Start the School Year Off With a Smile
Every child wants to look their best as they head back to school this fall. Parents help by scheduling haircuts and buying new outfits, but most overlook the simple steps to helping their child maintain one of their most visible features – their smile.
Studies show that one of the first things people notice about someone is their smile and that a good smile creates a positive self-image…something all parents wish for their children. “Back-to-school time is the perfect time to incorporate good oral health habits into a child’s daily routine,” says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Cindy Flanagan, DDS, FAGD. “The sooner you make them a priority, the sooner your child will benefit.”
Schedule a back-to-school dental visit
Seeing a dentist twice a year during the school-age years is vital because this is a time of great change in the mouth, with kids losing baby teeth and getting in their permanent teeth. Tooth decay is still the most common chronic childhood disease and, left untreated, it can impair a child’s ability to eat, speak, sleep and learn. However, studies show more than 60 percent of school-age children do not see a dentist annually. Simple preventive checkups twice a year can head off childhood decay and help you and your child learn how to protect their teeth throughout the year.
Establish daily brushing habits with your children
Children should brush at least twice a day. To encourage children to brush after every meal, let them pick out their own travel toothbrush and toothpaste to take to school. “There are many child-friendly products that help encourage younger children to brush,” says Dr. Flanagan, “Make sure your child’s toothpaste contains fluoride and the toothbrush is soft-bristled.”
Make good nutrition a top priority
National studies show that only one in five school-age children eats the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables – greatly increasing their risk of cavities. In addition, only one in five children meets even the minimum standards for calcium consumption. Take charge of your child’s health this school year by packing healthy lunches. And, after school activities require healthy snacks such as bite-sized carrots, fruits, nuts and bottled water. These are much better after-school snack options and give children the fuel they need to excel in physical activity.
Tooth nutrition and Vegetarians
Just read this very interesting article from the Academy of General Dentistry about Vegetarian nutritional risks:
Health concerns about fat and cholesterol have prompted many people to become vegetarians, and the nutritional deficiencies that can sometimes result may reveal themselves during dental exams. Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Ludwig Leibsohn, DDS says he usually asks patients if they adhere to vegetarian or other special diets.
“Most adult vegetarians are very knowledgeable about nutrition,” says Dr. Leibsohn. “They maintain their diets in a proper fashion.” Children, however, Continue reading “Tooth nutrition and Vegetarians” »
Plano Dentist on “Dry Mouth”
The condition of “dry mouth” is called Xerostomia. This condition occurs when the salivary glands don’t work properly and the amount of saliva in the mouth decreases. Saliva is vital to everyday processes- tasting, swallowing, speaking and digesting. Saliva acts as a natural defense for the teeth. Without saliva, the teeth are extremely vulnerable to fungal, bacterial and viral infections, and decay. Although saliva is mostly composed of of water, it also includes electrolytes, antibacterial compounds, Continue reading “Plano Dentist on “Dry Mouth”” »
Snoring treatment- Dental Alternative to CPAP
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has designated dental sleep oral appliances as the No. 1 non-surgical alternative for the CPAP intolerant. Although the most successful treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), there are numerous difficulties patients are having when trying to use it.
People with sleep apnea literally stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, often for a minute or longer. Perhaps you or your partner suddenly wakes with a startle during the night? Likely this is the body’s reaction to lack of oxygen.
If not treated, OSA can take eight to 10 years off someone’s life. OSA can cause driving and work-related accidents, depression, memory loss, impaired concentration, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. More studies are now showing a correlation between sleep apnea and attention deficit disorder (ADD).
Sleep Apnea is more common than you would think. Here are some statistics:
- 100 million Americans snore.
- 60% of all Americans over age 40 snore.
- 27% of all married couples snore.
- 50% to 75% of those who try the CPAP reject it.
Oral dental appliances are used to reposition the tongue and lower jaw forward during sleep to maintain the open airway and prevent soft tissues from collapsing during sleep. Usually, oral appliances are recommended for mild to moderate OSA patients, but can be used in severe OSA patients who cannot tolerate CPAP. Some recent studies show Continue reading “Snoring treatment- Dental Alternative to CPAP” »
Family Oral Health
Family Oral Health
Good Oral Health Starts at Home
Parents are a child’s first teacher in life and play a significant role in maintaining his or her overall health. Providing oral health education to mothers and families is essential to teaching children healthy habits and preventing early childhood tooth decay. Click here to read more.
Please feel free to share this information if you find it useful and informative, or post a comment or question below.
What are some other beneficial vitamins and minerals for oral health?
VITAMIN D is the sunshine vitamin because the body makes it from sunlight. Vitamin D facilitates calcium and phosphorus absorption, so together with calcium, vitamin D protects and maintains the health of your teeth and the bone supporting your teeth. Studies indicate Vitamin D deficiency may result in gum inflammation as well. Good nutritive sources of calcium and vitamin D are sardines, herring, tuna, salmon, fortified milk and cereals, green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard, collard greens), yogurt, low-fat dairy products, liver and cod liver oil.
COENZYME Q10 & ZINC are two nutritional supplements that may be beneficial in the treatment of periodontal disease as they improve tissue repair and healing.
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Dental Care During Pregnancy Is Safe and Recommended
Oral Health and Pregnancy
Dental Care During Pregnancy Is Safe and Recommended
It’s no secret that pregnancy is an important time in a woman’s life. While women often hear about how pregnancy causes physical changes that affect their hormone or appetite levels, these changes can have a great effect on their oral health as well. Despite the fact that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, only 22 to 34 percent of women in the United States visit a dentist during pregnancy. Dental care during pregnancy is not only safe and effective, it’s essential for combating the adverse effects of oral disease. Click here to read more.
Please feel free to share this information if you find it useful and informative, or post a comment or question below.
Is Vitamin C beneficial for my teeth?
VITAMIN C is essential to the formation of collagen which is the most abundant fiber contained in the connective tissues of the human body including bones, blood vessels, gingiva (gums) and skin. Healthy connective tissue serves as a “first line of defense” against bacteria invasion of our bodies.
Sufficient vitamin C is a consideration in oral health because the amounts of visible plaque (a continuously forming thin film of bacteria adhering to tooth surfaces) and decayed tooth surfaces are higher in individuals with low vitamin C.
Research also has identified vitamin C as a stimulant to the immune system, helping to ward off the effects of bacterial infection seen with periodontal (gum) disease. Its importance to our overall health has been demonstrated by its role in collagen formation, the immune system and as an antioxidant.
Because vitamin C is water soluble, it is rapidly eliminated from the body and needs to be replenished every day. Recommended daily allowances for vitamin C are 75mg per day for women, 90mg per day for men and 120mg per day for smokers. Many elderly, alcohol consumers, and athletes require higher doses of vitamin C.
Dentists frequently advise their patients with periodontal disease to take 500mg of chewable Vitamin C twice a day to improve periodontal health. Some authorities feel a time-release capsule is best, while others feel a powdered form is desirable. If a person eats at least five fruits and vegetables each day, then it is possible that upwards of 500mg might be consumed. The following are just a few sources of vitamin C: 4 oz. of red pepper has 220mg of C, 4 oz. of green pepper has 110mg, 8 oz. of orange juice has 125 mg, 1 cup of broccoli has 85mg, 1 cup of grapefruit juice has 85mg, 1 cup of cauliflower has 55mg, and a 5 oz. orange has 70mg.
Please feel free to share this information if you find it useful and informative, or post a comment or question below.
Is chewing sugarless gum always a good thing?
CHEWING SUGARLESS GUM can be beneficial to your teeth as chewing helps dislodge food that becomes stuck to your teeth and also increases saliva flow to dilute mouth acids. The sugar substitute Xylitol found in some chewing gums neutralizes acid and thus reduces the risk of cavities. When choosing gum, look to see if Xylitol is one of the first few ingredients listed. The closer it is to the top of the ingredient list, the more Xylitol in the gum and thus more likely the gum is to be effective in cavity prevention.
*If chewing gum results in muscle tension and tenderness, chew only briefly. If you have jaw pain, commonly experience muscle tenderness, or have other signs of TMD, you should talk about your symptoms with your dentist.
The End of Snoring- funny article in “Parade” yesterday!
Funny article in the Dallas Morning News about people with snoring issues in this weekend’s newspaper “Parade” magazine. Of course snoring is never an issue for the “snorer”, right?!
Interestingly, it’s hard to believe there was no mention of therapy utilizing a dental appliance, a proven effective treatment for snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring can have serious medical consequences for the snorer, called Sleep Apnea (when you actually stop breathing during sleep).
Non-Surgical Sleep Apnea/Snoring Treatment – Introducing the TAP Solution. There is a new solution available to those who snore or have sleep apnea. Proven to treat mild – severe apnea and snoring, the TAP reduces sleep apnea associated health risks without the need for surgery, medications or other more cumbersome therapy.
Tennis ball sewn into the back of your PJ’s?? Come on! 
Ask me! I’ll post some details soon.
