Dental Care and Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are popular among young athletes – they are bombarded by marketing messages and popular professional athletes which drives greater consumption. However, sports drinks are sugary and acidic so these “harmless and healthy” liquids can actually wreak havoc on teeth.

 

The combination of acidic components, sugars, and additives in sports drinks combine to erode the tooth’s surface, weakening the enamel that protects teeth from bacteria. The enamel erosion ultimately makes teeth more susceptible to bacteria and that can lead to hypersensitivity, staining, and tooth decay. So it’s critical to limit the amount of sports drinks that your child or young teenager consumes during sports.

 

Don’t have your student athlete brush his/her teeth immediately after finishing a sports drink. Consumption of acidic drinks causes tooth enamel to soften, making teeth more susceptible to more wear from the abrasives in toothpaste. Wait 45 minutes to an hour before brushing. In that time, saliva will start its work to re-mineralize the tooth structure and neutralize the damage. Saliva won’t remove the sugar residue, so you still have to brush.

 

Most children should see their dentist for a regular cleaning and check up every six months. Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, five times more common than asthma. It’s also preventable with proper care. Dr. Chopra and his staff can help identify early signs of erosion, the causes and offer solutions on how to prevent further damage and more serious problems from occurring.

Dental Care Program for Children and Adults with Autism

 

First Trip to the Dentist

By 2 1/2 most children have cut all of their baby teeth, so toddlerhood is a great time to instill good dental habits. "Baby teeth are important because they hold space for permanent teeth," says Judy Ann Taylor, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist in Brooklyn. Decay in baby teeth also increases the risk of decay in permanent teeth.

Although dentists now recommend that kids see a dentist for the first time by their first birthday, twice-yearly dental checkups and proper care at home are the keys to ensuring pearly whites throughout childhood. For toddlers, however, the first dental visit can be a scary proposition. Strange instruments, loud noises, and new faces can upset even the most nonchalant 2-year-old. But with careful preparation (and plenty of prizes), a first trip to the dentist can actually be fun.

 

Before You Go

 

Your first impulse may be to take your child to your own dentist, but this is not a good idea, unless a sizable part of her practice is children. She can probably recommend a kid-friendly dentist, however. (Friends with children are another good source of recommendations.) Or call the American Dental Association (312-440-2617; www.ada.org) or the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (312-337-2169; www.aapd.org) for an accredited pediatric dentist in your area. Then make an appointment to tour the office with your child. Observe how the staff handles children, and make sure you're comfortable with all procedures. "Parents should be in the examining room with the child," says Judy Ann Taylor, D.D.S., "and a dentist should stop working if a child gets upset or nervous." Watch out for cleanliness: Dental tools should be wrapped in plastic, the staff should wear protective gloves and masks, and patients should wear protective glasses.

 

Provide the dentist with a list of any medical conditions your child has or medications he takes. Keep your pediatrician's phone number handy, too, in case the dentist needs additional health information.

 

If your child has a sucking habit, be it thumb, pacifier, or bottle, let the dentist know, as it may affect your child's teeth and jaw. Also, be aware that sleeping with a bottle of milk or juice can cause tooth decay. "During sleep, liquids in the mouth -- which are full of sugar and bacteria -- pool around the teeth and erode them," says Dr. Taylor.

 

Talk to your child about what's going to happen. Practice brushing with your child beforehand, too, so she will be used to having a toothbrush in her mouth.

 

What to Expect

1. Meeting and Greeting

 "To make sure your child feels comfortable, formally introduce him to the dentist on his first visit," says Judy Ann Taylor, D.D.S. A good children's dentist will explain each step of the checkup with your child, show him the tools she'll be using, and assure him that he can sit on Mommy's or Daddy's lap and stop any procedure if he's nervous.

 

2. Learning the Facts

Using models, an oversize brush, and "cavity creep" finger puppets, the dentist will show your child how to brush with your help. "A dentist may also explain how the cavity creeps come out at night to harm teeth and how eating nutritious meals and drinking plenty of water keeps teeth healthy," says Dr. Taylor. She'll also use this time to address your questions and concerns.

 

3. Mastering the Machinery

Because the spitting cup may make some scary sucking noises, the dentist will show your child how it works and how to spit into it properly. Then she'll put on a mask and gloves to count your child's teeth, using the model -- or you -- to demonstrate before putting her fingers in his mouth.

 

4. Cleaning and Polishing

Next, the dentist will polish your child's teeth with a rotary toothbrush. "Make sure the staff provides him with goggles or sunglasses to protect his eyes in case a tool slips or toothpaste sprays," says Dr. Taylor. Letting the child see and hear the brush before it's placed in his mouth helps put him at ease.

 

5. Finishing Touches

As with the other procedures she performs, the dentist will show your child how the sucking straw works before she uses it to remove extra toothpaste and saliva. As a final step, the dentist may apply a coat of topical fluoride. "I always ask the parent if it's okay to use fluoride," says Dr. Taylor, "but the research shows that periodic fluoride treatments prevent decay." A child should not eat or drink for 30 minutes after a treatment.

 

6. Picking a Prize

Stickers, finger puppets, crayons, key chains -- the more varied the grab bag, the better. "Prizes are a wonderful way to get kids to think the dentist's office is a fun place," says Dr. Taylor. You may want to let your child pick a prize during the cleaning if he seems nervous. But if he gets genuinely upset, "he may not be ready for his first visit," says Dr. Taylor. "In that case, cut it short and try again in a few months."

The Three "F's" of Good Dental Care

Many people have heard that children no longer have cavities. It is true; many children do not have cavities, but 50% still do. In fact, 80% of the cavities nationwide are found in 20% of children. In many children, the first cavities occur at about 6 years of age when the first permanent molars erupt and the spaces close between the back teeth. Suddenly, the teeth contact, food collects, flossing is not done, and cavities start.

 

We have found cavities on your child?s teeth. These cavities are either in the grooves on the biting surfaces or in between teeth as noted on the cavity decaying x-rays. The tendency to develop this type of cavity can be a life long problem. There are numerous factors that contribute to the development of cavities.

 

Many of these factors are out of control; for example, the makeup of your child?s saliva, the shape of their teeth, and the type of cavity producing bacteria in their mouth. However, a number of contributing factors can be controlled. These include the amount of plaque buildup on the teeth, the types of food that are consumed, and exposure to fluorides. In order to minimize or prevent these cavities from continuing to develop, we recommend the following; the 3 F?s:

 

1) Flossing - this should be performed EVERY NIGHT after brushing. Most children are unable to perform this adequately without your assistance. Floss aids such as Johnson & Johnson?s Wild Flossers, Oral B Floss Aid, Butler Flossmate, or the Glide Flosspick make it fun and easy to perform.

 

2) Fluoride - rinse with a topical fluoride rinse such as ACT or Fluorigard or brush on a prescription high-potency fluoride gel after nighttime brushing and flossing. Also, apply fluoride containing sealants on the surfaces of the permanent molars.

 

3) Foods- avoid in between meal snacks that have high sugar content and are sticky. Many snacks that are thought to be ?healthy? such as raisins, Fruit Roll-ups, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fun Fruits, etc. are actually candy due to their tackiness and high sugar content. Of course, candies such as Skittles, Starbursts, Gummy Bears, Gummy Worms, and Blow Pops are extremely sticky and can result in dental decay. The use of prepackaged juices as between meal drinks also exposes your child to the risk of cavities. Remember, the frequency of consuming foods, especially sugary ones, can be as important in producing cavities as the sugar content of the food. Keep snacking to a minimum and offer your child healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables.

 

Having regular 6-month check ups and periodic bitewing x-rays will help to prevent and detect these problems in the future, but remember prevention starts at home!

Cavity Protection Begins with Baby Teeth

For hundreds of years the tooth fairy has traded gifts for baby teeth left under pillows while children sleep. Unfortunately, the tooth fairy does not take bacteria or infection that the cavity may have left behind. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that one out of 10 2-year-olds are already infected with at least one cavity.

 

From the time a child is born, plaque can build up on the gums. Plaque is formed from the combination of acid, saliva and bacteria present in the mouth. While a baby’s teeth are not yet visible, an environment of bacteria sets the stage for poor oral health once the teeth begin to grow in. Children are born with their teeth developed below the gum line and, according to the American Dental Association, decay can begin as soon as a tooth appears.Unlike adults, a child gets a “second chance” with his teeth, but just because children’s primary teeth fall out and are replaced does not mean that care for the first set should be neglected.

 

Cavities lead to tooth decay and even tooth loss, as a result of bacteria left in the mouth. They are also contagious; meaning that a cavity in a primary tooth can easy spread to a neighboring permanent tooth. An infection in the root of a primary tooth may spread to the upcoming permanent tooth. Even more serious, premature tooth loss can cause long term problems for a child’s oral health.

 

Establishing good habits with children at a young age is crucial for ensuring future oral hygiene. It is encouraged for persons of all ages to brush and floss twice a day. Kids need to understand that brushing and flossing is not a “chore,” but a chance to protect their teeth and overall health.

 

The biggest enemies of tooth-brushing for kids are sugary snacks. Packed with sugars that promote plaque and tooth decay, their consumption counteracts the efforts of tooth-brushing. Forming the habit of brushing is also a challenge because kids may become frustrated for many reasons. Brushing can feel like a chore, especially when they’re being forced to do it twice a day. If a child doesn’t like the taste of his toothpaste he certainly won’t be eager to brush, especially if he is using too much. For a kid-sized mouth, only a drop of toothpaste the size of a pea is needed. Too much will result in excess froth, and a mess all over the bathroom counter.

 

Most kids don’t get excited to brush their teeth, and parents can have a hard time obtaining cooperation. Kids will be kids, so make brushing fun! Try turning the task into a game or using a reward system to generate excitement. Let kids pick out their own toothbrush at the store so that they feel some ownership with their own brush. Also choose “kid-friendly” toothpaste. Many types of toothpaste that adults use may be too spicy for little taste buds, so choose bubblegum or another flavored kid’s paste. 

Toothbrushing Songs for Children

Without understanding the serious consequences of poor dental health, children have no compelling incentive to stand there and swipe that toothbrush around for more than just a few obligatory seconds. Singing a song is a classic solution, but how many tooth songs do you know offhand? That’s what I thought.

Here are some great songs with familiar tunes, listed below, to help teach children the value of healthy teeth (this Preschool Education website is a great resource). Here are some of our favorites:

Are Your Teeth Clean and White

(To the tune of “Do Your Ears Hang Low”)

Are your teeth clean and white?
Do you brush them every night?
Do you brush them in the morning?
Do you brush them right?
Do you brush them side to side?
Are your teeth clean and white?
Do you floss them good
To remove the bits of food?
Do you floss them every day
Like you know you should?
Do you take good care of
The teeth that are there?
Do you floss them good?

(Disclaimer: As somewhat of a word nerd, I do not advocate poor grammar. Use that song at your own discretion. If you are a normal person, please ignore this disclaimer.)

Got My Toothpaste

(To the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)

Got my toothpaste, got my brush,
I won’t hurry, I won’t rush.
Making sure my teeth are clean,
Front and back and in-between,
When I brush for quite a while,
I will have a happy smile.

I've Been Brushing

(To the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”)

I’ve been brushing with my toothbrush,
Brushing every day
I’ve been brushing with my toothbrush,
It’s how I fight decay.
All my teeth are gonna sparkle,
How proud I will be.
Every time I want to smile, my
Teeth will shine for me!
Always brush your teeth,
Every single day.
Keep those cavities away!
Use your brush and paste,
Just the way you should,
Keep your smile a-lookin’ good!

Feel free to visit the Preschool Education website for even more ideas, and watch your little ones look forward to brushing their teeth.