Dentists think it’s a great idea, children are cheering, and teachers are somewhat disgruntled. Dentists now say that chewing gum every day is a good thing. Schools, on the other hand, find it to be rude, messy, and extremely expensive to clean. Regardless of which side you’re on in this debate, you can’t deny the many benefits.

Gum And Spit

Chewing gum stimulates your saliva glands to increase the amount of spit in your mouth. This dilutes and helps to get rid of the little bits of food that might be sitting in your mouth. It also helps to maintain the calcium and phosphate in your mouth to protect against cavities. Finally, gum helps to prevent enamel erosion and tooth sensitivity.

So long as the gum is sugarless, these are significant benefits. The results are even more effective when you chew right after eating or drinking anything. The components in your saliva also remineralize and improve the quality of your tooth enamel, effectively reversing the effects of acid erosion.

Plaque Reduction

Because of the way gum moves against your tooth’s enamel and gets into all of the little nooks and crannies, chewing gum is effective at helping to remove plaque. This helps to prevent tooth decay, particularly between your teeth and along the gum line. The delicious flavor is an added bonus and helpful for fighting against bad breath.

Because it keeps plaque from building on your teeth, you’ll find it will also do a pretty good job and helping you keep your teeth white. New forms of gum such as Trident whitening further improve these results to give you a beautiful smile. You’ll also find that other brands will have added nutrients and herbs such as chlorophyll for added health benefits.

Total Body Health

It sounds silly, but chewing gum regularly can actually improve your overall health in a few different ways. First of all, good oral health means your entire body stays healthier because there are fewer germs. Also, because your antibodies and immune system don’t have to fight decay and ‘wounds’, your body is better able to fight other illnesses and injuries while preventing serious diseases.

Secondly, Dr Kenneth Allen used Wrigley’s in a study on the relationship between gum and education. The leading chewing gum company wanted to find more about the correlation between learning and using their product. So, Dr Allen took up the challenge and found that the gum actually improved focus. Why this happens, however, is still unclear.

The reasons behind this effect are relatively unknown. It could be because the constant movement increases the amount of oxygen to your brain by slightly elevating your heart rate. It is also unknown as to whether chewing on other products could produce the same effects.

Well, as it turns out, teachers may not have to worry about a room full of gummy desks or chewing children; there’s not enough proof or enough of a link between education and the sweet, sticky product to encourage schools to change the rules. In the meantime, however, it seems to make an excellent essay topic for seventh grade students.

Each year, one debate goes on across the country: Should we continue to add fluorine to drinking water? Dentists and oral care professionals argue that fluorination is an important tool in the fight against tooth decay. Some religious, environmental, and political groups state that this violates human rights and is actually detrimental to the oral health of many.

Dental Associations And Health Organizations Fight To Keep Fluoride In Water

Water authorities have added fluoride to public water since the 1940s in an effort to combat tooth decay, which occurs in 60-90% of the population. By adding fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, or sodium fluoride, governments can reduce the occurrence of cavities by up to 40%. It is completely odorless, tasteless, and invisible to the naked eye.

When you drink fluorinated water, the fluoride mixes with the saliva in your mouth to create a protective barrier. This slows down the demineralization of tooth enamel and promotes the repair of early cavities. It is possible to get too much fluoride leading to a condition known as dental fluorosis. However, this only extremely mild and does not cause and health problems or aesthetic malformations.

Opposing Groups

Organizations such as political, human rights, environmental, and religious groups such as Christian Scientists are greatly opposed to the fluoridation of water. Some see it as a violation of human rights because it is forced on the individual.

Others say it is unnecessary and has no benefits. And others argue that it is part of a large conspiracy. Those focused on natural living or who believe traditional medicines are evil, see fluoride as being a direct violation of their beliefs and rights. One final argument is cost — however, this argument is clearly unfounded. A yearly fluoride treatment from the dentist costs an average of $83. For one person to get the same amount of fluoride from toothpaste, it would cost $8-$16 per person for a year. Fluoridated water cost only $0.93 per person per year.

To avoid the fluoride, many members of these groups live on natural or bottled water. However, both of these water sources contain natural fluoride, and in some instances, in higher doses than found in public water systems.

Alternatives To Fluorinated Water

Dental sealants and fluoride treatments, toothpaste, and gel are all suitable alternatives to fluorinated water. Education on things such as proper oral hygiene and proper diets can also help significantly. Salt and milk have both been fortified with fluoride in some instances. Extensive tests and studies have shown that the best option is still water because most people from all walks of life have access to it.

Dentist and oral care professionals have noticed a significant drop in the occurrence of cavities in both children and adults. For children and adults who do not have access to a dentist, and live below the poverty line, milk, toothpaste and other items are often inaccessible. And, with no real negative effects of any kind, there is no reason to keep fluoride out of the water.

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It’s something that many parents fear, the dentist telling you that your son or daughter may need braces. We’ve all heard that they’re expensive, but we also know that they’re necessary for some kids so that when they’re older, they have nice, straight teeth.

Braces are an orthodontic cure for what’s commonly called a “bad bite”. This means that the teeth are crowded, crooked, or don’t align properly to allow a person a natural, healthy bite. Sometimes the upper and lower jaws don’t come together the right way when an individual bites down, due to misalignment, and even though the teeth are straight, the bite is not. (more…)

Early childhood tooth decay, caused by baby bottles. Photo courtesy ADA.org

As early as six months, when children cut their first teeth, are they susceptible to decay. In extreme cases, babies and young children have had to undergo restorative and reconstructive surgeries to handle the problems caused by what’s commonly called “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay”.

The good news, however, is that this problem can be prevented. (more…)

Children generally lose their first tooth around the age of 6 or 7. For most kids, it’s an extremely exciting thing to have happen to them, likely because of the chance that the Tooth Fairy will come by while they’re sleeping.

For some kids and parents though, it can be somewhat traumatic. Sometimes the “tonguing” of the tooth can be irresistible yet produce a pain the child may have never had before. Other times, it may be “hanging by a thread” and be begging to be yanked, but the child is frightened or the parent is squeamish to go through with it. (more…)

In a word, no.

But as there are exceptions to every rule, it’s largely dependent on factors like the size and type of piercing, the natural, genetically based strength of your child’s teeth, and even just the shape of the mouth and jaw. It’s also very important that your teen truly understand and practice impeccable oral hygiene to avoid major infections.

Oral piercings are usually done on the lip, tongue or cheek. All of these types of piercings can cause problems though, and it’s important that both you and your teenager are aware of them.

Since the tongue is covered in bacteria, dentists are finding that oral infections are very closely related to other infections in the body, and piercing the tongue can lead the bacteria to release into the bloodstream and travel to the heart. Un-sanitized instruments and equipment used during the piercing process can also cause hepatitis, so it’s important to monitor where and how the piercing is done.

Teeth can become chipped or fractured from the jewelry quite easily. Talking, chewing, or even sleeping can cause the metal to bump or rub against teeth and cause problems. Fillings can usually be placed on or in the teeth if it’s a small fracture that’s only in the tooth enamel, but if it’s a deeper fracture a root canal or even an extraction might be required. (more…)

Bacteria in the mouth thrives on sugar. After “eating” it, the bacteria leaves behind an acid, which eats away at the enamel on the teeth and causes cavities and other oral health problems. The more sugar you eat, the more the bacteria gets to eat, and the more acid that gets produced. Can you believe that it would be better to eat one large dessert, once a day, than three little pieces of candy over the course of a whole day?

It’s true! Bacteria get “full” after processing a certain amount of sugar, so that extra that’s in the large piece of cake aren’t going to affect the bacteria. However giving it a little sugar 3 times a day makes it produce that enamel destroying acid three times a day, instead of just once.

Here are 5 important ways to help your kids keep their teeth healthy and decay-free:

• Limit kids to foods containing sugar only 2-3 times per day, with no sugary snacks or beverages. The frequency of sugar intake is much more important to think about than the amount of sugar, so when it comes to your teeth and decay, one large dessert (or even a double helping) is better than small amounts of sugar all day long.
• Start brushing your child’s teeth for them when they cut their first tooth, at around 6 months. Keep brushing and flossing for them, until they are responsible enough to do it on their own. Double check their work, make sure they’re doing it at least twice a day, but preferably after any meal containing sugars.
• Make sure your child gets regular fluoride treatments as soon as they are old enough, and once they reach pre-teen ages, around 12, ensure they’re getting fluoridated water or chewable tablets to continue the strengthening process through adulthood. (Yes, even adults can benefit!)
• Ask your dentist to show your child some photos of what happens to teeth that aren’t cared for properly. Then ask your children if they want their teeth to look like that, or if they’d like them to be clean, white, and healthy like they are now. Explain to them what they need to do to keep that from happening and why.
• There are several mouthwashes on the market that are approved by the ADA (American Dental Association) that will help your child see the leftover plaque and bacteria on their teeth after improper brushing.

Of course, regular checkups and visits to the dentist are a necessity for everyone, and nothing can substitute the professional opinion of one who has actually seen your child’s teeth!