After eating these foods throughout the day, you might want to spend a little extra time
cleaning your teeth. This doesn’t mean hard brushing, just a gentle, detailed cleaning 30
minutes or more after consuming these items.

Dried Fruits

Although fruit is generally considered to be beneficial to your smile, dried fruit is deprived of
much of its water. Water helps balance oral bacteria as well replenish your saliva. It also acts as
a buffer between the sugar contained in the fruit and your teeth.

With dried fruits, their sticky nature and reduced water content make them harmful to your
teeth. The fruits can stick to your teeth and cause damage to enamel. Dried fruits have also
been shown to spike blood sugar in a way that fruits in their natural form don’t.

Soda

Sodas have a high sugar content while diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, which tend to be
acidic and harsh on tooth enamel. Soda that contains traditional sugar is a huge plaque
generator. Since soda is a liquid, this plaque can get in virtually all spaces between teeth and
cause plaque in hard-to- reach places.

Always wait a minimum of 30 minutes after drinking soda or consuming other sweets before
brushing. For a sugar-free, calorie-free soda alternative, try sparkling water!

Bread

Carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates such as those found in white bread and
bleached flour, have been known to create plaque on the teeth and are damaging to enamel. If
you eat bread regularly, opt for a whole wheat version. This can help reduce plaque and will
enable you to have an easier time brushing your teeth.

Alcohol

Alcohol is extremely corrosive to your tooth enamel. This drink can also cause more plaque. To
help minimize the effects of alcohol on your teeth, be sure to drink water along with your drink.
Never brush immediately after consuming alcohol, and always brush carefully to help remove
plaque before it turns into tartar!

Candy

Sticky sweets such as candy are, like dried fruits, one of the worst initiators of plaque. They not
only stick to your teeth, but also generate harmful bacteria that can eat away at your tooth
enamel. Candy should always be eaten in moderation, if at all. The worst candies are caramels,
sour candies, and gummy bears.

When consuming candy, drink water to help reduce damage to your tooth enamel. You can
gently brush away the plaque and floss as part of your normal oral care routine.

Although brushing immediately after you eat these foods isn’t necessary—and might even be
harmful—you will need to spend some extra time brushing. These foods can generate plaque
which you’ll need to safely and regularly remove from your teeth to be sure it doesn’t turn into
tartar!

The post Spend Some Extra Time Brushing After Eating These Foods appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Protect your child from tooth decay by knowing your child’s risk. Which children have the highest risk for developing tooth decay?

Those Without a Regular Brushing Routine

You can start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they have teeth! Similarly, you can also start flossing your child’s teeth as soon as they have two teeth that touch together. As your child grows and is able to take over brushing and flossing, you should still supervise to ensure they’re doing a proper job.

Children without a regular brushing routine are putting their mouths at risk for development of plaque and tartar, overgrowth of bad bacteria that can cause enamel erosion and cavities, and even gum disease. It’s vital that your child brushes properly at least once a day, preferably twice a day for the most benefits. Flossing also helps to remove plaque and bacteria that can cause tooth decay!

Children Who Eat Lots of Processed Food

It’s easy to have your child eat a prepackaged snack or to make dinners from packaged foods. However, children who eat lots of processed food—namely carbohydrates and sugars—are at an increased risk for tooth decay. Your child’s body needs an abundance of nutrients, most of which can be found in fresh, whole foods.

Making the switch from processed foods filled with simple carbohydrates and sugars to whole foods is easier than you think. Instead of snack bars, buy apples and bananas. Instead of soda, buy seltzer water. For dinner, make at least half of their plate with fresh, colorful vegetables. This can give their smiles the nutrients they need to be strong and resist tooth decay.

Kids Whose Parents Have Cavities

If you have several cavities, your children are more likely to have cavities. This is because the bacteria that’s in your mouth was likely passed to them during infancy, whether through kissing or sharing utensils. This allows their own unique oral bacteria to grow with your bacteria—if you have lots of cavities, it’s likely that your child will be at a higher risk for them as well.

What Can You Do?

There are many things you can do to protect your child from tooth decay! Firstly, visiting your pediatric dentist for checkups every six months is crucial. Your dentist may also recommend dental sealants, which is a clear, protective barrier for your child’s back teeth, which are the hardest to clean.

You can also buy toothpaste with fluoride in it, which will help to strengthen your child’s teeth and prevent cavities. Your dentist may also recommend a fluoride treatment if your child needs it. Talk to your dentist about how much fluoride your child is getting, as too much or too little will be a problem.

What’s your child’s risk for tooth decay? Children who fail to brush and floss regularly, eat lots of simple carbohydrates and sweets, and have parents with cavities are at the highest risk for tooth decay. Visit your dentist to talk about your child’s risk and what you can do to minimize the chances that they’ll develop cavities. Your child’s teeth should be healthy for life—you can help make that happen!

The post Which Children Are at Highest Risk for Tooth Decay? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Determine What’s Causing the Swelling

After your dentist visit to check for gum disease, discuss what could be causing the swelling. You may have just gotten braces, your wisdom teeth removed, or had an injury to your mouth. These are the more obvious causes, but there are less obvious ones as well. Pregnant women tend to experience swollen gums, or you may not be brushing and flossing properly. Only when you determine what’s causing the swelling can you take effective steps to treat the problem!

Brush and Floss Gently

Are you brushing too hard? This could be causing your gum irritation. You want to be sure to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush gently. Plaque doesn’t require much effort to remove, and if you’re brushing twice a day, soft brushing will certainly do the trick to remove this sticky substance. Flossing gently once a day can also help to remove any plaque that’s built up and could be irritating your gums. The American Dental Association recommends you use about 18 inches and use a clean section for every tooth!

Rinse with Salt Water

A salt water solution could help soothe your gums and remove any irritants such as bacteria or trapped food particles. Try a quarter teaspoon or up to a teaspoon in a cup of warm water. Swish the salt water around gently in your mouth for a minute or so, then spit out. Be sure not to swallow as this solution could contain bacteria and food particles that you don’t want in your body!

Do Warm and Cold Compresses

Alternating warm and cold compresses to the outside of the affected area can increase circulation and help reduce your gum swelling. While warm compresses tend to be soothing, cold compresses are more effective at helping to reduce pain. Alternate warm and cold and hold against your face, don’t apply the compress directly to your gums. Always be sure to use a clean cloth and never apply extreme temperatures to your skin.

Check Your Diet

If you and your dentist are stumped about what’s causing your gum swelling, it might be time for some blood work. You could be deficient in key nutrients that could be leading to circulation or healing issues. Always ensure to eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, protein, and healthy fats. These foods will help encourage total oral health in addition to reducing your gum swelling.

Gum swelling can be unsightly and painful. Your first step is a trip to the dentist to ensure you’re not suffering from gum disease. Then, you can try the steps listed above to try and improve your gum swelling. Soothing compresses, salt water rinses, and proper brushing and flossing can help!

Photo courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The post Effective Steps to Reduce Gum Swelling appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

At first glance, sports drinks might seem like a good replacement for soda, but this is one alternative you should skip. Sports drinks frequently feature high fructose corn syrup, dyes, and salt as their ingredients. The sugar content in these “healthy” drinks is virtually no different than that of conventional sodas—a can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of sugar, while Gatorade has 34 grams. Not looking so healthy, now are they?

Grab: Seltzer Water

Seltzer water is just carbonated water, so if you love those bubbly drinks, reach for this instead of soda. Some seltzer waters come flavored with fruit juices, like lemon, lime, or even pomegranate and tangerine. Although there is some fruit flavoring in these, the content is much healthier than soda—zero grams of sugar. Seltzer water is a healthy alternative to soda, so grab!

Avoid: Juices

Juices tend to be marketed as healthier than soda, but the truth is that they compete in the sugar world just like sports drinks! Fruits are healthy, fruit juice is not—with none of the fiber to help your body digest it, the sugar in these drinks ends up spiking your blood sugar. Avoid these as much as you can, or mix with seltzer water to cut down on consumption.

Grab: Kombucha

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea that’s loaded with healthy enzymes, probiotics, and comes in great flavors with just a little fruit puree added. With supermarkets carrying many different types of kombucha these days, you should grab this healthy beverage. It’s carbonated just like soda, and your kids likely won’t miss the sugar. Give it a try!

Avoid: Energy Drinks

Energy drinks have loads of sugar and caffeine. Not only are these drinks unhealthy, they can be dangerous as they speed up heart rate. These drinks tend to be popular with teens, but you’ll want to pass these by at the store. They’re not worth the “energy” they deliver, and the sugar and acidity of these drinks is terrible for your teeth.

Grab: Tea

You’ll need to read the labels when grabbing bottled tea at your supermarket, as many of them sneak sugar in there. Buy some unsweetened tea and let your kids flavor with lemon or raspberries at home. Or, introduce your family to flavored hot teas, which can be beneficial and healthful for your body and mind. Strawberry green tea, for instance, tastes fantastic and is shown to increase concentration and memory. Who wouldn’t want that in the afternoon?

These days, you have many options when it comes to choosing alternatives for soda. Forgo the sports drinks, energy drinks, and juice in favor of seltzer water, kombucha, and tea. These positive changes can ensure healthy teeth for you and your family, not to mention healthy bodies!

The post Soda Replacements: Which to Grab and Which to Avoid appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.