Keep your Little Monster's Teeth Away From Harm this Halloween

The National Confectioners Association states that 93 percent of children will go trick or treating this year and return home with bags full of sugary candy that can turn anyone's mouth into a nightmare. By taking a few preventive steps, however, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) believes your children can enjoy Halloween without harming their teeth.

Fight Cavities with Healthier Treats
Since sugar-free gum is one treat that actually helps prevent cavities, it is a smart choice to drop in Halloween bags this year. Parents can also give it to their children to help neutralize the effects of sugary snacks after eating. Chewing sugar-free gum containing the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol reduces cavities. The chewing motion stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps cleanse the teeth. Sweets are especially harmful, since damaging acids form in the mouth every time you eat a sugary snack, and continue to affect the teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized. The sweetening agents in sugarless gum are effective in combating the bacteria in plaque and fighting the acid that eats away at enamel.

Remember that all Foods should be Consumed in Moderation
Certain foods such as sweets and soda are easily linked to tooth decay, however all foods can promote tooth decay if eaten in excess. The key is to teach kids to eat in moderation and make sure that they take proper care of their teeth. While healthy alternatives to candy such as fruit and nuts are great, these foods are sticky and can get caught in the pits and grooves of teeth causing decay,Reading nutrition labels and being sensible about the foods you and your children eat on a daily basis.

Benefits of this tip:

Visit http://www.agd.org/consumer/topics 10/06

Up To Top

National Dental Hygiene Month

Cavities with Healthier Treats

Since sugar-free gum is one treat that actually helps prevent cavities, it is a smart choice to drop in Halloween bags this year. Parents can also give it to their children to help neutralize the effects of sugary snacks after eating.

Chewing sugar-free gum containing the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol reduces cavities. The chewing motion stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps cleanse the teeth. Sweets are especially harmful, since damaging acids form in the mouth every time you eat a sugary snack, and continue to affect the teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized. The sweetening agents in sugarless gum are effective in combating the bacteria in plaque and fighting the acid that eats away at enamel.

Consume All Foods in Moderation

Certain foods such as sweets and soda are easily linked to tooth decay, however all foods can promote tooth decay if eaten in excess. The key? Teach kids to eat in moderation and make sure that they take proper care of their teeth. While healthy alternatives to candy such as fruit and nuts are great, these foods are sticky and can get caught in the pits and grooves of teeth causing decay. Reading nutrition labels and being sensible about the foods you and your children eat on a daily basis helps promote good oral and overall health,

Add Fluoride to Children's Regimen

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports over the past 50 years, the damage caused by tooth decay has been dramatically reduced primarily through the use of fluoride. Using fluoride can prevent tooth decay two ways; brushing teeth with fluoridated toothpaste and drinking fluoridated water.

Children should brush three times a day for two minutes and rinse with a fluoridated mouth rinse. Fluoride treatments, applied directly onto teeth, are also available in any dentist's office. As for fluoridated water, it can be delivered through the water supply. If that is not an option in your area, purchasing fluoridated bottled water can be worth the cost in lowered dental expenses. AGD October 10/03 10/04

National Orthodontic Health Month

Invisalign Express is here!

10/05

Up To Top

   Cheat Sheet for Preventing Decay

 Dental decay once commonly treated with a "drill them and fill them" approach, is now widely being treated as a preventable infectious disease.

     This new treatment method known as "Cavity Management" and could be the next big dental breakthrough for patients!

     We can now identify the infectious bacteria  that causes cavities...Streptococcus mutans and then rid the mouth of this bacteria BEFORE a cavity is formed.  This helps you to avoid a lifetime of dental repairs and take charge of your own dental destiny!

    Try this proactive program that can prevent, halt or even reverse early cavities.

Dentalnotes Fall 2002
Ladies' Home Journal pg 112, Oct 2002.

Up To Top

CANDY SEASON 

Tooth decay is often the "uninvited holiday guest"

Since sweets are a big part of this season, (Americans spent nearly $2.025 billion on Halloween candy this year, why not let your children have the candy with a meal, as a sweet dessert. Since they often have enough goodies to last for a couple weeks let THEM pick which ones they want for each day and divide the remaining treats into one week portions.  Freeze the rest in small bags-just enough for one week in each bag. 

   Remember research shows that it is not just what we eat, but how often we eat that affects our oral health.  

     Every time we eat, bacteria in plaque converts sugar and starches to harmful acids that attack tooth enamel.  Thus continuous snaking on candy feeds the bacteria that produce the  acid which cause the enamel to break down resulting in cavities.  

    So, treat the candy as dessert, eat it with a meal NOT between meals.  If you must snack on it .....brush afterwards.

Up To Top

 Here are some ways to tame the candy monster:

SOURCE Ohio Dental Association