How Does Sugar Affect Teeth?

You hear it time and time again, eating too much sugar can lead to a cavity filled mouth — but exactly how does that happen? The sugar itself isn’t what causes damage, rather it’s the process of what happens to the sugar once consumed that does.

Learn more about the effect sugar has on teeth below. 

How do you get cavities?

Your mouth is naturally full of bacteria, many of which are good for your oral health! Harmful bacteria comes into play when sugar is present. This bacteria feeds on the sugars in your mouth to create acids that destroy the protective outer layer of your teeth — known as tooth enamel. Cavities are created by these acids and without treatment can seriously hurt your tooth!

So, how can these acids be stopped?

Fortunately, there is a natural process of demineralization and remineralization (think of it as a tug-of-war) that occurs in the mouth. As these acids attack the important minerals in your tooth enamel (demineralization), your saliva plays a key role in their restoration (remineralization). Saliva contains minerals like calcium and phosphates that help repair teeth! But limiting your sugar intake is key to giving your saliva a chance to fix any damage.

How else can I help remineralize tooth enamel?

Aside from limiting sugar, stimulating saliva flow! This can be done by chewing sugar free gum or gum that is sweetened with xylitol. Also, incorporating more fibrous veggies and fruits into your diet can help bathe your teeth in saliva and thus, important minerals.

Milk, cheese, and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and phosphates as well. Finally, fluoride is another mineral that can repair weakened enamel so be sure to brush two minutes, twice a day with ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste.

Add regular dental visits with Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry into the mix and your family has the best chance of winning the battle against tooth decay! With three convenient Long Island locations, we specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Contact us to request an appointment today!

5 Tips for Preventing Cavities

No one LIKES dealing with cavities - they’re annoying and painful. But ignoring cavities in baby teeth assuming they’ll fall out anyway is a dangerous misconception. 

To help prevent cavities in your family, use these five recommendations from an expert pediatric dental practice (aka - us!):

1. Teach your children the importance of dental health.
First and foremost, it’s important to teach your children the importance of routine dental care. Help your children understand the importance of brushing for two minutes twice daily and once daily flossing.

2. Up the intake of crisp fruits and veggies.
Crisp, water dense fruits and veggies are not only a great way to keep your child’s mouth hydrated - but they also help stimulate the production of saliva. The proteins and minerals found in saliva help protect tooth enamel which prevents tooth decay!

3. Avoid excess sugar.
We’re not saying to avoid ALL sugar - remember, moderation is key. When you can, limit your child’s sugar intake. Instead of a glass of juice with lunch and soda with dinner, substitute one meal with water and encourage water consumption throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is an effortless habit for preventing cavities!
 

4. Make routine dental visits.
Bring your kids into their regularly scheduled dental appointments with us! This way, we have the opportunity to spot any irregularities and catch problems fast. We know it’s easy to skip appointments, but committing to visiting us twice a year will allow us to address problems early when things are typically more treatable.
 

5. Ask us about sealants.
The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Tooth sealants help prevent this! Sealants are just a thin, plastic coating painted on teeth. When applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, sealants act as a barrier between the tooth and harmful bacteria. It lasts for several years and just needs to be checked during your child’s regular appointments.

For more tips on how to prevent cavities in your children - give us a call! At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for over 14 years. We have three locations: Nesconset, Massapequa Park, and West Islip.

Did You Know You Can Catch a Cavity?

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Believe it or not it is true! Dental cavities are the single most common chronic childhood disease. While the cause of dental decay is multi-factorial most parents blame Halloween candy, snacking, or sugary drinks such as juice or soda.  These certainty contribute to cavities, however, cavities are also caused by bacteria. The main culprit is a bacteria called Streptococcus mutans. This bacteria lives in plaque on your teeth and feed off the sugars in your mouth. The bacteria produce an acid that weakens your teeth and cause cavities.  

Like most bacteria it can be transmitted from one person to another! This is especially true between caregivers and children and also happens between couples or even people living closely. Research has shown that children usually get the cavity causing bacteria from mom.

The better a parent or caregiver takes care of their teeth the less likely that they transmit the bacteria. Parents can lower the bacteria in their mouth with basic oral hygiene and visits to the dentist. Treating cavities in a parents mouth helps both the parent and child. Just like sharing other germs caregivers should avoid tasting children food, kissing children on the lips, and other actions that would cause the spread of this bacteria.

You can control the bacteria in your child's mouth by brushing and flossing regularly and visiting your dentist at least two times a year. In fact starting early helps a lot. The Academy for Pediatric dentistry advises that the first dental visit is within six months of eruption of the first tooth and no later than 12 months of age. Of course, limiting the sugar also helps so if you want to finally get rid of some of the candy we wont tell! 

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s dental health, give any of our three locations a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news.

5 Tips for Fighting Cavities

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Tooth decay is the most common, chronic childhood disease. The good news? It’s preventable! By following the below tips, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring your kids have a lifetime of good dental health!

1. Start Prevention Early - Even though you may not see teeth erupting in your child’s mouth, early oral care should still begin. Wipe your child’s gums with gauze or a soft, damp cloth after each feeding. Getting your little one used to having their mouth cleaned can help when it’s time for the toothbrush to come into play!

2. Avoid Giving Baby Juice or Formula at Bed Time - It’s common to put your child to bed with a sippy cup or bottle, but do be careful of what liquid you put in there. Milk, formula, and juice all contain sugar. Giving your child any of these liquids overnight gives bacteria its chance to eat away at tooth enamel, contributing to tooth decay.

3. Teach Your Kids How to Floss - In addition to brushing teeth two minutes, twice a day, its also important to ensure flossing is in their oral health routine as well. Brushing doesn’t reach all the crevices in the mouth and that’s where floss comes in. Flossing is the most effective way to remove any food and plaque that gets trapped between the teeth.

4. Limit Sports Drinks and Sodas - Both are huge sources of sugar and if not cleaned off the teeth well, the bacteria in the mouth can feed on it producing acids. Over time, this acid wears away at the teeth and the process of decay begins. Stick with water whenever possible!

5. Talk to a Dentist About Sealants - Sealants are just a thin, plastic coating painted on teeth. When applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, sealants act as a barrier between the tooth and harmful bacteria. This helps protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6-14. 

Finally, another tried and true method of cavity prevention is bringing your children in for their regularly schedule dental appointments. This way we have the opportunity to spot an irregularities and catch any problems fast. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news.

Teaching Kids the Importance of Dental Health to Fight Cavities

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

 

Tooth decay occurs when areas in the hard surface of your teeth become damaged and develop holes - cavities. If these cavities are left untreated, the holes will get bigger and can eventually lead to pain, infection, and tooth loss. While it’s true that some people are more prone to tooth decay than others (even within the same family) - by teaching the importance of dental health we can work together to fight cavities and instill a lifetime of good oral hygiene:

Brushing twice a day - One of the BEST ways to prevent tooth decay. Encourage your children and other family members to brush teeth for two minutes two times a day.

Use toothpaste with fluoride - Research has shown that fluoride is effective in reducing cavities. Should someone in your family be especially susceptible to cavities, we may recommend a daily fluoride rinse or supplements (tablets or drops).

Ask us about applying dental sealants - A sealant is a protective coating applied to the chewing surface of back teeth. Since these areas are tough to clean of bacteria and food, the sealant seals off these grooves to protect tooth enamel. This is recommended for all school-aged children.

Floss, floss, floss! - Flossing is the most effective way to remove food and plaque from between the teeth. Encourage your children and other family members to floss at least once or twice a day for the best cavity protection.

Lower your children’s sugar intake - Sugar is linked to tooth decay because if it is not cleaned off teeth well, the bacteria in the mouth can feed on it and produce acids. Over time this acid wears away at the teeth and the process of decay begins. Lower the amount of sugary snacks and beverages your children consume throughout the day!

Finally, another tried and true method of cavity prevention is bringing your children in for their regularly schedule dental appointments. This way we have the opportunity to spot an irregularities and catch any problems fast. At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever.  Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for over 14 years.  We have three locations: Nesconset, Massapequa Park and our newest location in West Islip.