Good-for-Your-Mouth Foods

Open wide! A number of cavity-fighters and dental-health-boosters are living in your kitchen cabinet.

By Kristen Stewart-Source
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Eat. Brush. Floss. Repeat! You know the keys to dental health involve a toothbrush, dental floss, and avoiding certain foods (think sticky, sugary treats).

But were you aware that certain foods are actually good for your teeth and gums? Turns out, simply eating lunch could be a part of your daily dental routine.

For instance, foods rich in calcium help ensure not only strong bones, but also healthy teeth. Other beneficial snacks include those containing polyphenols and probiotics, which can help encourage a healthy environment in your mouth.

So, go ahead — take a bite into these tooth-friendly foods (plus, check out which ones to avoid).

Make Your Dentist Proud: Healthy Foods for Healthy Teeth

Milk. “Milk is one of the main sources of sugars in the diet,” says Ellie Phillips, DDS, a founding member of the nonprofit American Academy for Oral Systemic Health and author of Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye.

But that’s not an excuse to skimp on the white stuff: Drinking milk can actually promote healthy teeth and bones. “The sugar in milk is lactose, which is the least damaging to teeth,” explains Dr. Phillips, and the calcium found in the beverage helps kids develop strong baby and adult teeth.

In addition, Phillips says, studies have shown that when cavity-causing foods are eaten along with milk (cookies, anyone?), the milk can actually help protect teeth from damage. If you don’t drink milk, ask your dentist about toothpastes that can remineralize your teeth.

However, as good for your teeth as milk is during the day, it can be a hazard to them at night. Always be sure to brush before sleeping, and think twice before putting a child to bed with a bottle of milk (or juice or other sweetened drink). These beverages can linger on the teeth, causing extensive damage.

Green tea. Certain teas may promote dental health because they contain polyphenols, which have the potential to clean plaque from the teeth. In fact, researchers in Japan found that people who drank one or more cups of green tea a day had decreased odds of losing their teeth. However, Phillips warns that even though teas may be good for your teeth, they can be acidic, which can be harmful — so sip carefully.

Cheese. “Cheese has similar properties to milk and makes the mouth nonacidic and raises calcium levels around teeth, which is very protective,” explains Phillips. “Studies with Dutch Edam cheese showed that children ages 7 to 9 who ate a 5-gram cube after breakfast each day for two years had significantly fewer cavities than other children.”

For your dental health, look for cheeses with a bacterial element, such as blue cheese, Brie, or Camembert, to take advantage of cheese’s probiotic benefits. A note for grown-ups: The acidic nature of wine and beer can hurt your teeth, so pare some good-for-your-teeth cheese with that alcoholic beverage.

Crunchy fruits and vegetables. Good saliva flow is important in creating an alkaline environment in the mouth, thereby protecting teeth from exposure to acid. Crunchy vegetables help create that flow of saliva; also, some fruits and vegetables contain polyphenols, which also stimulate saliva. Keep in mind that some fruits are acidic and that they all contain sugars, so although they're still a good choice, follow up with good dental hygiene after eating.

Yogurt. Some dental problems are caused by harmful germs in the mouth. That’s why it’s important to decrease the bad bacteria and repopulate the mouth with healthy, protective bacteria. To help encourage a healthy mouth environment, consider organic whole-milk yogurt with probiotics and proteins.

Raisins. “Although most people think of raisins as sticky, studies show that our perception of them is inaccurate,” says Phillips. “Raisins are high in fiber and contain the same healthy polyphenols as grapes. They also appear to contain a phytochemical called oleanolic acid that is antibacterial against certain plaque bacteria.” Important to note, however, is that raisins are acidic, so they’re best eaten as part of a meal followed by protective cheese or milk.

Shiitake mushrooms. Researchers have found that these mushrooms have the potential to encourage good dental health by remineralizing teeth and discouraging acid that can be harmful.

Beware These Bad-for-Your-Teeth Foods

Though it’s great to eat foods that can assist in preventing cavities, it’s also important to avoid some real dangers.

Lemons and other citrus fruits can actually pull minerals out of teeth. And cereals can also cause damage with bits of flakes sticking to the teeth for hours and sugars feeding bacteria and producing acids that erode teeth.

Of course, diet sodas are a big no-no. Their acidity levels are "close to battery acid," Phillips says. “These drinks have the ability to erode enamel and make it brittle, more easily broken, and porous so teeth stain easily and darken in color.”

Ultimately, foods can make a difference — in good ways and bad. Choose wisely!

The Holidays Can Conjure Up Bad Breath

By Dr. Harold Katz   - Source

Across the world, people have been celebrating Oktoberfest. The true beer-drinking holiday is an excuse to try new brews, indulge in old favorites and meet new people. Unfortunately, beer is a culprit for halitosis, something that no one wants to experience at such a festive event. Halitosis is caused by bacteria build up in the mouth that leads to smelly breath, and offers a sure way to avoid new friendships at a major event.

Halitosis, or bad breath, is a disorder often caused by the food or drink someone consumes, combined with their oral hygiene. Luckily, there are easy tricks to subside bad breath to give you an added confidence boost when out at events like Oktoberfest.

“Fixing bad breath depends on what's causing it. In 80 to 90 percent of cases, it's due to something in the mouth. Most often, bad breath is the result of nothing more serious than a dirty mouth,” Discovery Fit & Health wrote. “Plaque, the nearly invisible film of bacteria that's constantly forming in your mouth, is often responsible. Another possible source of stink can be decaying food that's trapped between teeth.”

Balance the brew with H2O
Drinking brews at Oktoberfest may take a hefty toll on the mouth, since many brews at these festivals contain much more alcohol than your average beer. Alcohol dries out the mouth quickly, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you are heading out to a festival, or even a party where you know there will be drinking, try to stay well-hydrated. Since alcohol causes the mouth to dry up, staying hydrated will help prevent this. Try to gulp down a glass of water after every drink or so to keep the mouth, and everyone that you are talking to, happy.

Keep the sweets aside
If you are already indulging in alcoholic beverages, stay away from sugary treats that are often served at these types of events. Sugar is the main food source for bacteria, causing gross build up and even worse breath. Eating large portions of sugar will create equal amounts of odors in the mouth, cause plaque and progress into a more severe case of bad breath - halitosis. Rinsing your mouth with water after a sweet treat will help wash the bacteria out of the mouth, but an all-natural mouthwash is the best solution in these cases. If you are feeling extra insecure, try to find a sprig of fresh parsley to chew on. Although it may seem like an odd solution, this is a great temporary solution to keep the breath fresh.

Nibble on yogurt
If you find yourself constantly fearful of bad breath, sugarless plain yogurt has been known to rid the mouth of smelly bacteria. Experts believe that the live cultures in these types of yogurt drown out the bacteria that lives in the back of the mouth and causes a hydrogen sulfide smell. Although it may be gross at first to eat yogurt with little taste, Yahoo! suggests eating three-ounces a day, less than half a normal container. Before going out, try to snack on sugar free and flavorless yogurt.

The ultimate way to rid the mouth of smelliness is to maintain good dental hygiene and use all-natural mouthwash and toothpaste. Many people tend to rinse their mouths with painful wash that is doing more harm than good. Traditional mouthwashes contain alcohol, just like a beer. Although it is killing some bacteria, it is also causing the mouth to dry out. All-natural solutions don’t have alcohol in them and leave the breath smelling minty fresh.

Keep Your Little Monster's Teeth Away From Harm This Halloween

More than 90 percent of children will go trick or treating this year and return home with bags full of sugary candy that can turn anyone's mouth into a nightmare. By taking a few preventive steps, however, your children can enjoy Halloween without harming their teeth.

Since sugar-free gum is one treat that actually helps prevent cavities, it is a smart choice to drop in Halloween bags this year. Parents can also give it to their children to help neutralize the effects of sugary snacks after eating. Chewing sugar-free gum containing the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol reduces cavities. The chewing motion stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps cleanse the teeth. Sweets are especially harmful, since damaging acids form in the mouth every time you eat a sugary snack and continue to affect the teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized. The sweetening agents in sugarless gum are effective in combating the bacteria in plaque and fighting the acid that eats away at enamel.

Certain foods such as sweets and soda are easily linked to tooth decay, however all foods can promote tooth decay if eaten in excess. The key is to teach kids to eat in moderation and make sure that they take proper care of their teeth. "While healthy alternatives to candy, such as fruit and nuts, are great, these foods are sticky and can get caught in the pits and grooves of teeth, causing decay," says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Julie Barna, DMD, MAGD. "Reading nutrition labels and being sensible about the foods you and your children eat on a daily basis helps promote good oral and overall health."

Children should also brush three times a day for two minutes and rinse with a fluoridated mouthrinse.

Updated: February 2007

Coconut Oil Could Combat Tooth Decay

Digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay. It is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into commercial dental care products, say scientists presenting their work at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn Conference at the University of Warwick. 

Read full article from Medical News Today

5 Important Tips to Take Care of Your Dental Problems

If you have ever had toothache before, you would know how excruciatingly difficult it becomes to live with it. There are many reasons why dental problems arise. 

Here are 5 important tips that you could use to avoid dental problems.

Read the rest of this Article Here 

What to Eat After Whitening Your Teeth

Experts advise individuals to get cosmetic dentistry treatments such as teeth bleaching in a professional dental office staffed with a dentist and to watch what is eaten after the treatment to minimize discomfort and the potential for tooth staining.

Here are some tips from 1800Dentist

Diet Soda Drinkers, Beware!

Drinking carbonated soft drinks regularly can contribute to the erosion of tooth enamel surfaces. Soft drinks, which contain sticky sugars that break down into acids, adhere easily to tooth surfaces. These acids can soften the teeth and promote formation of plaque, which erodes the enamel. Enamel breakdown leads to cavities. If erosion spreads beneath the enamel into the dentin, pain and sensitivity may result. This is usually a precursor to nerve infection, which can require root canal surgery.  

Soda Attack: Soft Drinks, Especially Non-colas and Iced Tea, Hurt Hard Enamel

As summer temperatures rise so will people's thirst. Unfortunately, many people will grab a pop or iced tea instead of water. It isn't just cola's empty calories – about 150 per 12-ounce can – you should worry about. Many of these beverages harm enamel, the protective shell around teeth.

A pilot study of the effects some of these beverages had on enamel, appearing in the July/August 2004 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal, found that over time, exposing dental enamel to carbonated beverages and non-carbonated canned iced tea weakens and permanently destroys enamel.

Read full story from Know Your Teeth

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.
  Read full post from Know Your Teeth

Dental Sensitivity

If hot or cold foods make you wince, you may have a common dental problem—sensitive teeth. Sensitivity in your teeth can happen for several reasons, including:

tooth decay (cavities) fractured teeth worn fillings gum disease worn tooth enamel exposed tooth root

Sensitive teeth can be treated. Your dentist may recommend desensitizing toothpaste or an alternative treatment based on the cause of your sensitivity. Proper oral hygiene is the key to preventing sensitive-tooth pain. Ask your dentist if you have any questions about your daily oral hygiene routine or concerns about tooth sensitivity.

Tooth Whitening Is Not Equal to Tooth Brushing

Today's tooth whitening products are capable of giving you a beautiful white smile. However, tooth whitening is not equal to tooth brushing. Learn how brushing your teeth twice a day helps remove food particles and plaque that can cause tooth decay. Be sure to schedule regular visits with your dentist to keep a healthy smile for a lifetime. Check out this video from American Dental Association:

Dental Creations of Daytona is a dental practice devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of your smile using conservative, state-of-the-art procedures that will result in beautiful, long lasting smiles! Call us today at 386-274-1450.

Dental Creations introduces Onpharma

Dental Creations of Daytona Beach is excited to introduces Onpharma to our clients. Its a buffering system to our local anesthetic. It gets patients number faster and with less sting by taking the acidity out of the anesthetic. Onset by Onpharma raises the pH of local anesthetic resulting in a six thousand fold increase in the amount of anesthetic that can cross the nerve membrane at the time of injection. We take pride in doing whatever we can to take the pain out of all procedures and we are excited to add Onpharma to our arsenal!

 

Bad Dental Habits That Can Ruin Teeth

Credit:Dental Health Magazine

It is not only sugar and carbonated drinks that ruin teeth. There are several other habits that you and your child should avoid, for the sake of beautiful, straight and healthy pearly whites.

Thumb sucking – a big no-no!

If your child is sucking on his/her thumb right after the permanent teeth have started to show up, with this bad habit they might easily develop misaligned teeth. It is not unusual that children of 6 years or even older ones cannot give up on the thumb sucking habit.

With this bad habit, it is not only the teeth that will have to suffer, but also the jaw structure can be modified. Therefore, make sure to help your little one get rid of the nasty habit.

Read full article from Dental Health Magazine

Flossing 101

According to the recent article in Huffington Post, the standard answer to what kind of floss is the best to use is "whichever you use daily"

To begin, let's quickly go over that "what and why" of flossing: Flossing is running a piece of floss (which resembles thread or string) between your teeth. It cleans away plaque that your toothbrush will miss, and is a very essential part of good oral health. In fact, if you only brush and do not floss, you're only really doing half the job. So flossing daily is something everyone should do.

Read full article from Huffington Post here

Don't Be Scared of the Dentist

Credit:Hive Health Media

The dentist is often a frightening thing to most people. When someone hears dentist, one of the first things they think of is pain, but really most dentist procedures don’t hurt at all thanks to developments in technologies and anesthetics. Unfortunately many people don’t know that, and often have no idea about even the most common of dental procedures since they avoid going to the dentist as much as possible, which is a shame because going to the dentist every now and then can give you a great and attractive smile.


Read full article from Hive Health Media 


Think it's impossible to relax at the dentist's office? Reliable intravenous (IV) sedation techniques that we use at Dental Creations of Daytona let you rest comfortably while receiving the dental care you need and want. If fear of the dentist keeps you from necessary treatment, ask us about IV sedation to ease you through any procedure. Read more here

Common Dental Diseases and How to Prevent Them

Source
Oral and dental health is extremely important for people of all ages. Dental diseases are majorly caused due to lack of dental health. Healthy eating and good lifestyle habits are extremely important for the prevention of common dental diseases. Maintaining good oral health means a healthy body. Along with proper dental care there are several nutritional changes that can prevent common dental diseases. Dental diseases could aggravate to serious conditions like cancerous and infectious ailments.There are several kinds of common dental diseases. Dry sockets and dental abscesses are extremely painful and demand expensive procedures. Other common dental ailments include gum recession, swollen gums, bleeding gums , dental sensitivity, cracked tooth syndrome and dental erosion. Here are some tips which will help you prevent common dental diseases.
Regular dental checkups: Regular dental checkups mean regular medical and dental care. Regular care will help you control dental plaque. This is done by cleaning free floating oral bacteria before they build huger colonies in form of plaques. Dental plaque are responsible for absorbing sugars and producing acids.
These acids bring about change in tooth structures by reducing calcium levels from the enamel. This calcium deficit causes cavities. Cavities are craters that are created on the tooth surface. The presences of cavities mean there are openings on the tooth surface and provide and entry points for bacteria. Cavities can be prevented by regular dental cleaning and checkups.
Treating dental bacterial infections: Bacteria enter through the cavities and affect the dental nerve and gum tissues. They are responsible for causing gum inflammation, swelling, bleeding, and tartar deposits. These conditions can be prevented if you regularly clean your teeth with anti-bacterial mouthwashes and going to the dentist for dental aches.
Paying attention to dental problems: Not preventing and curing dental diseases will allow the bacteria into your blood stream. There may be serious hazards of this. You may suffer from blocked arteries, oral and neck paralysis and several kinds of cancers. Preventing common dental diseases will help you prevent other health hazards. Basic dental regimens will help you prevent major dental and health problems.
Caring for your teeth: Even before you take any other step, make sure you take regular care of your teeth. Constant chewing and grinding may result in cracks and chips. These make further aggravate and cause dental erosions. Dental erosions exfoliate teeth and reduce them in size. The best way to prevent dental and gum erosion is not to chew or break hard substances with your teeth.
Dietary changes: Dietary changes are majorly effective in preventing basic dental diseases. Sweet and starchy foods are harmful for your teeth. Sugars and starches accelerate acid attacks and quicken teeth disintegration. These damages are visible in due course or age. Common dental diseases can take a toll on your health, budget and lifestyle. The easiest way of treating common dental diseases is to prevent them. Basic dental hygiene is extremely important in preventing common dental diseases.
Have questions about your Dental Health? Contact us at Dental Creations, located in Daytona Beach-386-274-1450

Vote for Dental Creations for Daytona Beach News Journal Reader's Choice

The Daytona Beach News Journal is holding their annual Readers Choice Awards. Dental Creations of Daytona would love if you vote for our office by clicking here and scrolling down to Health/Medical Services on the left hand side and fill in that  line that says Dentist. Thank you!

Do Genetics Make Your Teeth More Prone to Stains?

You might have heard that genetics are sometimes the cause of stained teeth. But we weren't quite sold on that concept considering that Americans spend about $1.4 billion annually on over-the-counter teeth whitening products according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It turns out there are many other factors at play when it comes to why your teeth are more stain-prone, so we decided to find out what they are and how to prevent them.

Read full article from New Beauty Magazine

Dental Creations of Daytona are trained professionals using industry-approved methods. Our goal is to meet the needs of every patient, and every patients needs are different. Our process will whiten your entire smile in one visit. Call us today for a whitening evaluation. Nothing improves your appearance more than a Bright, White SMILE! 386-274-1450

Good Foods for your Teeth

Our teeth are irreplaceable and we cannot do without them. Did you know that eating the right foods can do as much good for you as regular brushingand flossing? Did you realize that some food and drink will not only help keep your teeth in shape, but also feed them, too? Snack on some fruits and vegetables while Dental Creations of Daytona counts down the top 10 foods to benefit your dental health.

Continue reading from Dental.net

Operation Changing Lives 2nd Annual Golf Tournament

OPERATION CHANGING LIVES 2ND ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
Date: Sunday, April 22nd , 2012

Time: 8:30 Shotgun Start - Scramble format

Where: New Smyrna Golf Club 1000 Wayne Avenue New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 (386) 424-2190

Operation Changing Lives is a non-profit 501(c)(3) medical service organization based in Daytona Beach Florida, founded in 2008. O.C.L.’s primary purpose is to perform Life-altering maxillofacial surgeries on disadvantaged patients with facial deformities. To date, O.C.L. has provided reconstructive surgeries to numerous children and adults locally and abroad. O.C.L. is funded through donations from private donors and local businesses. Our FREE surgeries and medical missions are made possible by volunteers and donors who generously contribute time, talent and resources to our cause.

Please join us and put a smile on a child and participate in this golf event!!!! $100.00 per person to enter Includes: 18 holes of golf, lunch and prizes. Create your own team.

Contact Cherise at (386) 760-2035 or Dawn at (386) 566-7047

Should I Floss??

Do I Really Need to Floss?

Yes. Floss removes plaque and debris that sticks to teeth and gums in between teeth, polishes tooth surfaces, and controls bad breath. Plaque is a sticky layer of material containing bacteria that accumulates on teeth, including places where toothbrushes can't reach. This can lead to gum disease. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chance of keeping them for a lifetime and decrease the chance of getting gum disease.

Why should I floss?

Floss removes plaque and debris that adhere to teeth and gums in between teeth, polishes tooth surfaces and controls bad breath. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chances of keeping your teeth a lifetime and decrease your chance of having periodontal (gum) disease and tooth decay.

Flossing is the single most important weapon against plaque, perhaps more important than the toothbrush. A toothbrush cleans the tops and sides of your teeth. Dental floss cleans between them. Some people use waterpicks, but floss is the best choice.  Many people just don't spend enough time flossing and many have never been taught to floss properly. When you visit your dentist or hygienist, ask to be shown.

Read full article from Know Your Teeth