Cleanest and Dirtiest Teeth
Where the Teeth Bite
It's a good thing barbecue is so popular in Texas -- worst case, the state's dentally challenged can simply gum their fall-off-the-bone favorite. In ranking the nation's best and worst teeth, two Lone Star State cities -- El Paso and Lubbock -- finish in the bottom 10, with San Antonio and Dallas close behind. Nor is this just a beauty contest, given that poor oral hygiene is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and even pancreatic cancer.
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Worst Cities for Dental Care
Courtesy of Men's Health
Top 5 Worst Cities: Number 5: Jackson, MS
Top 5 Worst Cities: Number 4: Salt Lake City, UT
Top 5 Worst Cities: Number 3: Spokane, WA
Top 5 Worst Cities: Number 2: Philadelphia, PA
Top 5 Worst Cities: Number 1: Lubbock, TX
Top 5 Best Cities: Number 5: Aurora, CO
Top 5 Best Cities: Number 4: St. Paul, MN
Top 5 Best Cities: Number 3: Raleigh, NC
Top 5 Best Cities: Number 2: Nashville, TN
Top 5 Best Cities: Number 1: Madison, WI
Our analysis includes stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the number of people who visit their dentists for annual checkups, the number of no-shows whose choppers are dropping out, and the number of households with fluoride on tap. And since warding off gum disease is key to keeping your smile, we also factored in who's flossing, from Mediamark Research. When the computer spit out the results, it became clear that some drilling is needed in Texas, and we don't mean for oil.
The acid bath
On the surface it makes sense: Brush your teeth after breakfast. Problem is, cereal, bananas, and OJ are acidic, and if you eat them and then brush right away, you'll remove some of the temporarily softened tooth enamel. The remedy? Wait 20 minutes before you brush, says David Bartlett, B.D.S., Ph.D., a British expert on dental erosion.
Scan for stroke
After your dentist checks for cavities, ask him to eyeball your arteries. The panoramic dental x-ray not only offers a 180-degree window into your oral health, but also reveals whether the other plaque is piling up in your carotid arteries--plaque that might otherwise go undetected until you stroke out. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of dentists bother to look. "Many dentists miss the bigger picture of health," says Laurie Carter, D.D.S., Ph.D., president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Nudge your dentist to examine your x-ray. If he sees anything suspicious, ask him to send the film to your physician.
Next: Complete List of Rankings
Recent Comments
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8 comments
giacomino8 02:36:56 PM Dec 27 2008
Ironic isnt it that these places are also where the most per capita religious homophobe freaks live. They also have the highest rates of heart disease and obesity. Researchers also link this to higher rates of poverty and much, much lower rates of educational achievement (can some of you even read this???). Hows that for karma folks! Maybe we should stop worrying about some gays and Ellen LA and my hometown NYC getting married and more about our trailer park lifestyles :-)
Jettyw 05:53:57 PM Dec 26 2008
Texas is not in the South.I live in Houston and my family has good teeth.We go to the dentist every year for check up,I don't know where they get this topic from.I must say Houston is a booming city and most of Texas also.Just leave the Texans alone.
ben5431 05:43:38 PM Dec 26 2008
I read this article about a year ago somewhere else. The study was done by "Men's Health" which we all know is a trusted staple for scientific research***(sarcasm.) Here is how the study was conducted: âanalysis includes stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the number of people who visit their dentists for annual checkups, the number of no-shows whose choppers are dropping out, and the number of households with fluoride on tap. And since warding off gum disease is key to keeping your smile, we also factored in whoâs flossing, from Mediamark Research.âIf you want valid information about how healthy a population is I'd find sources from Public Health Dentists and peer reviewed, published journals....Not a "Men's Health" graphic. This information alone is not enough to really generalize an entire city/state/region etc. Kentucky and West Virginia are the most edentulous states and also have the highest rate of smoking and it shows.As for the Texas debate
Jacash0087 05:27:05 PM Dec 26 2008
hahaha. OMG...Chrisflood23 actually said Texas is not in the south. That's hilarious. Southwest, Southeast...the key word there is SOUTH. Where is the South, then? South Carolina is in the Southeast. So they must not be in the South either. Idiot.
KBABY2545 05:22:55 PM Dec 26 2008
Let's just blame "bad toothed Texans" on the environment..........or better yet, let's just blame it on Bush...................what the hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KBABY2545 05:20:18 PM Dec 26 2008
Let's just blame bad toothed Texans on the environment too...........or better yet, let's blame it on Bush, what the hell!!!!!!!!
dhamlin11jgr 04:26:38 PM Dec 26 2008
Last time I checked, the word Southwest has the word South in it, so there's really no point in nitpicking, got anything else to add? Well, it's disgusting is what it is.
Chrisflood23 04:12:46 PM Dec 26 2008
Texas in NOT in the South. It's Southwest. An irresponsible headline to say the least.
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8 comments
