Anesthesiologist.) The American Dental Association recently took up the issue of granting specialty recognition for Anesthesiology and Oral Radiology, however both measures were defeated.

Currently there are eight recognized dental specialties: Orthodontics, Periodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Oral Pathology, and Public Health.

Q: What are the pros and cons of bonded white fillings campared to traditional silver fillings?

A: Silver fillings, or "amalgams" have been the traditional filling of choice for most cavities for over 100 years. Their proven track record and cost-effectiveness are unrivalled (there are few other things which we use every day that can be expected to last decades.) Their obvious drawback is their color, which usually becomes dark grey over a period of time due to oxidation (i.e.tarnish.) Also, many health risks have been attributed to silver-amalgam fillings, but there exists no reliable data at present to substantiate these claims. These fillings have been blamed for causing almost every disease known to mankind, but the likelihood of this being true is almost nil.

In contrast, tooth colored fillings are much more cosmetically desirable, and have not yet been incriminated in causing any diseases. These fillings are composed of a resin-based material called composite. The fillings are chemically bonded to the tooth structure. Composite fillings have been used successfully for many years now in front teeth. However, because of lack of strength, wear resistance, and problems with recurrent decay, their use has been somewhat limited for back teeth. Also, due to distortion of the material as it is cured (using a high intensity light), composites in back teeth frequently cause sensitivity.

Because of the high demand for these types of fillings, many new products have been developed in recent years to address these drawbacks, and to a large degree they have succeeded. Their predictability has been significantly enhanced, but their life-expectancy typically does not surpass that of silver amalgam, and usually cost at least 40% more.

Q: If my dentist tells me not to chew with a tooth until the following day, and I board a jet which crosses the International Date Line, can I eat the peanuts?

A: Please don't insalt our intelligence!