Keep Your Child’s Cheesy Grin

Keep Your Child’s Cheesy Grin

Most children love cheese for its taste; parents love cheese for its ability to help promote strong bones. But now it seems that there is another reason to love this calcium-rich snack. Not only are dairy products a healthy alternative to carbohydrate- or sugar-filled food and drink but cheese may also help prevent cavities, bad breath and gum disease.

In a study published in the May/June 2013 issue of the peer-reviewed journal General Dentistry, 68 children, ranging in age from 12 to 15 years, consumed cheese, milk or sugar-free yogurt for three minutes and then rinsed their mouths with plain water. Researchers measured pH levels in the children’s mouths at 10-minute intervals for 30 minutes. A lower pH level means the mouth is more acidic, and acid is what causes tooth enamel erosion, a major contributing factor in developing tooth decay. They found that the pH level rose in the children who ate cheddar cheese, which meant they were at a lower risk for cavities. The same study found no changes in pH levels in the mouths of children who drank milk or ate sugar-free yogurt.

The researchers suggested that chewing cheese increased saliva levels, which can help maintain a higher pH level. In addition, compounds called pyrophosphates found in cheese may stick to tooth surfaces, helping to protect teeth from the harmful effects of acid.

Although yogurt didn’t affect the pH levels in that study, ounce-for-ounce it contains more calcium than milk: An eight-ounce glass of milk contains about 300 mg of calcium while eight ounces of yogurt contains almost 400 mg of the tooth-building mineral. And yogurt contains phosphorous, which helps restore tooth enamel. If your child loves yogurt but you don’t like the sugar substitutes used in sugar-free varieties, try sweetening it with honey, which possesses additional antibacterial properties that can help keep away tooth decay.

Nutritional foods are vital for both your child’s general health and oral health. Talk to us about making good food choices at your child’s next office visit to KiDDS Dental.

Give us a call at 509-891-7070 to schedule today!

It’s Never Too Early to Prevent Cavities

It’s Never Too Early to Prevent Cavities

Dental problems such as cavities (also known as dental caries) can have a major impact on children. Pain and the effect on their appearance may not only leave children feeling bad but can also result in a lifelong fear of dentists. This leaves many parents wondering just how and when to start preventing cavities.

A recent study has shed some light on a factor you may not have considered: how you feed your child. While many parents may think cavity prevention starts only when their child has his or her first tooth, what and how you feed your baby appears to play a crucial role. Certain feeding practices can lead to severe early childhood caries. When that occurs, your child can suffer from

• pain
• chewing problems
• speech difficulties
• poor self-esteem

On top of that, it can be costly to treat severe early childhood caries. Just as your eating habits affect your likelihood of developing cavities, so too do your child’s feeding practices. Children who are breastfed seven or more times a day after they are 12 months old are thought to have a higher incidence of cavities.

Another risky behavior is using a bottle for liquids other than milk. The number of meals and snacks can similarly put your child at a higher risk for cavities.

When it comes to feeding, what you do today can have consequences later for your child. Dr. Jared has information on how you can help prevent cavities in your child. Simple measures such as avoiding or reducing the consumption of foods high in sugar can help. Appropriate intervals between feedings can also make a difference.

Research shows it is critically important that you receive advice before your child transitions from an exclusive milk diet to solid foods.

If you have questions about early prevention of cavities, click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jared. Or give us a call at (509)-891-7070.

Is Breast Milk Best for Your Baby’s Teeth?

Is Breast Milk Best for Your Baby’s Teeth?

Is there a link between how a baby is fed (breast vs. bottle) and the future development of cavities? There’s no simple answer to that question.

Here’s what we currently know. First, cavities—technically, dental caries—are infections caused by Streptococcus mutans bacteria. Almost all adults have these bacteria in their mouths, and you will surely transfer them to your baby. If the baby has any teeth, the addition of another necessary element, sugar on a tooth, begins the caries process. The bacteria feed on the sugar and leave acid as a residue; the acid causes decay.

The key, then, is to keep your child’s mouth as sugar-free as possible. That doesn’t just mean sugar out of a box, of course; almost any leftover food or liquid particles (other than plain water) will have sugar or compounds that turn to sugar. That includes baby formula, cow’s milk and breast milk.

One way to get rid of that sugar is to gently clean your child’s gums after each feeding—even before the first tooth erupts, even before he or she eats solid food. Bonus: It will make routine tooth-brushing seem natural as your baby grows up.

The other crucial step to keeping your child’s mouth free of sugar is to make sure he or she does not fall asleep while feeding. The fewer nighttime feedings, the better. If your child falls asleep with breast milk or formula (or any other non-water beverage) in his or her mouth at any time, sugars remain. But at night, everyone (even a baby) makes less saliva, and that contributes to sugars being washed away less efficiently.

Breast milk contains natural chemicals that confer protection of many kinds, including, to some degree, against Streptococcus mutans. Another benefit is that—all other things being equal—breast milk doesn’t contribute to much acid production in your child’s mouth. But those benefits can’t fully counter the risks of prolonged nighttime nursings.

Your child should have his or her first dental appointment no later than when their first tooth erupts. Dr. Jared can give you additional sensible guidelines for caring for your little one’s teeth that will give him or her the best chance of avoiding cavities, whether they are breast- or bottle-fed.

Call us to schedule an appointment today!  509-891-7070.