Advanced Dentistry by Design Challenge: Increase Antioxidant Levels!
At Advanced Dentistry by Design we are excited to start a challenge to improve our health—by trying to increase antioxidant levels in ourselves and our staff.
What are antioxidants and why do we care?
Antioxidants are substances which may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Cut apples turn brown, leftovers begin to smell, cuts on your skin gets sore and inflamed; all of these are the result natural process called oxidation. It happens to all cells in nature, including the ones in your body.
Antioxidants are Mother Nature’s way of protecting the body from cell damage caused by oxidation, as mentioned above. Oxidation occurs naturally, but having enough antioxidants in your system can help your body control the oxidation damage. Professor Jeffery Blumberg, a Tufts University nutrition professor explains that, “while the body metabolizes oxygen very efficiently, 1% or 2% of cells will get damaged in the process and turn into free radicals.”
“Free radicals” is a term often used to describe damaged cells that can be problematic. They are “free” because they are missing a critical molecule, which sends them on a rampage to pair with another molecule. “These molecules will rob any molecule to quench that need,” Blumberg says.
The problem with free radicals is that they don’t simply kill another cell to acquire their missing molecule; they often “injure” the other cell, damaging its DNA, which creates the “seed” for disease. Mutated cells, those whose DNA has changed, grow abnormally, and reproduce abnormally—and quickly. This can lead to various forms in disease, including heart disease and cancer.
So why do we care about antioxidants in a dental office?
Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria—plaque and calculus—that have damaged and mutated the gum tissue. Periodontal disease has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, respiratory disease and many other health issues. Research now shows that if we can increase antioxidant levels in our bodies, we can reduce the effects of periodontal disease.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we should quit getting our regular professional dental cleanings, brushing and flossing, or worrying about other activities that affect our health. What it does mean is that we have another tool in our toolbox to combat periodontal disease, and so many other afflictions. This is an exciting new way to combat disease!
How can we get more antioxidants?
Antioxidants are found in many of the foods we eat every day. Fruits and vegetables are especially rich sources of certain antioxidants. Eating a healthy diet, with many fruits and veggies can, in fact, help lower the risk of certain diseases.
Antioxidants are also available in dietary supplements.
Some of the helpful antioxidants our bodies need are:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Beta-carotene
- Lutein
- Lycopene
- Selenium
At Advanced Dentistry by Design, we had the opportunity to get each team members’ antioxidant levels scanned by Kame Masterson with Pharmanex’s S3 scanner. The results were eye-opening, to say the least. Many of us had very low antioxidant levels, leaving much room for improvement.
Each team member has challenged themselves to raise their antioxidant levels, through various means. We’ve committed to doing things like juicing, either daily or more consistently, eating more fruits and veggies, taking multi-vitamins, and remembering to bring healthier snacks to work. For those taking multi-vitamins, they’ll each take different ones, to see if there are any variations or differences between the supplements.
In 60 days, Kame will come back to rescan everyone’s antioxidant levels, so we can note the changes. Hopefully we will see improvements in antioxidant levels; but more importantly, we hope to create positive, healthy changes in the lives of our team members and their families!
Stay-tuned for the updates!