TheOptimalSmile
Foods And Nutrition
HOW MUCH SODA DO YOU DRINK IN AN AVERAGE WEEK?
Soft drinks are no longer an occasional treat. They’ve become a daily habit for a growing number of people, especially kids, teens and young adults. A steady diet of soft drinks is a leading cause of tooth decay.
· A bottle of soda in the 50’s was 6.5 oz. Today, a 12 oz. is standard and a 20oz. bottle is common.
Larger container sizes mean more calories, more sugar and more acid in a single serving.
There is no nutritional value in soft drinks. In regular soda, all of the calories come from sugar.
In addition to cavities, heavy soda consumption has been linked to diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.
How you get cavities:
Sugar in soda combines with the bacteria in your mouth to form acid.
Diet or “sugar-free” soda contains acid also.(read the labels)(see the chart)
Acid in soft drinks is the primary cause of weakening tooth enamel.
The acid attacks your teeth. Each acid attack lasts about 20 minutes.
The acid attack starts over again with every sip.
Ongoing acid attacks weaken tooth enamel.
Bacteria in your mouth cause cavities when tooth enamel is damaged
How to reduce decay:
Drink sodas in moderation. Don’t sip for extended periods of time. Ongoing sipping prolongs sugar and acid attacks
Use a straw to keep sugar away from teeth.
After drinking, swish your mouth out with water to dilute the sugar. (OR BRUSH!)
Never drink soda or juice before bedtime because liquid pools in your mouth and coats your tongue and teeth with sugar and acid.
Drink water instead of soda. It has no sugar, no acid and no calories!
Get regular check-ups and cleanings to remove bacteria build-up (plaque). Floss too!
Parents, please talk to your children about the effects of soda consumption. Monitor what, how much and when they drink. Encourage healthy alternatives such as milk and water.
|
BEVERAGE |
Acid* (Low=BAD) |
Sugar** (per 12oz serv) |
|
Pure Water Barq’s Diet Barq’s Diet 7-Up Sprite Diet Dr. Pepper Diet Coke Diet Mountain Dew Grape Minute Maid Mountain Dew Fresca Orange Slice Diet Pepsi Nestea Surge Gatorade Dr. Pepper Squirt Hawaiian Punch Orange Minute Maid Coke Classic Pepsi Battery Acid |
7.00(neutral) 4.61 4.55 3.67 3.42 3.41 3.39 3.34 3.29 3.22 3.20 3.12 3.05 3.04 3.02 2.95 2.92 2.85 2.82 2.80 2.53 2.49 1.00(ouch) |
0.00 10.7 tsp. 0.0 0.0 9.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.9 11.0 0.0 11.9 0.0 5.0 10.0 3.3 9.5 9.5 10.2 11.2 9.3 9.8 0.0 |
Gentle Cleanings
The hygienist will clean and polish the teeth to remove sticky bacteria, called plaque. When plaque builds up, it can cause tooth decay. The hygienist will also teach your child proper brushing and flossing as needed, and answer any dental questions you may have. As a precaution, all of our materials are gluten free.
Fluoride Treatments
Many recent studies have demonstrated that when used correctly, fluoride treatments greatly help reduce the risk of tooth decay, especially in young children. It's important to make sure your teeth get enough fluoride so that you won't get cavities. Most adults can take care of their teeth by brushing twice a day with toothpaste that has extra fluoride. If you are concerned about whether you're getting enough fluoride, talk to Dr. Stepanski. As a precaution, all of our materials are gluten free.
Dental Sealants
Though brushing and flossing help clear away food particles and plaque from the surfaces of your teeth, toothbrush bristles cannot always reach all the food matter that finds its way into the grooves and uneven surfaces of the teeth. Sealants can be applied as a preventive measure to smooth over rough or irregular areas to keep plaque from collecting, and cavities from forming. Our sealants are made from BPH free plastic resin which safely and quickly adheres to the teeth and, with proper care, can last for many years.
Gentle Injections And Topical Anesthetic Gels
Topical Anesthesia (or “numbing gel” ) is used to numb your gums or other tissues before an injection, so that you can’t feel the needle glide in.
Cosmetic Bonding
Cosmetic bonding is a versatile and affordable way to improve the appearance of chipped, stained and gapped teeth. As one of the most conservative cosmetic dentistry treatments around, cosmetic bonding requires little to no prepping and preserves most of the natural tooth structure. And it's fast, too! Dental bonding usually takes just one visit to complete.
Natural Looking Fillings
Silver fillings make you feel self conscious when you smile, even as a child. Natural looking fillings are just as durable as they are attractive! Made of composite resin, Natural looking fillings match the natural color of your teeth and are an excellent option for small to mid-sized cavities. Natural looking fillings are strong, stain-resistant and require less removal of your tooth structure than amalgam fillings.
Digital X-Rays
Dental X-rays have come a long way. Todays dental X-rays are safer, faster, more comfortable and more informative than the X-rays of years past. Digital X-rays, one of the latest and most advanced dental technologies, produce high-quality images of your teeth that can be viewed instantly by your dentist on a LCD monitor. Digital X-rays reduce radiation by up to 75% and provide exceptional diagnostic information to ensure that potential problems are caught in their earliest stages.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is a tool available to us if children are experiencing uncommon levels of anxiety. Nitrous oxide sedation involves inhaling nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) and this coupled with the overhead TV's make restorative procedures more comfortable for our patients.
Family Atmosphere
The family atmosphere cultivated by our dentist and team always extends to our patients. When you come to Children's Dentistry, you will naturally be treated as part of our family. We will always go out of our way to make sure that your children receive the dental care they deserve in a manner that conveniently fits into your hectic schedule.
Children’s Dentistry
Avoid Baby Tooth Decay
Parents usually provide oral hygiene care until their child is old enough to take responsibility for their daily dental health routine of brushing and flossing. A proper routine of preventive home care is important from the day your child is born. Children’s dentistry is important to ensure your child has a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
-
Clean your infant’s gums with a clean, damp cloth after each feeding.
-
As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and water. If you are considering using toothpaste before your child’s second birthday, ask your dentist first.
-
To avoid baby bottle tooth decay and teeth misalignment due to sucking, try to wean your child off of the breast and bottle by one year of age, and monitor excessive sucking of pacifiers, fingers and thumbs. Never give your child a bottle of milk, juice or sweetened liquid as a pacifier at nap time or bedtime.
-
Help a young child brush at night, the most important time to brush, due to lower salivary flow and higher susceptibility to cavities. Perhaps let the child brush their teeth first to build self-confidence, then the parent can follow up to ensure that all plaque is removed. Usually by age 5 or so, the child can learn to brush his or her own teeth with proper parental instruction.
-
The best way to teach a child how to brush is to lead by good example. Allowing your child to watch you brush your teeth teaches the importance of good oral hygiene.
