An apple a day may keep the dentist away

Dietary habits of school children encourage an increase in sugar intake leading to a greater risk of cavities, reports the Academy of General Dentistry.

Over a 15-month period, researchers tracked the dietary habits and monitored the teeth of preschool children before and after the start of school. Results show that decayed, missing or filled teeth and initial cavities of the children jumped from 9.7 (at age five) to 15.3 cavities (at age six), an increase of 5.6 cavities within one year. Over the length of the study, the percentage of cavity-free school children dropped from 23 to 19 percent.
The easiest way parents can help children prevent tooth decay and cavities at school is to monitor their eating habits. For example, parents can offer their children healthy snack alternati ves such as apples, bite-size carrots or other foods that are naturally sweet, and instruct children to avoid candies, chocolate, caramels, soda, chocolate milk and other foods that contain refined sugar. Cavity-causing organisms feed on sugar and turn it into acid, which attacks tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. Sticky, chewy candy especially can linger on teeth throughout the day. If children do happen to eat sugary snacks at lunch, they should brush and rinse with water or eat a piece of fruit to help clean teeth surfaces and gums.
Also, parents should find out what their child's school lunch program offers. If programs do not offer healthy alternatives, talk to the school about incorporating healthy lunches or snacks.
Finally, parents should consider professionally-applied sealants as another way to protect children's teeth from cavities. Sealants, a thin coating of bonding material applied over a tooth, act as a barrier to cavity-causing bacteria. They can be put on as soon as the child's first permanent molars (back teeth) appear.

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Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

Opening Stuff With Your Teeth

Teeth are meant for eating, speaking properly, and smiling. Anything else can be unhealthy and this most certainly includes using them as tools. Despite the convenience, opening potato chip bags, bobby pins, or even bottle caps with teeth can cause teeth to chip or fracture. Reach for the proper tools for such tasks to save your teeth from unnecessary damage.

source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_pictures_habits_that_wreck_your_teeth/article_em.htm

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Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

Gummy Candy

Any candy is considered bad for your teeth, but the chewy, sticky kind is particularly harmful. The sticky nature of gummy candy, caramels, or jelly beans allows for them to get stuck in the crevices between or on the teeth and saliva is unable to wash it away. At a minimum, good tooth brushing and flossing after consuming these goodies can help, or just opt for sugar-free alternatives.

source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_pictures_habits_that_wreck_your_teeth/article_em.htm

1-877-Dr Teeth- (360) 740-6212

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Tobacco and Dental Health

Tobacco and Dental Health

How Does Smoking Lead to Gum Disease?

Smoking and other tobacco products can lead to gum disease by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. More specifically, it appears that smoking interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. This interference makes smokers more susceptible to infections, such as periodontal disease, and also seems to impair blood flow to the gums - which may affect wound healing.

Do Pipe and Cigar Smoking Cause Dental Problems?

Yes, like cigarettes, pipes and cigars do lead to oral health problems. According to results of a 23-year long study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, cigar smokers experience tooth loss and alveolar bone loss (bone loss within the jawbone that anchors teeth) at rates equivalent to those of cigarette smokers. Pipe smokers also have a similar risk of tooth loss as cigarette smokers. Beyond these risks, pipe and cigar smokers are still at risk for oral and pharyngeal (throat) cancers -- even if they don't inhale -- and other oral consequences -- bad breath, stained teeth, and increased risk of periodontal (gum) disease.

Are Smokeless Tobacco Products Safer?

No. Like cigars and cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products (for example, snuff and chewing tobacco) contain at least 28 chemicals that have been shown to increase the risk of oral cancer and cancer of the throat and esophagus. In fact, chewing tobacco contains higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes, making it harder to quit than cigarettes. And one can of snuff delivers more nicotine than over 60 cigarettes.

Smokeless tobacco can irritate your gum tissue, causing it to recede or pull away from your teeth. Once the gum tissue recedes, your teeth roots become exposed, creating an increased risk of tooth decay. Exposed roots are also more sensitive to hot and cold or other irritants, making eating and drinking uncomfortable.

In addition, sugars, which are often added to enhance the flavor of smokeless tobacco, can increase your risk for tooth decay. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association showed that chewing tobacco users were four times more likely than nonusers to develop tooth decay.

Smokeless tobacco also typically contains sand and grit, which can wear down your teeth. 

1-877-Dr Teeth- (360) 740-6212

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Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

Cough Drops

Although they are meant for medicinal purposes, cough drops have a high sugar content. Sucking on cough drops all day to soothe the throat also bathes your teeth in sugar. Dental plaque (which contains bacteria) increases in the mouth creating a higher incidence of decay and gum disease. A good alternative is to opt for cough drops that are sugar-free.

Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_pictures_habits_that_wreck_your_teeth/article_em.htm

1-877-Dr Teeth - (360) 740-6212

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A Habit That Can Wreck Your Teeth

Bedtime Bottles

Despite being an effective tool to lull your baby to sleep, bottles of milk at bedtime increase the risk of early dental decay in your baby's mouth. Prolonged exposure of the sugar in milk works with mouth bacteria to break down tooth enamel and results in rampant decay. There's even a name for it: Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. Find alternative methods to help your baby sleep before bedtime or use water in the bottle instead.

Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_pictures_habits_that_wreck_your_teeth/article_em.htm

1-877-Dr Teeth - (360) 740-6212

Town Center Dental

3 Locations - Chehalis, Wa -- Rochester, Wa -- Rainier, Or

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A Habit That Can Wreck Your Teeth

Playing Sports With No Mouth Guard

Going out on the playing field without something to protect your teeth is as important as wearing a helmet and other protective body gear. Your teeth are vulnerable to being knocked out or damaged from high impact sports such as basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. A sports mouth guard helps cushion hard blows to the teeth and jaw.

Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_pictures_habits_that_wreck_your_teeth/article_em.htm

1-877-Dr Teeth - (360) 740-6212

Town Center Dental

3 Locations - Chehalis, Wa -- Rochester, Wa -- Rainier, Or

phamdent@msn.com

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www.1877drteeth.com