Read About What Soda Could Do To Your Teeth

I'm sure we've all heard the claim that if you leave a tooth in a glass of cola the tooth will dissolve. If you hadn't, you have now.

A few days ago I saw a news story about the incredibly bad dental health of children in eastern Kentucky. The rampant tooth decay there is being blamed partly on their consumption of large amounts of soda (specifically Mountain Dew, which has 50% more caffeine than Coke or Pepsi and is claimed to be "used as a kind of anti-depressant for children in the hills.").

A sad fact in the story is that the Central Appalachian region leads the nation in toothlessness. A bright spot in the story is Dr. Edwin Smith, who travels the area in a mobile dental clinic he financed himself. For many families, this is their only option for seeing a dentist.

Situations like this are the reason the National Children's Oral Health Foundation exists. 

Help Protect Children's Teeth With Dental Sealants

We've talked about the importance of proper oral hygiene for "baby teeth." Yes, they will eventually fall out, but proper care for them sets the stage for the "permanent teeth," which are certainly not immune to decay. 

Hopefully a good brushing and flossing routine will be a habit by the time those permanent teeth arrive. They will be used for a much longer time than baby teeth. Your dentist can bolster the home care and help prevent decay by applying dental sealants to those workhorse molars. The first permanent molars typically appear around age six.

If you are an adult who is prone to tooth decay, dental sealants might be right for you as well.  Ask your dentist about them.

Brushing and Flossing Should Be Like Frog and Toad: Friends

Since my last post was about teaching your children the importance of proper brushing, I would be remiss if I didn't follow it up with stressing the importance of flossing. Just like brushing, it should be done frequently and properly. Teach your kids to floss every time they brush.

Ideally, flossing should begin as soon as there are two teeth together.  Typically, children can begin to learn to floss by themselves starting at age two or three.

To help you, 1800DENTIST.com has a step-by-step flossing guide for kids. We're nice like that.

Teach Your Children The Importance of Proper Brushing

While it is very important to see your dentist at least twice per year, the most important part of taking care of your teeth should be occurring at home: brushing and flossing properly and regularly. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth for at least two minutes at least twice a day. Use a timer or play a song to get your child used to brushing for the proper amount of time. Many toothbrushes have timers or lights built in to help you.  

Getting your children into the the brushing habit early can help prevent tooth decay and more serious problems later in life. It is important to set a good example, so make sure you practice what you preach.

February is National Children's Dental Health Month

Happy February, also known as National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM). It is a great time to make sure your family is current on visits to the dentist. 

NCDHM began as a one-day event in Ohio in 1941. It gradually expanded until it became an entire month in 1981. Many of my blog posts this month will focus on children's dentistry and oral health, from helping your own kids to ways to help those who are less fortunate.

There are many resources to help create awareness and promote good oral health for children, both at home and in school. Some can be found at 1800DENTIST.com.  If you need a dentist for your child or for yourself, contact 1-800-DENTIST today. 

Children and Dentistry

I learned recently that the number one reason a child is brought to the emergency room is for a dental problem.  What's worse, many times that child has never been to a dentist.  It is critical to a child's overall health to see a dentist starting as early as three years old, or younger.

Many people believe that since the first set of teeth will fall out anyway, there is no reason to see a dentist.  This is absolutely not true.  If a child's baby teeth are not healthy, then the second set of teeth will not come in properly and problems with enamel density and other issues will plague the child for the rest of his life.

The state of California now mandates that all children must see a dentist before entering the first grade.  I hope all states adopt this law, but more importantly I hope parents start taking their children at a younger age.  Imagine being a child with a toothache in school, trying to learn.  I can barely tie my shoes when I have tooth pain.

Keeping kids healthy means keeping their mouth and their teeth healthy.  Find a dentist that makes your child feel comfortable, so that they can begin a life of proper dental care.  Like most things, starting early is the key.  

Halloween--the dentists' holiday!

What an amazing holiday. We keep a giant bowl of candy in the house for about a week, and then distribute more candy in a night than anyone should eat in a year. The worst thing you can do for your teeth is eat candy all through the day, or worse, right before you go to bed. And not to sound like a mom, but you need to brush your teeth after you eat candy. Sort of ruins the taste, I know.

But here's the problem: the bacteria in your mouth love sugar. The devour it like a ten year old devours candy, and then the bacteria secrete acid which causes the teeth to decay, first as cavities, more typically in children, and then also as gum disease in adults.

So what do you do? Some simple rules:
1. Have specific times when you or your kids eat candy, and limit the quantity.
2. Brush soon after, or at least rinse with water.
3. Avoid the stickier, gummier candies. They adhere to the teeth and provide a much more sustained sugar supply to the plaque bacteria.
4. Don't let your kids have a "stash" of their new booty. If they see it, or know it's there, they'll eat a lot more of it. This goes for adults too. Probably even more.

A friend of mine gives out candy and toothbrushes at the same time on Halloween. Don't try just toothbrushes or you'll get a trick for sure!

If your kids have eaten a lot of candy around this holiday, make sure they see a dentist soon after. The best time to treat a cavity is early on, when it has done little damage to the enamel.
If they don't like to go to the dentist, find one with a better chairside manner. The right dentist can be the authority figure with your children (taking you out of that role for at least one thing!) and at the same time help your kids learn to appreciate good oral hygiene.