Did you know that the bacteria that cause tooth decay are usually transmitted to children from their parents, through sharing the same spoon or kissing? Once inside the child's mouth, the bacteria live on the teeth in what is called a biofilm. When the child consumes sugary foods or drinks, the bacteria act upon the sugar to produce acids that eat away at the child's teeth, producing tooth decay.

These bacteria thrive on carbohydrates such as bread, sweets, and sodas. Even fruit juices, which offer more vitamins than soda, are filled with sugars that lead to decay. The child's saliva works hard to neutralize the acidity produced from these foods, but if the child often snacks between meals this neutralization process doesn’t have a chance to occur.

The first sign of decay may be white spots on the teeth, an indication that minerals in the surface enamel have been dissolved in certain locations. Before it goes any farther, this process can be reversed by reducing the exposure to acids and using fluorides to strengthen the tooth surface.

Make sure your child sees a dentist by his first birthday, to provide preventive care and treat any beginning decay.

You can also help your child develop the habit of brushing his teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. It is important to use only a smear of toothpaste on the brush for very young children, and a pea-sized amount on the brush for children over the age of 2. Sometimes small children swallow their toothpaste, and excessive amounts of fluoride can cause staining on the teeth. When your children are very young, you must brush their teeth. As they get older, they can do it themselves, with your supervision. We can also apply fluoride varnish to strengthen the tooth surface and make it resistant to acids.

Brushing twice a day is a good start. But it can't prevent tooth decay when a child is eating carbohydrates all day. One way to reduce the use of sugar is to use xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener that looks and tastes like table sugar and improves oral health. Studies have shown that use of this sweetener reduces tooth decay in children.

Another good idea is to wean children from bottles and training cups as early as possible. Sometimes children are given bottles filled with milk or sugary beverages at bedtime to help them relax. A better idea for their teeth is to teach them to drink from a regular cup filled with milk — or preferably, with water.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about tooth decay in children. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Managing Tooth Decay In Children With Chronic Diseases.” While this article focuses on children with health challenges, it contains excellent advice to help all children prevent tooth decay.

Tooth decay is not trivial. It's a worldwide epidemic, one of the most common of all diseases — second only to the common cold. It affects more than one fourth of U.S. children of ages 2 to 5 and half of those 12 to 15. Among adults, tooth decay affects more than ninety percent of those over age 40.

Prevention of cavities starts with a healthy diet and effective brushing and flossing, but it is much more complex than that. Three strategies for reducing dental caries (tooth decay) include:

Protect with Fluoride and Sealants
This works best when fluoride is applied to the crystalline coating of your child's teeth just after they push through the gums (erupt). The fluoride becomes incorporated into the tooth's surface and acts as a barrier to decay. Studies have shown that low doses of fluoride are safe and effective.

Dental sealants are used as a companion to fluoride because they seal tiny pits and fissures in the tooth's structure, creating an even stronger barrier.

Modify Oral Bacteria
Every mouth contains bacteria, no matter how well you clean your teeth. Not all bacteria cause tooth decay. The problem bacteria are those that produce acid as a byproduct of their life processes. We can identify acid-producing bacteria in your mouth, you can reduce their concentrations using antibacterial mouthrinses such as chlorhexidine, and pH neutralizing agents (substances that reduce the amount of acid).

Reduce Sugars in Your Diet
Bacteria in your mouth ferment sugars and other carbohydrates, producing acids that eat into the mineralized outside structure of your teeth, the enamel. So eating fewer sugars — particularly added sugars such as those in juices, sodas, candy and other sweets — will help prevent decay. Your total sugar intake should be less than fifty grams, or about ten teaspoons, per day. If you begin to read labels showing sugar content of common foods, you may be surprised at the amount you consume without knowing it.

If you must snack between meals, non-sugary snacks like raw vegetables and fresh fruits create a better environment for your teeth.

Xylitol, an “alcohol sugar” used in some chewing gums and dental products, has been shown to reduce decay-producing bacteria.

Try these easy strategies to keep your teeth healthy and functional throughout your lifetime.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about tooth decay. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Tooth Decay.”

If you like soft drinks and carbonated colas, beware. Acids in these drinks may be dissolving the minerals in your teeth — a process called chemical erosion. And don't think that natural fruit juices or sports and high energy drinks are any better than sodas. They also contain acids that dissolve the surface enamel of your teeth. Once your enamel is lost, it is gone forever. It cannot naturally recover.

Sadly, teeth in children and teenagers — an age group most likely to drink large quantities of soda and juices — may be more easily eroded by acids. These youngsters have not had long-term exposure to fluorides which harden tooth enamel and protects them from acid erosion.

The Difference between Erosion and Decay
Chemical erosion is not the same as tooth decay (cavities). In chemical erosion, acids in your mouth react directly with minerals in the outer enamel of your teeth. In the case of tooth decay, bacteria in dental plaque (a bacterial film that forms on your teeth) utilize the sugars in the drinks and produce acids that attack your teeth.

After Acidic Exposure, Wait 30 Minutes to an Hour before Brushing
You may think that the solution to chemical erosion is to brush the acidic solution from your teeth as soon after drinking them as possible. But tooth brushing immediately after can actually accelerate chemical erosion and make it worse. After they are bathed in an acidic solution, minerals in the tooth surface become partially dissolved. Brushing at this time may brush away the affected layer. If you wait a half hour to an hour, your saliva will have time to neutralize the acids and harden the tooth surface by adding minerals back into it.

Drinks Less Likely to Cause Dental Erosion
Instead of drinking colas and sports drinks, stick to water and/or milk, which have the added benefit of supplying calcium to help add minerals back to the tooth surface.

If you must sip on juices or soft drinks, try to do so only at mealtimes. This is preferable to drinking them all day long, which leaves your teeth constantly bathed in an acid solution. Avoid swishing the drinks in your mouth, and sip them with a straw to reduce contact between acidic drinks and your teeth.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about acid erosion of teeth. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Erosion.”

Given the fact that baby-boomers are now reaching the age of retirement, understanding senior healthcare is becoming a top priority to many people. Discover your level of expertise in the area of oral health by taking the following true/false test.

True or False Self Assessment

1. All people eventually lose their teeth as they age.
2. Yellow teeth are a sign of gum disease.
3. If you have dentures, you no longer need regular dental check-ups.
4. Periodontal (gum) disease is a big problem that affects 3 out of 4 adults.
5. Electric toothbrushes can be a great option for seniors with arthritis or other debilitating conditions.

Answers

1. False: Your teeth are meant to last your lifetime.
2. False: Yellow teeth typically denote stained teeth from diet, medication, smoking, or growing older. And while they may not appear attractive, older, yellow teeth can in fact be healthy and free of gum disease. However, if your yellow teeth bother you, ask us if teeth whitening could be right for freshening up your smile while making you appear younger.
3. False: For those individuals who wear complete upper and lower dentures, you will always need routine dental exams, typically once a year so that you can be screened for cancer, as well as other oral conditions (i.e. candadiasis), to ensure the you obtain and maintain optimal oral health.
4. True: 75% of all adults over the age of 35 will experience some form of periodontal disease, a condition in which the gums become inflamed and infected. If left untreated, gum disease causes the bone that supports the teeth to deteriorate until the teeth are loosened and/or eventually lost (either they fall out on their own or must be removed). On a positive note, you can prevent gum disease by having good oral hygiene that includes flossing daily and brushing at least twice a day with a proper technique and fluoride toothpaste.
5. True: Under normal conditions, what matters most is not so much the type of toothbrush used (manual, electric or battery powered toothbrush), but rather how you use it. However, if you are unable to use a manual toothbrush effectively for proper brushing, then a power toothbrush may be able to facilitate proper cleaning more easily.

Want To Learn More?

If you feel you missed too many of the above questions, read the Dear Doctor article, “Oral Hygiene Behavior.” Or, contact us today to discuss your questions or to schedule a consultation.

People always wonder when it is appropriate to contact their dentist. To answer this, we have put together the following list to provide some guidelines for you and your family. However, your calls are always welcome! Our goal is simply to give you some clear scenarios that illustrate when you should give us a call or come in to our office.

For Bite Related Problems

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth.
2. Difficulty in chewing or biting.
3. Mouth breathing.
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits.
5. Crowding, misplaced, crooked or even missing teeth.
6. Jaws that shift, jaw joints that “pop” or “click” or are uncomfortable.
7. Any change causing speech difficulty.
8. Cheek or tongue biting.
9. Protruding teeth — large overbite.
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don't meet at all.
11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry.
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth.

For Injuries And Immediate Care

1. Knocked out permanent tooth: Call us immediately. You need to take action within 5 minutes of the injury for best results.
2. Injuries to lips, cheeks, tongue or gums that appear to require stitches: Call us for instructions as soon as possible.
3. Tooth injury — if a tooth has shifted from its original position: Call us to tell us you are on your way to our office and see us within 6 hours of the injury.
4. Chipped or broken tooth that is still in its original position: See us within 12 hours of the injury.
5. A knocked out baby tooth: Call us as soon as possible.
6. Bleeding without any significant tears in tissue that could require stitches: Call us for instructions.

What To Do Now

If any of the above describe you or another member of your family, then contact us today to discuss your questions or to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about treating dental injuries by reading the Dear Doctor article, “The Field-Side Guide To Dental Injuries.”