In our fast-paced lives, many of us may be eating in a hurry, taking giant bites of our food to get done quickly and on to the next task. Fast-food restaurants advertise giant burgers and sandwiches as a selling point, but often those super-sized delicacies are larger than a human mouth.

Taking bites that are too big to chew could be bad for your jaw and teeth, says the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing education. At particular risk are people with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which can restrict the range of acceptable bite size. “People with TMD need to avoid opening their mouths too wide,” says AGD spokesperson Barbara A. Rich, DDS, FAGD. “Taking large bites of food can aggravate their condition.” So, smoosh that hoagie before taking a bite.

Dr. Rich also cautions against biting into hard candies, which can chip teeth. Even apples can cause problems. “If you need to open your mouth more than feels comfortable to take a bite, then you should cut the item into smaller portions that are easy to chew,” Dr. Rich says.

People should always avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and opening nuts with their teeth, which can lead to chipping and breakage of natural teeth and restorations.

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Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

It’s a common myth that senior citizens are destined to lose their teeth, reports the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). There is no reason seniors cannot keep their teeth for a lifetime, since tooth loss is simply the result of an oral disease – not the aging process.

The elderly, who make up the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, are healthier and have kept more of their natural teeth than prior generations. But there’s still room for improvement. Many seniors do not visit a dentist even once a year – one of the key preventive strategies in ensuring that teeth last a lifetime.

“Seniors often take long absences from seeing the dentist,” says AGD spokesperson Nick Russo, DDS. “Sometimes they stop caring as much because they’re not out in the public very much, and they think oral hygiene doesn’t matter.”

Family members should encourage seniors who are disabled or have trouble getting around to seek dental care, Dr. Russo says. Seniors planning to enter a nursing home should inquire about on-site dental care.

Regular dental visits are especially important for older people since many suffer from dry mouth, which slows down the flow of saliva. Saliva plays a major role in preventing tooth decay by rinsing away food particles and neutralizing harmful acids. Dry mouth often comes with old age, but can also be caused by medications like antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants and diuretics. Dry mouth can often be treated by a dentist.

Along with regular dental visits, seniors should floss daily and brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. They should also ask their dentist about fluoride rinses and gels, since studies show that seniors who brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste or use a fluoride rinse or gel regularly have fewer cavities. Seniors are most likely to get cavities where old fillings have chipped or where root surfaces are left unprotected by receding gums.

Other suggestions for keeping teeth for a lifetime: snack in moderation and avoid snacks with sugars and starches, and alert the dentist to any change in medication.

Following these preventive measures should help prevent seniors from having to wear dentures. But even seniors with no teeth still need to visit the dentist regularly, since many aspects of oral health, such as adjusting ill-fitting dentures and oral cancer screenings, can be handled at routine dental visits.

Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

When Should My Child First See a Dentist?

Your child’s first visit to the dentist should happen before his or her first birthday. The general rule is six months after eruption of the first tooth. Taking your child to the dentist at a young age is the best way to prevent problems such as tooth decay, and can help parents learn how to clean their child’s teeth and identify his or her fluoride needs. After all, decay can occur as soon as teeth appear. Bringing your child to the dentist early often leads to a lifetime of good oral care habits and acclimates your child to the dental office, thereby reducing anxiety and fear, which will make for plenty of stress-free visits in the future.

How do I prepare my child and myself for the visit?

Before the visit, ask the dentist about the procedures of the first appointment so there are no surprises. Plan a course of action for either reaction your child may exhibit – cooperative or non- cooperative. Very young children may be fussy and not sit still. Talk to your child about what to expect, and build excitement as well as understanding about the upcoming visit. Bring with you to the appointment any records of your child’s complete medical history.

What will happen on the first visit?

Many first visits are nothing more than introductory icebreakers to acquaint your child with the dentist and the practice. If your child is frightened, uncomfortable or non-cooperative, a rescheduling may be necessary. Patience and calm on the part of the parent and reassuring communication with your child are very important in these instances. Short, successive visits are meant to build the child’s trust in the dentist and the dental office, and can prove invaluable if your child needs to be treated later for any dental problem.

Child appointments should always be scheduled earlier in the day, when your child is alert and fresh. For children under 36 months, the parent may need to sit in the dental chair and hold the child during the examination. Or, parents may be asked to wait in the reception area so a relationship can be built between your child and the dentist.

If the child is compliant, the first session often lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and may include the following, depending on age:

• A gentle but thorough examination of the teeth, jaw, bite, gums and oral tissues to monitor growth and development and observe any problem areas
• If indicated, a gentle cleaning, which includes polishing teeth and removing any plaque, tartar buildup or stains
• X-rays
• A demonstration on proper home cleaning
• Assessment of the need for fluoride

The dentist should be able to answer any questions you have and try to make you and your child feel comfortable throughout the visit. The entire dental team should provide a relaxed, non-threatening environment for your child.

When should the next visit be?

Children, like adults, should see the dentist every six months. Some dentists may schedule interim visits for every three months when the child is very young to build up a comfort and confidence level or to treat a developing problem.

How do I find a good dentist for my child?

Many general dentists treat children. If yours does not, ask for a referral to a good dentist in your area. A word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend or family member can also yield the name of a quality dentist.

How can I protect my child’s oral health at home?

Parents typically provide oral hygiene care until the child is old enough to take personal responsibility for the daily dental health routine of brushing and flossing. A proper regimen of preventive home care is important from the day your child is born.

• Clean your infant’s gums with a clean, damp cloth after each feeding.
• As soon as the first teeth come in, begin brushing them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and water.  If you are considering using toothpaste before your child’s second birthday, ask your dentist first.
• To avoid baby bottle tooth decay and teeth misalignment due to sucking, try to wean your child off of the breast and bottle by one year of age, and monitor excessive sucking of pacifiers, fingers and thumbs. Never give your child a bottle of milk, juice or sweetened liquid as a pacifier at nap time or bedtime.
• Help a young child brush at night, the most important time to brush, due to lower salivary flow and higher susceptibility to cavities. Perhaps let the child brush their teeth first to build self-confidence, then the parent can follow up to ensure that all plaque is removed. Usually by age 5 or so, the child can learn to brush his or her own teeth with proper parental instruction.
• The best way to teach a child how to brush is to lead by good example. Allowing your child to watch you brush your teeth teaches the importance of good oral hygiene.

Fluoride intake for young

It is well known that fluoride, an element found in most water sources, has numerous dental benefits. It is essential to proper oral care. Fluoride can strengthen teeth and prevent tooth decay by keeping the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque from dissolving the enamel of our teeth. It cannot restore teeth with cavities, but it can prevent cavities, and it also reverses the early stages of tooth decay by allowing tooth enamel to repair, or remineralize, itself. Fluoridated water, toothpaste, mouthwash, and supplement pills are all sources of fluoride.

Proper fluoride intake is an important part of a well-rounded dental health regimen. Infants and young children don’t require as much, however, when carefully monitored, a child’s intake of fluoride is still a beneficial and necessary part of their oral care.

Fluoride Intake for Infants

Infants require the least amount of fluoride of any age group. Fluoride supplements, which are usually prescribed when children live in an area without fluoridated water, are not necessary for infants. For children under six months of age, the water used to prepare a baby’s formula provides sufficient fluoride. Baby formula generally contains fluoride already, with milk-based formulas containing less fluoride than soy-based formulas. Because of this, parents have the option of supplementing the level of fluoride contained in baby formula by preparing their child’s formula with tap water or fluoridated bottled water. If they want to limit their child’s fluoride intake, they can use non-fluoridated bottled water.

Some parents also choose to breastfeed as a way to limit fluoride intake. It should be noted, however, that breast milk contains only very small trace amounts of fluoride, and a breast milk fed baby receives virtually no fluoride exposure. Parents are advised to consult with a dentist to determine how to ensure their infants receive the right amount of fluoride.

When baby teeth begin appearing, parents can brush their child’s teeth with an infant toothbrush using water and a tiny smear of toothpaste. Children’s teeth should be brushed this way until around age two.

Fluoride Intake for Young Children

After the age of two, children begin brushing their own teeth, thus regularly ingesting fluoride in their toothpaste. Past this age, most of their fluoride intake comes from water, so children should only use a small amount of toothpaste when they brush. A pea-sized amount is more than sufficient, and children should always use a toothpaste that carries the ADA’s seal of approval.

Under the age of six, children should not use mouth wash that contains fluoride. Younger children have a tendency to swallow too much toothpaste while brushing, and if they use mouthwash, there is a high likelihood of them swallowing that as well. Parents should supervise young children when they are brushing their teeth to ensure they are not swallowing their toothpaste. It is around this age when, if a child lives in an area without a fluoridated water supply, a dentist might prescribe fluoride supplements to build their fluoride intake beyond toothpaste.

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Fluoride is a pivotal part of maintaining proper dental health. While fluoride intake needs to be carefully monitored in infants and young children to avoid overexposure, parents should not be deterred from recognizing the benefits. Speaking with a dentist or pediatric dentist is an excellent way to learn more about caring for children’s teeth, and obtaining more information about fluoride needs.

Natural Oral Care Options:

With all of the information circulating about the benefits of organic foods and natural ingredients, many people are curious about natural oral care options. While natural products and ingredients are no replacement for proper oral health care: flossing, brushing, and mouthwash, there are some natural products that can improve the health of your teeth, gums, and mouth.

When in doubt, talk with your dentist. Read the ingredients on the label for any natural oral product and talk with your dentist about the potential benefits or risks for each ingredient. While most natural oral care products are safe to use, there is still much to be learned about which ingredients are the most effective in helping to prevent and fight against gum disease and cavities. One thing is for sure, fluoride is the only FDA-approved ingredient proven to fight cavities.

There are some natural ingredients and foods that can help to clean your teeth. Some of these might even protect your mouth against tooth decay and gum disease:

• Eucalyptol, tea tree, and menthol oils
• Vitamin D
• Baking soda
• Green tea
• Peroxide
• Xylitol

Some toothpastes include baking soda as an ingredient, however, mixing regular baking soda from your cabinet with a bit of water into a paste can work just as well! It is important to dilute baking soda as it can burn your gums at full strength.
One study found that people who drink green tea on a regular basis have healthier gums than people who don’t. Another suggested that rinsing with green tea has the same protective effect on your teeth as rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash.

Oils like tea tree, eucalyptol, and menthol are botanical antiseptics and can help to kill mouth bacteria, which fights against inflamed gums. In fact, there are toothpastes and mouthwashes that include these ingredients.

The natural ingredient with the best reputation for fighting against tooth decay is Xylitol. This herbal product is an alcohol that is used in place of sugar in gum and lozenges. In recent studies it has been shown to limit the growth of bacteria and also acts as a carrier of calcium and fluoride to help strengthen the teeth. Chewing suger free gum after a meal is a good way to “rinse” your mouth of the sugars and acids accumulated from the food and drinks that you’ve eaten. However, not all sugar free gums are the same. Chewing gum sweetened with 100% Xylitol will also help repair, remineralize and strengthen your enamel.

Vitamin D is thought to kill bacteria, and some studies show a correlation between low Vitamin D levels and gum disease. It is always best to talk with your doctor before adding a Vitamin to your daily consumption, however, you can get Vitamin D naturally from foods like tuna, eggs, salmon, and fortified juice or milk.