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Most parents know the importance of a proper oral health routine, and regular visits to the pediatric dentist. But, there are some silent tooth killers that parents need to recognize and avoid, to get their children a healthier smile. 

Chewing Ice

Ice can be an awesome accompaniment to any drink, but to the surprise of many parents, it can also do quite a bit of damage to teeth. Beware that your children do not chew on ice – which can crack or chip their teeth. Additionally, continual ice-chewing can destroy tooth enamel and leave teeth more susceptible to cavities and tooth decay. 

Dried Fruit

Fruit is fantastic for someone’s overall wellness and health, but it can be packaged in a way that damages teeth. Dried fruit is one way fruit can do a lot of damage to teeth. Fruit that has been dried and preserved contains very little water or fiber – two things that help make fruit healthy. Additionally, dried fruit is very sticky, and can stick onto teeth long after the snack has ended. This causes an acid attack on tooth enamel, and can lead to cavities and tooth decay. 

Fruit Preserved in Jam

Again – fruit can be an amazing snack if it served in its original form. Fruit packed in syrup is loaded with extra sugar, and without the bulk of healthy, tooth–cleaning fiber content. It may be packaged to easily enjoy, but avoid fruit that is packed in sugar or preserved in jam. Your child doesn’t need the excessive amount of sugar, and they’d be much better off with an apple, or banana or apricot in its original form. 

Sweet Drinks

Beverages are an oft-overlooked source of health issues, and many popular drinks like juice, soda and sports drinks are packed with added sugar. These beverages are easy for children to enjoy because of their sweet taste, but the added sugar can cause a full-on acid attack on tooth enamel, and leave teeth susceptible to tooth decay and cavities.  

Instead of serving your child sugary beverages, have your child stick to drinking water, which is far healthier for teeth. Water naturally rinses teeth free of harmful food debris, and stimulates saliva production – which is the body’s natural way of removing food debris and keeping teeth clean.

Bread and Starch

Starches like bread and chips are western diet mainstays, but they can do a lot of damage to teeth. When starch enters the mouth, saliva breaks it down to sugar. After being chewed, starches like bread can become sticky and adhere to tooth surfaces, and lodged in the cracks between teeth. Now, this sticky, sugary substance can cause acid damage to tooth enamel, and leave teeth vulnerable to cavities.

If your child does consume starches, be sure that they thoroughly rinse their mouth out with water after their meal to wash away the sticky, sugary substance that can destroy tooth enamel.

Visit Our Office 

Tooth decay is painful and can affect the overall health of developing mouths, which is why early treatment is the best way to handle cavities. Routine checkups every six months are the best way to stay on top of your child’s oral health. 

Schedule an appointment with our office today to check your children’s oral health, and to begin them down the path to a healthier smile.

2017 is almost over and the holiday season is underway. As families visit relatives near or far, oral health is probably the last thing on the minds of many parents. But, you can use the holiday down time to make a few changes in your child’s routine to get them a healthier smile in 2018.

1 - Brush Twice Per day, Floss Everyday 

The best way to keep your children out of the dentist’s chair is by preventing oral issues before they arise. The strongest tactic in any oral health routine is maintaining a positive oral health routine. You can help your child establish a mouth-healthy routine right now by having them brush their teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time, and floss once per day, making sure to floss the tough-to-reach areas of their teeth.

This rule applies to people of all ages. By brushing twice per day for two minutes, and flossing once per day, you can go a long way in preventing cavities and keep tooth enamel strong.

2 - Drink More Water

Water is one the absolute healthiest things for teeth. Water helps keep the whole mouth clean by washing away food debris that can harm enamel, and by stimulating saliva production. In fact, saliva is 99% water, so drinking water is crucial for keeping teeth clean.

Another benefit of water is that it contains zero calories and no sugar – a common culprit in sodas and sports drinks that causes cavities. One way to superpower your child to oral health happiness is by eliminating sugary drinks all together in favor of water.

3 - Enjoy a Healthier Diet

The food that you (and your family) eat absolutely effects your overall oral health. It’s important, then, that you help your kids achieve oral health success by providing them with mouth-healthy meal options. Try adding foods that clean as they are consumed. Carrots, apples, and celery are all high-fiber foods that clean teeth as they are consumed. The fibrous content actually helps scrub away plaque buildup, and strengthens tooth enamel, which is the first line of defense against cavities.

4 - Schedule an Appointment with Our Office

The holidays are a great time to get an oral health checkup in our office, and get a fresh start on oral health success in the New Year. An oral health checkup it the best way to get a clear understanding of the specific issues (or non-issues) present in your child’s oral health. We will evaluate the state of your child’s oral health, and provide actionable advice that will improve their oral health, and give them a healthy leg-up on cavities in 2018.  

Did you know that humans have used animal hair to make toothbrushes, or that we’ve crushed shells to use as toothpaste? Over the years, humanity has had its ups and downs when discovering and designing medical technologies – especially oral care. But what about chewing gum? How long have we chewed gum, and has it ever helped clean teeth throughout history? 

Neolithic Tree Gum

Did you know that chewing gum has existed in some form or another since the Neolithic period? In fact, 6,000 year old chewing gum has been found with teeth marks in it, made from birch bark tar. Tree bark is a very popular source of gum, and many cultures derived gum from trees. 

Greece

The ancient Greeks didn’t invent gum, nor were they the first to chew it. However, they are one of the most well known historical cultures to be documented first chewing gum en masse. The ancient Greeks chewed the resin contained in the bark of the mastic tree. Grecian women would chew the bark to clean their teeth and freshen their breath. Mastic gum actually has antiseptic properties, and was believed by the Greeks to contribute to better oral health.  

Central America

The Ancient Mayans of Central America are credited with creating an intricate calendar, developing basic astronomy, and writing in their own hieroglyphs. The Mayans were way ahead of their time in terms of trade, technology and architecture, but they were also very studious farmers, which led them to the sapodilla tree. The Mayans would boil the sap of the sapodilla tree and use it for glue, and in religious ceremonies. Sometimes, the boiled sap was given to children to chew and called “cha.”  

Gum Today 

Gum had a major advancement in the 1848, when American businessman John B. Curtis saw a market opportunity for chewing gum. Curtis began making gum out of the resin of the spruce tree – a popular form of gum among Native Americans of the time. Curtis called his gum “State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.” For the first few years of his new business, selling gum was hard. However, Curtis saw a major uptick in sales when he started rolling his gum sugar, and he began expanding his operations. In fact, Curtis’ business – Curtis & Son – is credited with inventing the machinery responsible for mass-producing gum.  

Can Gum Clean Teeth? Some Can…

Most chewing gum can’t claim to help clean your teeth, but gum sweetened with xylitol can. That’s because xylitol helps stimulate saliva production, which naturally cleans teeth. The mouth fights cavities by producing saliva to wash away food debris, and restore its proper Ph balance. Xylitol naturally stimulates saliva that aids in overall oral health. Increased saliva can help prevent bad breath by eliminating dry mouth, and prevent prolonged exposure to acid and sugar caused by food debris. 

Chewing Xylitol gum is not a substitute for regular brushing and flossing, but it is a good tool for cleaning your teeth on the go!  

Visit Our Office

Chewing gum won’t clean your children’s teeth or magically get rid of cavities. If your child complains of sensitive teeth, or tender gums, then visit our office so that we can evaluate their oral health. We’ll help them get a healthy, and give you practical oral healthcare tips that you can use at home.

Teeth are a lot of fun to learn about, and understanding teeth can help children enjoy going to the pediatric dentist! Did you know that teeth are composed of four primary layers? Each layer plays a pivotal role in supporting a strong smile and a healthy mouth. Try reading this article with your child, and teaching them about the four fun layers of the teeth! 

Enamel 

Enamel is the outer most layer of the tooth that protects teeth from the elements that cause cavities. It is the hardest surface in the human body and the first line of defense against cavities. It is the visual surface of the tooth, and usually stops around the gum line. Think of enamel as a barrier that shields your teeth from harm.  

Dentin 

The layer directly beneath enamel is dentin, which is made up of microscopic tubes! 

It is a sensitive layer that surrounds pulp, and plays a pivotal role in communicating sensations from the surface of your teeth to the nerves inside your teeth. Without dentin, our teeth wouldn’t feel the difference between ice cream and hot soup!

Cementum 

Cementum is layer between the root of teeth and gums. It is primarily beneath the gum line, and helps anchor teeth to the bones in the jaw. Cementum is really cool because it can actually repair itself! Think of Cementum as the foundation of a home that keeps the house (tooth) grounded and secure. 

Pulp 

Dental pulp is the living tissue at the core of teeth, and acts as an alarm bell that sends signals sent from the dentin to the brain. Pulp is soft and contains a large network of nerves and blood vessels. It is the most sensitive and important part of teeth, and can be very sensitive if it is ever exposed. 

Protect Your Child’s Teeth

If enamel is damaged then the different layers of teeth are exposed to increasing harm. You can help keep your child’s teeth strong and healthy by having them brush twice per day for two minutes at a time. Additionally, they should floss once per day, and try to drink more water – which helps produce saliva and naturally clean teeth.  

If your child suffers from tooth sensitivity, or complains of gum pain, then visit our office. Dental cavities are the most prevalent –and preventable – disease that affects children. Visit our office so that we can evaluate your child’s oral health, and outline a plan to help them achieve optimal oral health.