Feeding Your Teeth This Holiday Season

Are you ready to sink your teeth into Thanksgiving turkey? What about the Christmas ham? The meats you enjoy probably won’t make the dentistry news headlines, but all of those delectable sweets just might! You know the old saying, “You are what you eat?” This is true when it comes to the health of your teeth. Drinking and snacking on sweet or starchy things is not just a treat for yourself, but for the plaque building up on your teeth as well. And while we don’t want to become the Grinch that stole your holiday treats, we would like to offer a few suggestions to combat those goodies and promote a healthy holiday smile.

High Fiber Fruits and Vegetables

Fiber is exceptionally good for your teeth, acting somewhat like a detergent in your mouth, helping to scrub off that unwanted plaque. There are a number of fruits and vegetables that have good fiber content, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to include a few more veggies into your holiday menu. At the top of the list are:

● Artichokes

● Peas

● Broccoli

● Kale

● Raw carrots

● Avocados

● Asparagus

● Apples

● Bananas

● Blueberries

● Raspberries

● Pears

Not only do fibrous foods act as scrubbers, they also promote saliva flow, which aids in neutralizing acids and enzymes which attack your tooth enamel.

Dairy Products

Incorporating dairy products into holiday meals is a cinch. Many recipes call for cheese, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products. What makes them so good for your teeth? The calcium in milk helps to build stronger enamel, providing better protection from those less healthful holiday choices.

Green and Black Tea

Do you have a soft spot for a steaming chai latte? A Chai latte actually has a couple of good things going for your teeth – milk and tea. Both green and black teas contain polyphenols that work to counteract plaque causing bacteria. Although tea is acid, the acidity is so weak that it does not affect your teeth. Rather, both black and green teas have been making dental news lately because they contain the properties that break down plaque bacteria, making them a good component of your healthy teeth arsenal. Just cut back on some of the sugar in that latte!

Eating for the health of your teeth need not be a bothersome chore; there are plenty of tooth-healthy foods that are delightful to the palate as well. Incorporating a few of these ideas into your traditional holiday fare is an easy step toward promoting a healthy smile.

Drink For Your Health

Dehydration is a serious problem in America. Depending on the source, somewhere between %60 and %75 of the nation suffers from some form of chronic dehydration. Although plastic water bottles have become a staple in the life of many Americans, consumption is still shockingly low. There are a myriad of health concerns associated with dehydration, aside from sudden problems such as: heatstroke, fainting, etc. there are many problems that can diminish your quality of life, and become serious over time. joint problems, dry skin, poor nails, stomach sensitivity, dizziness, low energy, abdominal bloat, poor heat tolerance, kidney stones, are all common effects of long term chronic dehydration. Proper hydration is also extremely important for dental health. Both the external act of drinking water and the internal body processes that it promotes are imperative in the fight against tooth decay. Before we continue, I feel it is necessary to state that water means water, not soda, not juice, not Crystal Light, I mean pure H2O.

Severely Eroded Teeth

The mouth is the first stage of the gastrointestinal system; therefore it is subject to the influence of diet. The mouth is a complex and changing environment which is subject to many external and internal changes. When certain external compounds are ingested, they can have a positive or negative effect on teeth. Acidic foods and beverages erode teeth. The acid breaks down tooth enamel, leaving the softer parts of the tooth more vulnerable. Acidic foods and beverages include: whole fruit, fruit juice, soda, carbonated water, coffee, wine, and many more. Drinking water with or immediately after acidic foods or beverages will restore a natural PH to your mouth. It is also important to minimize the amount of time teeth are exposed to acid, for example, it is best to drink a cup of coffee in one sitting, than to sip slowly throughout the day.

Saliva production has been linked to hydration since the early 1900s. Proper hydration is an integral part of saliva production. Saliva comes from three paired major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular and sublingual) along with numerous smaller glands. Their secretions interfere in pathogenesis, (the beginning of tooth decay) in several ways. Quite simply, saliva is known to wash away harmful dietary acid, sugar, and bacterial acid that diminish tooth enamel. Saliva is also filled with ions that neutralize dietary and bacterial acids. These ions also work to remineralize the tooth, bonding with the enamel to support it.  Salivary proteins and glycoproteins form a small layer over teeth to help shield them from acid and bacteria.

The best part is, drinking water is the absolute least expensive way to improve your oral (and overall) health. If you live in an area with poor tap water, it is best to buy a filter. However, New York City and Long Island are home to some of the cleanest tap water in the world. Long Island gets its water from underground aquifers that have stored glacial water for thousands of years. New York City uses a series of upstate reservoirs that are heavily protected through state regulations. So next time you’re in a restaurant, bar, or even at home, ask for a glass of water. They’re practically giving it away.

 

A Whole Look At Tooth Decay

“You need to brush and floss more.” That sums up most of the advice that American patients receive from their dentist. With advice like that, it’s easy to forget that cavities are not the cause of a problem, but rather a symptom of poor oral health. Cavities are caused by bacteria that live in the mouth on teeth and gums. The bacteria feed on remnants of food stuck on and between the teeth and they leave behind waste. However, their waste is highly acidic. That acid dissolves the enamel surface of the tooth and creates holes in the tooth or cavities.

 

While these bacteria aren’t picky eaters, they have a bit of a sweet tooth. Research shows that they get something like a sugar rush.  They can consume sugar and starch more efficiently than foods lower on the glycemic index. Once the bacteria are well fed, they can reproduce more quickly, and the cycle continues, creating a more acidic environment. An acidic mouth is ideal for bacteria, but not for teeth.

Sugar accounts for roughly 20% of the average American’s diet and according to Michael Pollan, a food journalist, “nearly 10 percent of the calories Americans consume now come from corn sweeteners; the figure is 20 percent for many children.”

• Regular Visits To The Dentist.
• Floss.
• Mouthwash.
• Toothpaste.
• New Tooth Brush.
• A Healthy Diet ?

A great way to fight cavities all day is to consume a diet rich in whole natural foods. The American or western diet is notoriously heavy on sugar and starches, while low in the vitamins and minerals that can strengthen teeth against decay.

Some food can be tricky, so it is best to read the label. The label lists all of a product’s ingredients in order of most to least. Fresh meat and produce don’t have labels because they are considered unadulterated or pure. Even foods that look natural can be hiding high fructose corn syrup and other additives that cavity causing bacteria thrive on. A traditional loaf of bread has about 6 ingredients: yeast, water, honey/sugar, salt, whole wheat flour, and butter/oil, most supermarket breads have closer to 30 including enriched white flour. For decades some NYC cosmetic dentists have theorized that the cause of tooth decay in western society has been a diet heavy in refined grains, including processed corn, wheat, and sugar products.

Make the healthier choice. Switch to a diet of whole, unprocessed foods. Your body and your dentist will thank you.

How Cavities Start

Sweets are the biggest culprit in causing cavities

Finding a cavity during a routine trip to the dentist is a familiar- if unpleasant – experience for many people; but most don’t realize that tooth decay is actually a disease process caused by bacteria, which can transmitted between people. Properly referred to as dental caries, this common oral disease affects children and adults of all ages… and is mostly preventable if you understand how the disease begins and spreads.

A cavity is actually a hole in the tooth. The hole is the end result of an infection by bacteria that produce acids which dissolve tooth structure. The dentist fills these holes as they are discovered but unfortunately, placing a filling the tooth without reducing the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth doesn’t usually cure the disease, and new cavities are likely to develop. Over 500 varieties of oral bacteria are found in the mouth, including the acid-producing Streptococcus mutans which is largely responsible for cavities. When they are not thoroughly and regularly removed by careful brushing and flossing, bacteria reproduce and thrive in a sticky substance that allows them to adhere to and destroy tooth surfaces. The key to controlling the caries disease process is to eliminate or control the cause – that sticky bacterial colony known as dental plaque.

Sugary or starchy foods that are left over in the mouth after eating provide a source of food for Streptococcus mutans, which creates acid as a waste product. Acids in the mouth break down and dissolve the minerals, primarily calcium in the teeth. As you probably are aware, brushing and flossing removes both the leftover food particles and the plaque, and is therefore a first line of defense against tooth decay. However, sometimes even people who have good oral hygiene develop cavities.

What is the explanation?

Bacteria are too small to be seen and can easily work their way underneath tiny cracks and openings that typically develop over time around old fillings, crowns and bridge work. Furthermore, when the molars are being formed, often deep and narrow grooves develop in the chewing surfaces. These grooves are wide enough to allow acids and microscopic bacteria to enter but too narrow to be cleaned with your tooth brush. That’s why even people who take excellent care of their teeth and have had great checkups for years still need periodic dental x-rays and professional examinations.

Because the risk of getting a cavity is directly related to both bacteria and the acid level in your mouth there are several steps you can take to prevent the caries process from starting:

• Don’t allow sweet drinks or foods to linger in the mouth over long periods of time. The longer teeth are exposed to these substances the more time bacteria will have to feed on it and produce acids that will bathe and destroy the teeth.

• Avoid sour candy and limit food and drink like soda, tea, and citrus fruits which increase the acidity of the mouth and harm the enamel.

• Stay away from anything sweet that sticks to the teeth. Foods like fruit rollups or taffy are obvious problems, but even “healthy” foods like raisins can stick and become be a source of food for decay causing bacteria!

• Brush twice and floss at least once daily to remove plaque.

• If you can’t brush after eating or drinking, rinse with water.

• Maintain regular dental checkups with periodic x-rays to check under fillings and between teeth where the dentist can’t see.

• Consider placing sealants (a semi-permanent plastic coating) on molars when they first erupt around age 6; this will keep harmful bacteria from invading deep inaccessible grooves.

• Make sure everyone in the family has had a checkup and is controlling their cavity risk factors when a new baby is on the way. Oral bacteria are transmitted between family members!

• Fluoride helps to remineralize teeth that have been “softened” with acids. Use fluoride toothpaste and ask your dental professional whether you are at high risk for cavities. Fluoride or another type of mouth rinse may also be recommended in either an over the counter or prescription strength.

• A one ounce piece of cheese eaten at the end of a meal helps neutralize acids.

• Xylitol, a sugar alcohol found in many products or sold as a sweeter chemically interacts with bacteria, preventing them from reproducing and reducing the acidity of the mouth. Ask your dental professional how you can incorporate Xylitol products into your diet.

• Specialized laser instruments are available to detect early cavities that are still too small to see. If detected early, in many cases these can be repaired (remineralized) without drilling and filling simply by adding minerals back into the dissolving tooth structure.

Managing dental caries is about more than just filling cavities. Though you may not have been aware of it, your dentist assesses your risk factors for tooth decay, including dietary and oral hygiene habits, family history and sometimes even body chemistry and saliva flow. A variety of techniques can be implemented at home and in the dental office to lower your risk for developing cavities and the dentist can make specific recommendations based on his assessment. Do you have a positive experience with any of the decay prevention techniques discussed in the article? We would like to hear from you!

Oral Piercing: The Price of Beauty

Body piercing is a popular form of self-expression these days, but it isn’t as safe as you may have been told. The American Dental Association opposes the practice of piercing the tissues in and around the mouth and you may want to research and think about some of the consequences that the local piercer may not know about…

Even if the piercing salon is reputable and the equipment is sterile, the human mouth is a warm, moist environment with a rich blood supply and home to literally millions of bacteria. A piercing site is an open wound, and the perfect place for bacteria to enter the blood stream and cause serious or life threatening infections such as septicemia. When these bacteria multiply in the blood stream and colonize in distant parts of the body such as the heart, they can cause endocarditis, a serious (and sometimes fatal) inflammation of the heart valves and tissues.

Common problems following piercing in and around the mouth include scar tissue, excessive drooling and speech problems. Oral jewelry may interfere with chewing or swallowing, and excessive sensitivity to metals such as eating utensils – and even your own fillings- is not uncommon. Jewelry that is accidentally bitten will likely fracture or chip tooth enamel or fillings, damage which is not just cosmetic- it can necessitate a root canal and crown or even an extraction. When jewelry consistently rubs against gum tissue, recession that exposes the roots and sometimes the bone can occur. Unfortunately, these effects are often permanent and require surgery to correct. In practical terms, some other undesirable effects of an oral piercing include

Complications of tongue piercing are very possible: Damage to the blood vessels in the tongue can cause serious blood loss; and the nerve can be easily punctured causing numbness, loss of taste or movement – damage that is sometimes temporary, but can also be permanent. After a piercing the tongue will swell, as you might expect- but occasionally the swelling is serious enough to block the airway.
If your mind is made up, and you are still sure that you want an oral piercing, there are some precautions that can make your choice safer:
• Plan ahead: Speak to your dentist (the expert in oral anatomy) for advice about the location you have chosen.
• Be sure your piercer has good references and is professional and competent. Sterile equipment and a clean environment are essential.
• Get instructions for aftercare, and follow them. Kissing, alcohol, or touching the site with unwashed hands are out of the question until it has healed, and good oral hygiene is imperative to minimize the risk of infection. There are several good over the counter, alcohol free mouth rinses that are effective at reducing bacteria. If it becomes necessary, the dentist can prescribe an effective antiseptic rinse.
• The piercing procedure and your oral jewelry should use surgical grade stainless steel, which is hypoallergenic. However, watch for inflammation (redness, swelling and pain) that doesn’t go away- this could be an indication that you are allergic to the metal in your jewelry, and you will need to remove it.
• When the tongue has been pierced, a short length of barbell is best, because it moves less and is less tempting to play with. Even tapping of jewelry against your tooth enamel can create tiny fractures

• Plastic jewelry is always preferable to metal because it is gentler and kinder to the enamel.

• As with anything else in the mouth, oral jewelry collects plaque and food particles. Remove and clean it regularly, and replace it if it becomes damaged.

• Don’t wear oral jewelry during a dental visit because it can interfere with x-rays, but do be sure to tell the dentist or hygienist about your piercing so that they can examine the site and look for possible problems.

• Most importantly, if your piercing causes any sensitivity or discomfort don`t hesitate to remove it.
• See your dentist or doctor right away if you experience symptoms of illness!

Fashion trends come and go and although most are harmless and fun, the price of being trendy may be higher than you expected. The potential cost of an oral piercing can be anything from minor cosmetic issues and sensitivity to thousands of dollars worth of repairs to the teeth, or permanent damage to the nerves and skin in the mouth. Ask yourself if the fashion statement is worth the potential long term cost. Have you experienced any negative effects as a result of oral (lip, tongue, cheek, etc.) piercings?