Monday, April 28, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Orange Dental Associates Spring Special
The Orange Dental Associates Spring Special is here! Dental exams and x-rays for only $59!
Call us at +1 407-856-2555 or email us at http://orangedental.net/specials/
Call us at +1 407-856-2555 or email us at http://orangedental.net/specials/
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Dads’ dental fear may be passed on to their children
A father who is afraid to go to the dentist is likely to pass on his fear to his children, say Spanish researchers.
Although the researchers at Rey Juan Carolos University of Madrid say that previous studies have identified an association between fear levels of parents and children, no study has focused on the different roles of mothers and fathers in passing dental fear to children.
In a study published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, scientists surveyed 183 Madrid schoolchildren ranging in age from 7 to 12 years old, as well as their parents. Families received anonymous questionnaires that asked participants rated their level of fear on 15 items related to dentistry and other medical issues.
Scientists had two hypotheses: the greater dental fear is for one family member, the greater it would be for the other family members; and fathers will have more influence on their child’s fear level.
The data showed that mothers reported the highest levels of dental fear and researchers also said the data confirmed their first hypothesis.
They also concluded that the father’s feelings about going to the dentist play a key role in whether a mother's fear of the dentist will be passed on to their children.
“Although the results should be interpreted with due caution, children seem to mainly pay attention to the emotional reactions of the fathers when deciding if situations at the dentist are potentially stressful,” said study co-author Professor America Lara-Sacido.
Prof. Lara-Sacido said the results point to a need for dentists to reduce father’s dental fear levels by providing them with accurate information on dental treatments, simple relaxation techniques or addressing negative thoughts to prevent passing dental fears on to their children.
“With regard to assistance in the dental clinic, the work with parents is key,” Prof. Lara-Sacido said. "They should appear relaxed as a way of directly ensuring that the child is relaxed too. Through the positive emotional contagion route in the family, the right attitude can be achieved in the child so that attending the dentist is not a problem,” she said.
MouthHealthy.org, the ADA’s consumer website, offers advice for parents taking their child for a first dental visit (http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/healthy-habits/)
The ADA recommends that a child’s first dental visit should be scheduled within six months after the first tooth appears, but no later than a child’s first birthday.
“Don’t wait for them to start school or until there’s an emergency. Get your child comfortable today with good mouth healthy habits,” the website advises.
Although the first visit is mainly for the dentist to examine your child’s mouth and to check growth and development, it’s also about your child being comfortable. To make the visit positive, parents should:
Although the researchers at Rey Juan Carolos University of Madrid say that previous studies have identified an association between fear levels of parents and children, no study has focused on the different roles of mothers and fathers in passing dental fear to children.
In a study published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, scientists surveyed 183 Madrid schoolchildren ranging in age from 7 to 12 years old, as well as their parents. Families received anonymous questionnaires that asked participants rated their level of fear on 15 items related to dentistry and other medical issues.
Scientists had two hypotheses: the greater dental fear is for one family member, the greater it would be for the other family members; and fathers will have more influence on their child’s fear level.
The data showed that mothers reported the highest levels of dental fear and researchers also said the data confirmed their first hypothesis.
They also concluded that the father’s feelings about going to the dentist play a key role in whether a mother's fear of the dentist will be passed on to their children.
“Although the results should be interpreted with due caution, children seem to mainly pay attention to the emotional reactions of the fathers when deciding if situations at the dentist are potentially stressful,” said study co-author Professor America Lara-Sacido.
Prof. Lara-Sacido said the results point to a need for dentists to reduce father’s dental fear levels by providing them with accurate information on dental treatments, simple relaxation techniques or addressing negative thoughts to prevent passing dental fears on to their children.
“With regard to assistance in the dental clinic, the work with parents is key,” Prof. Lara-Sacido said. "They should appear relaxed as a way of directly ensuring that the child is relaxed too. Through the positive emotional contagion route in the family, the right attitude can be achieved in the child so that attending the dentist is not a problem,” she said.
MouthHealthy.org, the ADA’s consumer website, offers advice for parents taking their child for a first dental visit (http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/babies-and-kids/healthy-habits/)
The ADA recommends that a child’s first dental visit should be scheduled within six months after the first tooth appears, but no later than a child’s first birthday.
“Don’t wait for them to start school or until there’s an emergency. Get your child comfortable today with good mouth healthy habits,” the website advises.
Although the first visit is mainly for the dentist to examine your child’s mouth and to check growth and development, it’s also about your child being comfortable. To make the visit positive, parents should:
- Consider making a morning appointment when children tend to be rested and cooperative.
- Keep any anxiety or concerns you have to yourself. Children can pick up on your emotions, so emphasize the positive.
- Never use a dental visit as a punishment or threat.
- Never bribe your child.
- Talk with your child about visiting the dentist.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Teeth Grinding: Treatment Options and Tips for Protection
Every night, while many people reach for their memory foam pillow or a
good book to help them sleep, I reach for a small, green case on my
bedside table. Inside is a custom-made, acrylic mouth guard, which fits
over my teeth perfectly. I wear it to bed without fail.
This nightly ritual is not sexy, but necessary to protect my teeth. Like many other Americans, I grind my teeth at night, a condition called nocturnal bruxism. With the bite guard, I go to sleep looking like a prizefighter ready to spar, but wake up feeling relatively normal, and my teeth are— for the most part—unscathed. Without it, I wake up with a splitting headache and new damage to my teeth.
In severe cases like mine, the damage can be intense. But most people who grind their teeth have no idea they are even doing so, says Shawn Adibi, DDS, an assistant professor in the Department of General Practice and Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Dentistry. He says many people find out they are grinding from their spouse or partner who hears it at night or from their dentist. “When we tell them they are grinding their teeth at night, they are adamant that they don’t,” he says. “But we see the wear and tear, the shiny spots on the teeth that are indicative of grinding.”
With continued grinding, damage quickly becomes evident. The constant friction from the top and bottom teeth sliding against each other wears down tooth enamel—weakening the teeth and making them more vulnerable to cavities and breakage. The relentless grinding also has potential to stress the joints surrounding the jaw, causing severe and sometimes chronic headache, and in serious cases, lasting jaw damage.
A combination of stress and the structure of the teeth contribute to teeth grinding. People who have teeth spaced closely together are more likely to grind, as are, according to Adibi, people who suffer from emotional disturbances.
Adibi suggests patients who grind primarily because of stress work with mental health professionals to develop coping strategies, adding that both anti-anxiety medications and therapy help. “Once it (the stress) is controlled, the dentist has a better chance of managing the bruxism,” he says.
Most often, Adibi prescribes a bite guard, also called a bruxism appliance or night guard, to protect further destruction of the teeth. The goal is to stop the damage from progressing, he says.
Ondo’s study was a placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 23 participants with bruxism—13 were injected with Botox, 10 with a placebo. The injections weakened the study participants’ jaw muscles and temporarily prevented them from grinding their teeth at night.
Results presented at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in April show Botox’s potential as a treatment for teeth grinding, Ondo says. Patients in the study who received the Botox injections ground their teeth less, according to reports from study participants and feedback from their spouses or bed partners. The effects of Botox lasted three to four months and cost an average of $1,000 per treatment, depending on insurance coverage.
Ondo says the next step is to test out Botox for bruxism in a multicenter trial, with the goal of getting the Food and Drug Administration’s approval for the usage.
Using Botox to treat bruxism “relieves the pain caused by teeth grinding for a while and, in some cases, it is helpful if the patient has chronic pain,” says Adibi of the study. However, he recommends a treatment program that also addresses the underlying causes of the teeth grinding and a more long-term solution to protecting the teeth. “Hopefully more research can be done on new treatments such as this,” he says.
This nightly ritual is not sexy, but necessary to protect my teeth. Like many other Americans, I grind my teeth at night, a condition called nocturnal bruxism. With the bite guard, I go to sleep looking like a prizefighter ready to spar, but wake up feeling relatively normal, and my teeth are— for the most part—unscathed. Without it, I wake up with a splitting headache and new damage to my teeth.
In severe cases like mine, the damage can be intense. But most people who grind their teeth have no idea they are even doing so, says Shawn Adibi, DDS, an assistant professor in the Department of General Practice and Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Dentistry. He says many people find out they are grinding from their spouse or partner who hears it at night or from their dentist. “When we tell them they are grinding their teeth at night, they are adamant that they don’t,” he says. “But we see the wear and tear, the shiny spots on the teeth that are indicative of grinding.”
With continued grinding, damage quickly becomes evident. The constant friction from the top and bottom teeth sliding against each other wears down tooth enamel—weakening the teeth and making them more vulnerable to cavities and breakage. The relentless grinding also has potential to stress the joints surrounding the jaw, causing severe and sometimes chronic headache, and in serious cases, lasting jaw damage.
The daily (or nightly) grind
Teeth grinding is an increasingly common condition, probably because we pay more attention to our dental health than in times past, Adibi says. But why do we do it?A combination of stress and the structure of the teeth contribute to teeth grinding. People who have teeth spaced closely together are more likely to grind, as are, according to Adibi, people who suffer from emotional disturbances.
Adibi suggests patients who grind primarily because of stress work with mental health professionals to develop coping strategies, adding that both anti-anxiety medications and therapy help. “Once it (the stress) is controlled, the dentist has a better chance of managing the bruxism,” he says.
Most often, Adibi prescribes a bite guard, also called a bruxism appliance or night guard, to protect further destruction of the teeth. The goal is to stop the damage from progressing, he says.
Botox your bite
Damage control is the name of the game when treating bruxism. But little progress has been made to stop teeth grinding at its source, says neurologist William Ondo, MD, a visiting professor of neurology at UTHealth Medical School. Ondo has studied the use of botulinum toxin, sold commercially as Botox, to treat bruxism. He helped pioneer the use of Botox as a treatment for patients with movement disorders and has used it off-label on patients with bruxism for more than 20 years. “It (Botox) seemed like an intuitive and obvious way to relax the jaw closing muscles,” he says, adding that Botox has more than 200 medical uses in addition to reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It is used most frequently to control involuntary movements, reduce glandular secretions and reduce the transmission of pain.Ondo’s study was a placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 23 participants with bruxism—13 were injected with Botox, 10 with a placebo. The injections weakened the study participants’ jaw muscles and temporarily prevented them from grinding their teeth at night.
Results presented at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in April show Botox’s potential as a treatment for teeth grinding, Ondo says. Patients in the study who received the Botox injections ground their teeth less, according to reports from study participants and feedback from their spouses or bed partners. The effects of Botox lasted three to four months and cost an average of $1,000 per treatment, depending on insurance coverage.
Ondo says the next step is to test out Botox for bruxism in a multicenter trial, with the goal of getting the Food and Drug Administration’s approval for the usage.
Using Botox to treat bruxism “relieves the pain caused by teeth grinding for a while and, in some cases, it is helpful if the patient has chronic pain,” says Adibi of the study. However, he recommends a treatment program that also addresses the underlying causes of the teeth grinding and a more long-term solution to protecting the teeth. “Hopefully more research can be done on new treatments such as this,” he says.
Teeth grinding tips
Until a cure for bruxism is found, wearing a bite guard at night and reducing stress is the best strategy to stem the damage from teeth grinding, Adibi says. He also offers the following tips:- For day grinders (diurnal bruxism): keep your teeth apart at least 2 millimeters at all times. This will be hard, at first, because you may be totally unaware of when you are grinding or clenching your teeth, says Adibi. “The only time your teeth should touch is when you bite something to eat.”
- Try this relaxation technique for occasional pain: Put your fist under your chin. Open and close it. Press your chin down against the opposing force of your fist as it pushes up. “Muscle relaxation exercises like these help relieve pain and the muscle tightness in the jaw,” Adibi says.
- Use over-the-counter pain relievers to treat pain and headaches caused by teeth grinding. Stronger medications such as muscle relaxants do little to help teeth grinding. Anti-anxiety medications may indirectly help reduce bruxism, since they help alleviate the stress and anxiety that may have been the cause of teeth grinding. “We have seen correlation between emotional stress and bruxism, but not a cause and effect relationship, yet,” Adibi says. “Will medication help emotional stress? You bet. We are not sure about bruxism.”
- Be sure to get a custom-made, acrylic bite guard from your dentist. Over-the-counter bite guards are typically made of softer materials, which don’t restrict jaw motion as much as acrylic bite guards and “may do more harm than good,” Adibi says.
Foods That Stain Your Teeth
Tea and Your Teeth
Although tea has a reputation as a healthy beverage, it may not be the best choice when it comes to keeping your teeth white. Dentists say tea -- especially the basic black variety -- can cause more stains than coffee. However, recent studies have found that even herbal teas and white teas have the potential to erode enamel and cause tooth staining.
Sauces May Stain Teeth
They may be delicious, but deeply-colored sauces -- like soy sauce, tomato sauce, and curry sauce -- are also believed to have significant tooth-staining potential. Consider lighter cream sauces for less damaging options and rinse or brush soon after eating to reduce the potential for teeth stains.
Sports Drinks and Staining
Acidic foods and drinks can also lead to tooth discoloration. Recent research finds that highly acidic drinks -- like sports or energy drinks -- can erode tooth enamel, setting the stage for staining. When exercising, limit the intake of these drinks. Water may be a better choice -- at least for your teeth.
Wine and White Teeth
If a food or drink can stain a tablecloth, it has the potential to stain your teeth. Red wine, an acidic drink with intensely pigmented molecules called tannins and chromogens, is notorious for tooth discoloration. White wine is even more acidic and can lead to stains, too.
Tooth Stains and Berries
Intensely pigmented molecules stick to dental enamel. That's why blueberries, blackberries, cherries, pomegranates, and other vibrantly colored fruits can stain teeth. Juices and pies made from those fruits can also cause stains. Fruits with less pigmentation -- like white grapes and white cranberries -- are less likely to stain teeth. But these acidic substances can still harm enamel, so be sure to brush and floss.
Soda, Cola and Other Carbonated Drinks
The acid and chromogens in these drinks can lead to serious staining of your teeth. Even light-colored sodas contain enough acid that they can encourage staining by other foods and drinks. The acidity in some carbonated drinks is so intense that it actually compares to the acidity in battery acid. Many of these beverages contain flavored additives that add to their erosive effects.
Candy, Sweets, and White Teeth
If your favorite sweet -- like hard candy, chewing gum, or popsicles -- makes your tongue change colors, it may contain teeth-staining coloring agents. Fortunately, unless you eat those goodies often they probably won't do much to stain your teeth.
Minimize Staining: Cut Back
You may not want to cut all teeth-staining food and drinks out of your diet. Many of those foods and beverages -- like blueberries, blackberries, and tomato sauce -- are rich in antioxidants. You want these beneficial nutrients in your diet. So keep eating them -- but in moderation -- or substitute other antioxidant sources such as cauliflower, apples, grapefruit, and melon.
Use a Straw to Fight Stains
Try using a straw to sip your favorite drinks -- like sodas, juices, and iced tea. This should keep teeth-staining drinks away from your front teeth and reduce your risk of unsightly stains.
Swallow Swiftly
Don't let stain-causing foods and drinks linger in your mouth for long. Instead, swallow them quickly to help protect your teeth from stains. To avoid choking, it's still important to chew your food well before swallowing and be sure not to gulp.
Rinse -- then Brush -- After Eating
Swish your mouth with water right after eating a stain-causing food or drink. For about 30 minutes after you consume something acidic, the enamel on your teeth is especially at risk of abrasion from tooth brushing. So rinse, then brush well after every meal. If you can't get to your toothbrush, chew a piece of sugarless gum as soon as you've eaten.
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-10/slideshow-foods-stain-teeth
Although tea has a reputation as a healthy beverage, it may not be the best choice when it comes to keeping your teeth white. Dentists say tea -- especially the basic black variety -- can cause more stains than coffee. However, recent studies have found that even herbal teas and white teas have the potential to erode enamel and cause tooth staining.
Sauces May Stain Teeth
They may be delicious, but deeply-colored sauces -- like soy sauce, tomato sauce, and curry sauce -- are also believed to have significant tooth-staining potential. Consider lighter cream sauces for less damaging options and rinse or brush soon after eating to reduce the potential for teeth stains.
Sports Drinks and Staining
Acidic foods and drinks can also lead to tooth discoloration. Recent research finds that highly acidic drinks -- like sports or energy drinks -- can erode tooth enamel, setting the stage for staining. When exercising, limit the intake of these drinks. Water may be a better choice -- at least for your teeth.
Wine and White Teeth
If a food or drink can stain a tablecloth, it has the potential to stain your teeth. Red wine, an acidic drink with intensely pigmented molecules called tannins and chromogens, is notorious for tooth discoloration. White wine is even more acidic and can lead to stains, too.
Tooth Stains and Berries
Intensely pigmented molecules stick to dental enamel. That's why blueberries, blackberries, cherries, pomegranates, and other vibrantly colored fruits can stain teeth. Juices and pies made from those fruits can also cause stains. Fruits with less pigmentation -- like white grapes and white cranberries -- are less likely to stain teeth. But these acidic substances can still harm enamel, so be sure to brush and floss.
Soda, Cola and Other Carbonated Drinks
The acid and chromogens in these drinks can lead to serious staining of your teeth. Even light-colored sodas contain enough acid that they can encourage staining by other foods and drinks. The acidity in some carbonated drinks is so intense that it actually compares to the acidity in battery acid. Many of these beverages contain flavored additives that add to their erosive effects.
Candy, Sweets, and White Teeth
If your favorite sweet -- like hard candy, chewing gum, or popsicles -- makes your tongue change colors, it may contain teeth-staining coloring agents. Fortunately, unless you eat those goodies often they probably won't do much to stain your teeth.
Minimize Staining: Cut Back
You may not want to cut all teeth-staining food and drinks out of your diet. Many of those foods and beverages -- like blueberries, blackberries, and tomato sauce -- are rich in antioxidants. You want these beneficial nutrients in your diet. So keep eating them -- but in moderation -- or substitute other antioxidant sources such as cauliflower, apples, grapefruit, and melon.
Use a Straw to Fight Stains
Try using a straw to sip your favorite drinks -- like sodas, juices, and iced tea. This should keep teeth-staining drinks away from your front teeth and reduce your risk of unsightly stains.
Swallow Swiftly
Don't let stain-causing foods and drinks linger in your mouth for long. Instead, swallow them quickly to help protect your teeth from stains. To avoid choking, it's still important to chew your food well before swallowing and be sure not to gulp.
Rinse -- then Brush -- After Eating
Swish your mouth with water right after eating a stain-causing food or drink. For about 30 minutes after you consume something acidic, the enamel on your teeth is especially at risk of abrasion from tooth brushing. So rinse, then brush well after every meal. If you can't get to your toothbrush, chew a piece of sugarless gum as soon as you've eaten.
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-10/slideshow-foods-stain-teeth
Monday, April 7, 2014
Teen Concerns
Braces
If you have a bad bite or your teeth are crooked or out of alignment, you may benefit from braces. Braces can help improve your smile and make your teeth straighter. They can also improve your dental health and overall health because untreated orthodontic problems can make it hard to bite and chew and can interfere with eating. If you have a bad bite, you may also be prone to cavities or gum disease because it may be hard to clean your teeth. Braces come in many different styles, including tooth-colored plastic braces or traditional metal braces that come in a variety of colors. Removable clear retainers can sometimes be used. Talk to your dentist to see what the best choice is for you.Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, also referred to as third molars, get their name by being the last teeth to come in during young adulthood, the time of life when you gain maturity or “wisdom.” The majority of people have most of their permanent teeth by age 13. Your wisdom teeth should come into your mouth between the ages of 17-21. Sometimes they do not have enough room to come in normally or are in the wrong position to come straight up. When that happens, your dentist may refer to them as impacted and they may have to be removed.Not everyone’s teeth develop on the same schedule. That’s why it’s important to see your dentist regularly so he or she can monitor the progress of your wisdom teeth. Every patient is unique, but in general, wisdom teeth may need to be removed when there is evidence of changes in the mouth such as:
- pain
- infection
- cysts
- tumors
- damage to adjacent teeth
- gum disease
- tooth decay (if it is not possible or desirable to restore the tooth)
Smoking
You know smoking is bad for you in general, so it should be no surprise that all forms of tobacco are also harmful to your oral health. For one, they can cause bad breath, but that’s only the beginning. Other possible oral health impacts include:- stained teeth and tongue
- dulled sense of taste and smell
- slow healing after a tooth extraction or oral surgery
- difficulties in correcting cosmetic dental problems
- gum disease and tooth loss
- oral cancer
Bottom-line: a smoke-free environment is healthier for you and for those around you. Make a plan to quit, stick to it and start living a healthier life. The National Institute on Drug Abuse considers nicotine to be the the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the U.S. For tips on quitting or how to help your child quit, visit Smokefree.gov.
Mouth Jewelry
Oral piercings or tongue splitting may look cool, but they can be dangerous to your health. That’s because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection and swelling often occur with mouth piercings. For instance, your mouth and tongue could swell so much that you close off your airway or you could possibly choke if part of the jewelry breaks off in your mouth. In some cases, you could crack a tooth if you bite down too hard on the piercing and repeated clicking of the jewelry against teeth can also cause damage. An infected oral piercing can also lead to more serious systemic infections, including hepatitis or endocarditis.Meth Mouth
Meth Mouth, a term for the damage caused by the use of the illegal and highly addictive drug methamphetamine, is one of many devastating effects this drug can have on users’ oral health. Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant that can cause shortness of breath, hyperthermia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, permanent brain damage and rampant tooth decay. Some users describe their teeth as “blackened, stained, rotting, crumbling or falling apart.” Often, the teeth cannot be salvaged and must be removed.For more information, visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders arise from a variety of complex physical, emotional and social issues. They can also be devastating to your oral health. More than 10 million Americans are affected by serious eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. These eating disorders can also affect a person’s oral health. Without the proper nutrition, gums and other soft tissue inside the mouth may bleed easily. The glands that produce saliva may swell and individuals may experience chronic dry mouth. Throwing up frequently can affect teeth too. That’s because when strong stomach acid repeatedly flows over teeth, the tooth’s enamel can be lost to the point that the teeth change in color, shape and length. The edges of teeth become thin and break off easily. If you suffer from an eating disorder, it’s important to seek counseling and talk to your health care provider.Thursday, April 3, 2014
Uses Fluoride Toothpaste to Fight High Cavity Rate in Children
To help prevent children’s tooth decay, the
CSA recommends that caregivers use a smear of fluoride toothpaste (or an
amount about the size of a grain of rice) for children younger than 3
years old and a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste for children 3 to
6 years old.
http://www.ada.org/9611.aspx
http://www.ada.org/9611.aspx
Diet and Dental Health
Your body is a complex machine. The foods you choose and how often
you eat them can affect your general health and the health of your teeth
and gums, too. If you consume too many sugar-filled sodas, sweetened
fruit drinks or non-nutritious snacks, you could be at risk for tooth
decay. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease,
but the good news is that it is entirely preventable.
Tooth decay happens when plaque come into contact with sugar in the mouth, causing acid to attack the teeth.
Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. To control the amount of sugar you eat, read the nutrition facts and ingredient labels on foods and beverages and choose options that are lowest in sugar. Common sources of sugar in the diet include soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries. Your physician or a registered dietitian can also provide suggestions for eating a nutritious diet. If your diet lacks certain nutrients, it may be more difficult for tissues in your mouth to resist infection. This may contribute to gum disease. Severe gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is potentially more severe in people with poor nutrition.
To learn what foods are best for you, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov, a website from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of U.S. Department of Agriculture. The site contains dietary recommendations for children and adults based on their levels of physical activity.
For good dental health, always remember to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, floss daily and visit your dentist regularly. With regular dental care, your dentist can help prevent oral problems from occurring in the first place and catch those that do occur in the early stages, while they are easy to treat.
Tooth decay happens when plaque come into contact with sugar in the mouth, causing acid to attack the teeth.
Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute to tooth decay. To control the amount of sugar you eat, read the nutrition facts and ingredient labels on foods and beverages and choose options that are lowest in sugar. Common sources of sugar in the diet include soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries. Your physician or a registered dietitian can also provide suggestions for eating a nutritious diet. If your diet lacks certain nutrients, it may be more difficult for tissues in your mouth to resist infection. This may contribute to gum disease. Severe gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is potentially more severe in people with poor nutrition.
To learn what foods are best for you, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov, a website from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of U.S. Department of Agriculture. The site contains dietary recommendations for children and adults based on their levels of physical activity.
Wise choices
For healthy living and for healthy teeth and gums, think before you eat and drink. It’s not only what you eat but when you eat that can affect your dental health. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you are on a special diet, keep your physician's advice in mind when choosing foods.For good dental health, keep these tips in mind when choosing your meals and snacks:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups, including:
- whole grains
- fruits
- vegetables
- lean souces of protein such as lean beef, skinless poultry and fish; dry beans, peas and other legumes
- low-fat and fat-free dairy foods
For good dental health, always remember to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, floss daily and visit your dentist regularly. With regular dental care, your dentist can help prevent oral problems from occurring in the first place and catch those that do occur in the early stages, while they are easy to treat.
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