Fruit Juice and Baby Teeth

In a recent article, the American Association of Pediatrics has announced that children under the age of 1 year should not be given fruit juice. They propose that juice "offers no nutritional benefits early in life" and that the process of making juice strips fruit of its natural fibers while concentrating sugars. From a dental perspective, fruit juice proposes many threats to developing teeth and can contribute to rampant decay. 

One of the biggest problems with childhood juice consumption is the misconception that fruit juice is "healthy." Whether natural, organic, unfiltered or cold pressed, all commercially available juices are high in dietary sugar. In fact, most rival the sugar content of colas and other soft drinks. This, combined with juice's typically acidic content, makes it a perfect fuel for tooth decay. Liquids are excellent at bathing the teeth, while the sugar content feeds bacteria and acidity weakens enamel. This perfect storm leaves many children with a tell-tale pattern of cavities sometimes known as "Mountain Dew Mouth." 

Small servings of juice once a day (particularly when served with a meal) are generally acceptable from a dental perspective. Multiple servings, putting children to sleep with bottles full of juice and sipping on juice all day (regardless of actual quantity consumed) put a child's dental health at jeopardy. Remember, tooth decay relates to the duration of time consuming a sugary beverage rather than the actual amount of sugar consumed. If you would like to know more about tooth decay, preventing cavities in baby teeth or pediatric dentistry, please give our office a call!

The Benefits of Sugar Free Gum

Are you a frequent gum-chewer? Men's Health Magazine recently published an article discussing how chewing sugar free gum can save you thousands of dollars in dental expenses. Find out why adding gum to your daily routine can help fight cavity causing bacteria!

Every time we eat or drink anything made with sugars or carbohydrates, our mouths turn acidic for a thirty minute period. This is caused by bacteria in our mouths processing sugars into their associated acids. Over time, the acid buildup weakens dental enamel and begins to form cavities in our teeth. These cavities tend to develop in areas that trap food, as bacteria have more fuel to turn into acid. This is one of the reasons why decay in common in between teeth and in the pits/grooves of posterior teeth. 

The Men's Health article correctly identifies that sugar free gum lacks the necessary ingredients to fuel bacterial acid production. In addition to this, gum helps loosen food that gets packed into our teeth after meals. Finally, chewing gum stimulates saliva flow which is a crucial factor in preventing tooth decay. Our saliva has incredible natural remineralizing properties and can have a tremendous effect on the progression of cavities.  

One topic the article does not address is the type of sweetener to look for in sugar free gum. Most brands use typical sugar substitutes like sorbitol and aspartame. However, chewing gum made with xylitol will add even more protective factors into your daily routine. Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that inhibits ability of bacteria to grow and stick to our teeth. While xylitol gum can be purchased at many stores, health food markets typically carry the best variety. You can also order it online from companies like Dr. John's Candies (our office's favorite!).

It is currently believed that Xylitol's maximum dental benefit comes from using it three to five times a day. However, it is not a substitute for flossing or brushing with a fluoride toothpaste. If you would like to know more about the protective factors of xylitol gum, how it is best used and what it does for our teeth, please give our office a call!

Link to Men's Health Article: www.menshealth.com/health/habit-save-money-dentist

CariFree Rinse and MI Paste

    For the majority of our patients, standard home dental maintenance is sufficient to maintain strong, healthy teeth. Unfortunately, some individuals are always battling tooth decay and cavities, no matter how diligently they floss and brush. Modern dental research has given rise to a number of great products that can help these patients in a safe and predictable manner. At our office, we have two great solutions that can add extra power to your daily routine- Carifree CTx3 Rinse and MI Paste.

    Before we explain how these products work, let’s do a quick review of the anatomy of tooth decay:

      1) Your teeth are made of calcium and phosphate

      2) Acid erodes tooth structure, which releases the calcium and phosphate

      3) Acid can arise from food, bacteria eating food, medication or other body systems

      4) Your saliva can help remineralize tooth structure, but only if the mouth isn’t acidic AND there is enough saliva present (i.e. not dry mouth)

      5) Certain compounds, such as fluoride, can encourage and promote your teeth to take in more calcium and phosphate, above what your saliva does.

With all this in mind, lets take a look at how these wonderful products can help mitigate further degradation of tooth structure!

    Carifree CTx3 Rinse is a “mouthwash” type product that you use once a day before going to bed. While your mouth becomes dried out during the night, CTx3 rinse provides a whole spectrum of benefits to combat potential decay. Firstly, it’s pH neutral formula prevents extreme acidic events. Essentially, your mouth is protected from a low pH environment, which can soften tooth structure and erode enamel. Secondly, it contains a therapeutic dose of xylitol, a natural plant derived sugar. When your mouth bacteria metabolize xylitol, their acid production is limited or stopped. Additionally, xylitol can stimulate saliva flow, which is excellent for combatting almost every facet of decay. Finally, the CTx3 contains fluoride, a carrier ion that helps calcium phosphate integrate and remineralize existing tooth structure.

    MI Paste is a “toothpaste” like cream that is applied to the teeth right before bedtime. This product utilizes a patented form of bio-available calcium phosphate called Recaldent. It is purified from dairy products (but contains almost no lactose) and is identical to the calcium phosphate that makes up your teeth. The idea behind MI Paste is that by saturating the teeth in the building blocks for remineralization, enamel can repair itself faster and more efficiently. On top of preventing tooth decay, this paste is excellent at minimizing whitening sensitivity. By giving tooth enamel extra fortification, the microtubules within teeth are less susceptible to conduct sensitivity.

    Whether you prefer a rinse or paste, CTx3 and MI Paste are great products. Both are made in a number of flavors and are available at our office. Remember, length of exposure is key to both of these product’s success. Do not eat, drink or rinse after applying either; let them sit on your teeth overnight. If you have any questions on these products, how they are used, or who might benefit from them, do not hesitate to contact our office. We want your mouth to be happy and healthy, and have a number of great products to get you there!