Our goal is to help you keep your teeth for a life time!  If you have a lot of cavities now or if you have a history of cavities in the past, we need to restore the decayed teeth. But more importantly, we need to find out why you are having the cavities and how we can work together in finding pro-active solutions that would lessen or stop the cavities in the future. To achieve this, we recommend that you keep a “diet diary” for seven days. Here is how you do it: Keep a small spiral bound note book and a pen with you at all times for 7 consecutive days. Record: What you eat or drink Amount of what you eat or drink (e.g. 12 oz. etc.)  Most importantly the length of time it took to consume it. How many times a day and the length of time  you brush, floss, and/or rinse and what products you use. The rule is, if anything enters your mouth, it gets recorded - even vitamins, breath mints, chewing gum etc.  Then: Bring this diet diary to the office or mail it too: 1415 Sage Street, Gering, Nebraska 69341 or  E-mail it too: drgentledan@dr.com or Fax it too: 308-436-3451 Be sure to put your name and contact information on it.  I will analyze it, high light areas that are contributing to cavities and make suggestions to help you improve your dental health. Here is a suggested dental diet diary for your use. After all, if you keep on doing what you have been doing, you will keep on getting what you have been getting! This service is FREE.  Nutrition Fact Sheet from AGD

Back >>

What Does Your Mouth Say About Your Overall Health?   Living in a fast-paced society where fast food seems to dominate the food chain can mean a great deal for oral health – and poor food choices can even have a negative effect on teeth. In fact, in order for the body’s tissues to resist infection and for teeth to remain healthy, minerals and nutrients are essential in a person’s diet. The presence of too much or too little of any nutrient can have harmful effects, particularly on the mouth and teeth, and may contribute to oral diseases and infection, according to an article in the March 2007 issue of AGD Impact, the newsmagazine of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).    Poor nutrition affects the entire immune system, increasing susceptibility to many common disorders. People with lowered immune systems have been shown to be at higher risk for periodontal disease. Additionally, research shows a link between oral health and systemic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.   “Deficiencies in vitamins can cause poor tissue connectivity which can allow for tissue breakdown and subsequent invasion by bacteria, with the additional factor of poor oral health care, the situation can be exacerbated and exhibit as a more severe case of periodontal disease since nutritional deficiencies can compromise the immune system.”   Patients can improve their oral health and reduce the risk of periodontal disease by eating a balanced diet based on the well-known food guide pyramid, which recommends eating a variety of foods from the five food groups-grain, fruit, vegetables, milk and meat.A diet rich in dark, leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits helps the body to have adequate C and B vitamins, and limited amounts of sunshine help the body to produce Vitamin D, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium, which helps to build strong bones and teeth.   Eating a variety of foods as part of a well-balanced diet may not only improve dental health, but increasing fiber and vitamin intake may reduce the risk of other diseases.   What foods may be bad for your mouth?   Carbohydrates: Chips, bread, pasta, or crackers can be as harmful to the teeth as candy. Sticky, chewy foods: Raisins, granola bars, jelly beans, caramel, honey and syrup stick to teeth and make it difficult to wash the sugar away. Sugary snacks: Cookies, cakes or other desserts contain a high amount of sugar, which can cause tooth decay. Gum and candy: When chewing gum and eating candy, the sugar coats teeth, which can lead to cavities. Carbonated soft drinks: Regular and diet sodas contain phosphorous and carbonation, which wears away the enamel on teeth. Fruit or vegetable juices: These beverages tend to be high in sugar, which can damage tooth enamel and lead to decay. ADA 9/07 Up To Top

You, and Your Mouth, are What You Eat   Your mouth can say a lot about what you're eating, and your dentist may be the first person to spot potential nutritional imbalances.   Nutritional deficiencies result when there is an imbalance between what the body needs and what it is getting.  And those imbalances are particularly reflected in the oral cavity, where soft tissue renews very quickly – often in as little as three to seven days. The sensitivity of oral tissue can be particularly telling regarding deficiencies in folic acid, zinc and iron, which can show up as gum disease. Other conditions, such as diabetes and infection can also show symptoms in the mouth.   As such, your dentist may be the first member of your health care team to notice potential nutritional problems. It is important that patients keep all members of their health care team well informed on their medical histories, lifestyle and eating habits, so they can work together to identify any risks.Nutritional deficiencies limit the body's ability to fight disease, and in many cases the mouth is the first line of defense. Healthy gum tissue and saliva are crucial in fending off invading pathogens.   Patients can improve their oral health and reduce the risk of periodontal (gum) disease by eating a balanced diet based on the well-known Food Pyramid, which recommends eating a variety of foods from the five major food groups – grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and meats. Vitamin and mineral supplements also can help preserve periodontal health and boost overall health and well-being. Milk, which contains high levels of calcium, is particularly important for oral health and strong teeth and bones.AGD 08

Up To Top

18 Winning Ways to Get Kids off the Junk Food Track-Free Materials

Checking Obesity

All adults should be screened for obesity and obese patients should receive intensive counseling and behavioral interventions to help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight says U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.  Americans should be screened for obesity using the body mass index (BMI).  People BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight; people with BMI of more than 30 are considered obese.  The report says that men with a waist circumference greater than 40 inches and women with a waist circumference great than 35 increases are at increased risk for heart disease.
Annals of Internal Medicine 1/03   Academy of General Dentistry AGD Impact  pg 7 2/03

Compared to 1970 Americans are now eating:

	20% less beef, nearly twice as much chicken and turkey.
	50% more grain products.  Less than 2% of what flour is whole wheat
	25% more fruits and vegetables, potatoes account for 30% of our vegetable servings, mostly as fries or chips.  Iceberg lettuce is the number 2 veggie
	75% more cheese, but 22% less milk.  Mozzarella is 36% of our cheese consumption.   We drink more nonfat or reduced fat milk than whole
	75% more vegetable oil, 25% more shortening, 25% less margarine.
	30% more added sugars, we consume 34 teaspoons of added sugar a day (500).  Intake of non diet sodas has increased 65%.
	Americans are eating more of almost everything which adds on 300-500 more calories/day than 30 years ago.
	80% of all people underestimate food intake called the eye-mouth gap.  On the average we underestimate our daily diet by 800 calories.  We overestimate our fruit and diary intake and underestimate our sweets, refined grains, oils and other fats. NDA /.04

	Good food choices to fuel your body.
	Complex carbohydrates that are low in sugar and high in energy.
	Calcium rich snacks like cheese or yogurt to help build strong teeth and bones.
	When you do snack, try to eat the snack at one time rather than nibbling on it over a long period.
	Don't forget to brushing right after eating or rinsing your mouth.
	Floss daily.