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As the summer unfolds, your family will surely encounter long and hot days that seem to last forever. One way to fight the heat, and refresh your family is with some cold summer treats. Below are some of our favorite summer treats that will help cool you down and improve your oral health.  

Yogurt and Fruit Popsicles

Yogurt is high in calcium and casein, but it also contains a high amount of healthy bacteria. Healthy bacteria in yogurt helps fight the bad bacteria that can stick to your teeth, and lead to cavities. The best news is that yogurt and fruit popsicles are a fun way to get a healthy serving of calcium and super easy to make. We suggest choosing a fruit that is high in vitamin C, which helps boost gum health. You can use strawberries, blueberries, papayas, currants or kiwis. 

Ingredients: 
1 cup frozen fruit 

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt 

3 tablespoon honey  

Directions: 
1 - In a blender, combine frozen fruit and 2 tablespoons of honey and purée.  

2 - In a separate bowl, combine yogurt with one tablespoon honey and mix.  

3 – Place alternate layers of yogurt and fruit puree in small paper cups, or ice cube tray. Place a popsicle stick in the center of the cup, and put them in the freezer until they are solid.  

Frozen Blueberry and Yogurt Smoothies

This recipe is similar to the above, but is blended into a smoothie and perfect for cooling down this summer. These blueberry smoothies are packed with protein and calcium, and are fantastic for teeth. Additionally, blueberries are a great source of manganese, which plays a very important role in the growth and strength of bones and teeth.  

Ingredients: 
1 ripe banana 

1 cup frozen blueberries 

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt 

Directions: 
1 - In a blender, combine banana, blueberries, and yogurt. 

2 - Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.  

Carrots

As carrots are eaten, they stimulate saliva production that helps prevent the buildup of bad bacteria that can lead to cavities. Carrots are a great handheld snack that can be taken anywhere. Plus, we think that carrots are best when eaten cold! We suggest packing a small baggie of baby carrots in the refrigerator and serving it to your child as a quick bite to cool them down. You can make this snack even tastier (and more kid-friendly) by packing it with a bit of yogurt-based dip! 

Water

Water – especially water with fluoride – helps strengthen and clean teeth. With every sip, water cleans teeth by ridding them of any leftover foods or acids. It also washes away bacteria and sugars that can eventually lead to cavities. Water has zero calories, and helps restore the pH balance in your mouth to fight unhealthy levels of acid. When your child is playing outside, or participating in team sports, water is the perfect mouth-healthy refresher.  

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A proper diet is key for a healthy mouth, so it’s important that you pay attention to your child’s nutrition. To help fight cavities, limit the amount of sugar they consume, and feed them more mouth-friendly options. Also, be sure that they brush their teeth twice per day and floss once per day, to remove any food debris that can cause tooth decay.  

Schedule an appointment with our office if you would like to know more about a mouth-healthy diet, and other ways that you can help fight cavities this summer.  

Oral piercings are popular among teenagers, and are surprisingly common. Surveys of adolescents and young adults (age 13 – 29) report that 25% to 35% have a body piercing at a site other than the ear lobe. Despite the trendiness of body art, oral piercings can cause a variety of serious consequences that teenagers and parents should understand.  

Oral Piercings can lead to Disease

In addition to an increased risk of suffering oral injuries, teens with oral piercings face increased odds of contracting a disease. Multiple studies have found that oral piercings can lead to gum inflammation or gingivitis, increased plaque buildup, gum recession, cavities and metal allergies. Lip and tongue piercings have particularly strong correlations to gingival recession, according to one study.  

Studies have found that the place in which the piercing was performed is another key factor influencing the contraction of oral diseases. The National Institutes of Health found that unregulated piercing parlors and techniques greatly increase the chances of contracting an oral disease, and the transmission of other diseases like tuberculosis, hepatitis and tetanus.  

Oral Piercings Increase Risk of Injury

Oral piercings, particularly lip, tongue, and cheek piercings, greatly increase the risk of damaging nearby teeth. Studies have found permanent tooth damage occurred to 25% of adolescents with lip rings, and nearly 50% of teenagers with tongue piercings suffered permanent tooth damage. In addition to tooth damage, those with oral piercings have a greater risk of suffering nerve damage, oral infection, pain and swelling. The injuries associated with oral piercings are varied and oft occurring, making the small fashion statement hardly worth the risk.  

Make it Hard to Eat

Oral piercings can interfere with how the mouth regularly operates, and make it difficult to chew and swallow. Depending upon the location of the piercing, it can get in the way of food and is at risk of being bitten. Additionally, food can get caught in oral piercings and lead to infection and other disease.  

Those with oral piercings are also more prone to excessive drool. 

Oral Piercings Aren't Worth The Risk

The dangers presented by oral piercings far outweigh the fashionable benefits. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry strongly opposes the practice of oral piercings. Speak with your children about the potential risks involved with oral piercings before they get one. If your child already has an oral piercing, make sure that they keep it clean and disinfected, and that they take it out before taking part in any sports or activities that involve contact, so that they can avoid suffering a serious oral injury.  
  

Fruit and vegetables not only positively impact your overall health, but they also impact your teeth! In fact, certain fruits can even damage your teeth with acidic attacks, or sugar overloads. But, there are some fruits that boost your overall oral health, and taste delicious. By adding these three fruits to your diet, you can improve your oral health.

Apples

Eating apples can help cleanse and clean teeth, and fight bad breath. The fibrous content of apples cleans teeth by acting as a toothbrush and scrubbing away plaque from teeth, and removing other food debris. The acidity in an apple helps kill off bad bacteria that encourage bad breath. Be sure to leave the skin on the apple, since it is full of the mouth-healthy fiber that helps keep teeth and gums clean. 

Kiwi

Kiwi is often mistaken for a citrus fruit, but it is actually considered a berry. Kiwis have fiber content, and are packed with calcium, which is a dental super mineral! Calcium neutralizes damaging acids and helps bolster your enamel’s defense.  

Strawberries

Another fibrous berry, strawberries are great for teeth and gums.  Strawberries are packed with vitamin C, which helps your body produce collagen – a protein vital to maintaining your gums’ strength. A half cup of strawberries – between 4 and 6 berries – will give you about 70% of your daily requirement of vitamin C.  

Remember: Limit Citrus & Rinse with Water

Food and drinks high in citric acid erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. In bad cases of demineralization, acid will work its way to the soft layer beneath the enamel called the dentin. These advanced cases lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. If you consume anything with high citric acid, rinse with water for 30 seconds afterwards to clean away some of the lingering acid. 

Visit our Office

If you’re concerned about your child’s diet affecting their oral health, or worried that they may have cavities, then visit our office. We will perform a comprehensive oral exam, and determine the best treatment plan for their specific case. We can also offer advice on dietary choices that improve oral health, and how you can help keep your kids away from cavities.