When looking for a toothbrush for children, it is advised that you opt for one that comes with soft bristles. The teeth and gums of children are still in the growing stage. So, using a toothbrush with hard bristles could only cause harm to the gums and the teeth.

When choosing toothbrushes for children, you should take special note of the head of the toothbrush. The head of the toothbrush should be small enough to fit into the child’s mouth with ease. A toothbrush with a large head would only hurt your child. Also, the head of the toothbrush should be round. Round headed toothbrushes do not hurt your child’s gums.

You should also take note of the style quotient when choosing a toothbrush for your children. This is because it is easier to get your child hooked to something that is visually appealing. Buy toothbrushes in fancy shapes or the ones that are imprinted with their favorite cartoon characters.

Buy the right toothbrush to ensure that you are brushing your teeth effectively.

source:http://www.dental-tips.com/basics/care/choosing-the-right-the-toothbrush.html

Did you know that carbohydrates are really sugars?  Carbohydrates are just long chains of sugars hooked together.  Fortunately, the bacteria in our mouths can’t break down those long chains of carbohydrates.

However, the bacteria in our mouths do love to feed on the monosaccharides (simple sugars) and the disaccharides (sugars that are links of two simple sugars.)

There are five main sugars that can feed the bacteria in our mouths.  When we feed these oral bacteria, it causes them to produce acid.  This acid sits on our teeth and causes cavities.  The acid can also literally dissolve our teeth if we let it.

Where are these sugars found?  You may be surprised to find that these sugars are in many “healthy” foods, as well as many unhealthy ones.

The Five Sugars That Hurt Your Teeth

1. Sucrose - Sucrose is probably the best-known sugar since it is the sugar that most people use in their house, common table sugar.  It is a sugar made up of glucose and fructose.  Sucrose is the main sugar found in most candy.  It is also the sweetest sugar.  Sucrose comes from sugar cane, sugar beets, and maple trees.

An interesting fact about sucrose is that the main bacteria in our mouths may be able to easily convert sucrose into the glue that holds plaque onto our teeth and makes it more difficult to remove when brushing and flossing.

2. Fructose - Fructose is the main sugar found in fruit, berries, melons, corn, and root vegetables such as beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes.  In general, fructose is not considered as sweet as sucrose.  However, when fructose is concentrated into a substance known ashigh fructose corn syrup, it does become sweeter than sucrose and is much more harmful to our teeth than regular fructose.

High fructose corn syrup has become almost a universal sweetener since it is cheaper, sweeter, and easier to blend into products because it is a liquid.  Next time you drink some fruit punch or soda pop, look at the ingredients, and you will most likely see high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient right after water.

3. Glucose - Glucose is the main energy source of the body.  The body breaks down all of the other sugars into glucose.  Glucose can also be found in many of the foods we eat.  Glucose is usually found linked with other sugars such as with fructose to form sucrose.  However, glucose can be found itself in wines and other foods and drinks.

While glucose is harmful to your teeth, it is the main sugar found in your body.  A recent study shows that glucose may be healthier than fructose for your overall health.  Maybe in the future, more foods and beverages will start being sweetened with glucose rather than fructose.

4. Lactose - Lactose is more commonly known as milk sugar.  It is a sugar formed by the two simple sugars galactose and glucose.  It is found in many dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.  Although lactose doesn’t even taste sweet, it can still be broken down by the bacteria on your teeth to produce acid.

5. Maltose - Maltose is the sugar that is found in grains such as bread, rice, pasta, and cereal.  It can also be found in drinks that are made from grains, like beer.  Beer not only contains sugar, but it is also acidic enough to dissolve our teeth.  It is made up of two glucose molecules hooked together.

Similar to lactose, maltose doesn’t taste sweet, so we may not think that it is harming our teeth.

You Don’t Need to Avoid Eating Sugar Altogether

The calcium dairy products provides in our diet is very valuable.  Just because dairy products contain lactose doesn’t mean that they should be avoided.  Also, breads, grains, and pasta are very important carbohydrate-rich energy sources that shouldn’t be eliminated from our diet just because they contain maltose.

The most important thing to remember is that we need to have moderation and choose our sugars wisely.  The first three sugars, glucose, fructose, and sucrose don’t really provide a nutritional benefit to us.  We should eat them in moderation.

If you find yourself eating a lot of sugar, you can try rinsing out your mouth after eating.  This will do two things: it will help rinse away the sugar that is hanging around in your mouth and it will rinse away any acid that is already harming your teeth.

Lactose and maltose are found in foods that are very good for us.  These sugars don’t need to be avoided; it’s just important to practice good oral hygiene after eating them so that we minimize the harmful effects of these sugars on our teeth

Source: http://www.oralanswers.com/2010/05/the-five-sugars-that-hurt-and-ruin-your-teeth/

Toddlers need lots of care and attention in maintaining healthy teeth. Here are some tips for parents to help young kids brush and floss their teeth regularly.

Toddlers need practice in making the basic cleanliness a habit. Parents should aid their kids in learning the basic rules of hygiene. Taking care of the toddler’s teeth is among them. Improper maintenance of teeth will result in tooth decay in the future.

Toddlers’ Teeth Should be Effectively Brushed

Toddlers need effective brushing at least twice a day. After breakfast and after dinner is the best time to remove the dental plaque that is formed when the naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth reacts with the sugars in the food residues left. There is a misconception that toddlers’ teeth should only be wiped with a soft cloth as brushes will cause damage to the teeth. But in reality, toddlers’ teeth are not so delicate that they will get damaged by brushes.

Small, soft-bristled brush designed especially for babies will greatly help in cleaning the toddler’s teeth, when used with a little amount of toothpaste containing fluoride. When the quantity of fluoride in toothpastes exceeds a certain limit, it may result in tooth stains.

Until six years of age, children need assistance in brushing their teeth. For toddlers, the mother should let the child sit on her lap and gently hold the child’s forehead to keep the little one’s head steady. Then she should brush the child’s teeth inside and out. Kids often resist brushing their teeth. In such cases, the parents can try flavored toothpastes and toothbrushes of varied designs to make tooth brushing time fun.

Flossing Helps in Preventing Tooth Decay

Teeth at the back of a child’s mouth are so intact that food debris may get wedged in between. The soft bristles of the brush fail to clean the plaque in between the child’s teeth. Dental floss helps in making the residues come out so that the toothbrush will clear them out. Regular brushing and flossing is the basis for healthy teeth.

source: Dental Care for Toddlers: The Importance of Brushing and Flossing in Young Children http://infant-toddler-health.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_prevent_tooth_decay#ixzz0t9SI9Goy

You know your toothbrush is a vital tool for the proper care of your teeth – but do you know the best way to take care of your toothbrush? Following are some guidelines for toothbrush care:

• One toothbrush should have one owner.If you share your toothbrush, you could also be sharing bodily fluids and bacteria, increasing your risk of infection.
• Toothbrushes need privacy, too. For the same reason, when storing brushes, make sure they are placed in such a way that they can’t touch each other.
• Give your toothbrush some space. Keep your brush in a clean, well-ventilated spot and make sure it has time to dry in between uses. Keeping your toothbrush in a closed, moist space regularly can encourage the growth of germs.
• Showering is good for your toothbrush. Before and after each use, rinse your toothbrush under running water to eliminate excess toothpaste and other residue. Rub your fingers along the bristles – but only after washing your hands; no use substituting one set of germs for another. When you’re finished, shake out the brush to accelerate drying.
• Let your toothbrush indulge in a nice bath. You may be able to reduce the amount of bacteria on your brush by soaking it in anti-bacterial mouthwash after each use.
• Don’t get too attached to your toothbrush.Swap your old toothbrush for a new one at least as often as every three to four months. Keep an eye out for frayed bristles and replace sooner if necessary. The more worn the bristles, the less effective brushing is. Of course, if you’ve been sick with the flu, a cold, or a mouth infection, say goodbye to your toothbrush and move on to a new, germ-free one immediately.
• Beware of too-good-to-be-true toothbrush-cleaning products.Some products profess to being designed to “sanitize” your toothbrush. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), there is no conclusive evidence that these products provide any particular benefit to your health. The ADA also encourages consumers to be wary of products claiming to “sterilize” your toothbrush, as there is currently no data to support such claims.

source http://www.sesamecommunications.com/PPNarticles/2006-Q2/toothbrush.html

Teeth are made out of calcium, mineral salts and phosphorus. Kids have 20 teeth that are not permanent and will eventually fall out to make room for 32 permanent teeth. It is important to teach kids at a young age the importance of taking care of their teeth to prevent decay. To get kids interested in proper dental hygiene, talking about fun teeth facts may be a way to pique their interest in their own teeth.

George Washington

The first president, George Washington, had false teeth. His teeth kept deteriorating and dentists had to take them out. He had nine dentists who tried to make him dentures. Only one of the dentists was able to make a pair of dentures that George Washington found comfortable. His false teeth were made out of teeth from a cow, hippopotamus and walrus. His favorite dentist made him four sets of dentures and when he died, he was buried with one of the sets in his mouth.

Elephants

An elephant has two upper molars and two lower molars. Its molars are one foot across and weigh about 9 pounds. Elephants don’t chew their food, they grind it. After about 10 years of grinding down at least a hundred pounds of vegetation daily, their teeth are worn down to the gum line and they fall out. New teeth then reappear. An elephant may go through six sets of teeth in its lifetime.

Twigs

The modern toothbrush that we use today was not invented until 1938. In order to get teeth clean, twigs were used in ancient civilizations. People would chew on the tip of a twig to make it spread out into several small strands. They would then use it in the same way that a toothbrush is used. These twigs were called chew sticks. These chew sticks were very effective in getting the teeth clean.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste used to be very different than what we use today. Ashes, chalk, charcoal, honey and lemon juice have all been used as a cleaner for the teeth. People have even tried things that are dried and rough, such as crushed egg shells and parts of animal hooves to clean their teeth. A form of minty cream used to clean the teeth was first invented at the beginning of the 20th century.

Toothache Relief

Many remedies have been used to try to relieve toothaches. Ancient Chinese people would wrap the teeth that were causing them pain with parchment paper that they had written words on. Those from Germany would kiss a donkey when they had a toothache because they believed it would help make the pain go away. Some people thought a worm would get in their teeth and cause pain and there was nothing they could do to make the pain stop
source: http://www.ehow.com/about_5199860_fun-dental-kids.html

Most of us have heard that fluoride is good for our teeth, but why is it? The truth is that fluoride, in moderation, is great for teeth. It could be the most effective cavity prevention treatment available today. In fact, research has shown that when fluoride is introduced to a city’s drinking water in can reduce the rate of tooth decay by 40 to 70 percent for the people that drink it.

Fluoride works in three ways:

1. Promotes tooth remineraliztion
2. Can make teeth more decay resistant
3. Can inhibit oral bacteria’s ability to create acids

However, fluoride toothpaste is not recommended for children 6 and younger.  If too much fluoride is ingested it can cause dental fluorosis, a condition that is caused by the chronic ingestion of too much fluoride during that time period when a child’s tooth enamel is forming. Be sure that your child is ready for fluoride toothpaste. Also make sure that your child is using good brushing and rinsing techniques.

Source: http://www.animated-teeth.com/tooth_decay/t4_tooth_decay_fluoride.htm

During these tough economic times, many regular activities are being put on hold — and that includes visits to the dentist, as reported by Medill Reports.

So how can people take care of their teeth now to avoid expensive dental procedures in the future? Here are a few tips for you and your kids that will help you keep your teeth healthy.

1) Drink plenty of water. It’s a “natural” mouthwash that can help reduce stains left by coffee, soda and red wine.

2) Eat a piece of cheese. After dinner, munch on some cheddar – it can help neutralize acids in your mouth.

3) Chew sugar free gum. Chewing gum increases saliva production, which helps to wash away plaque acid and bathe teeth in needed minerals to strengthen tooth enamel.

4) Wait to brush after acidic drinks. After drinking orange juice and soda pop, don’t reach for the toothbrush right away. Wait at least 20 minutes to reduce the chance of enamel wear.

5) Rinse with hydrogen peroxide. (Not for the Kids) A small amount of H2O2 mixed with water makes a great anti-bacterial and whitening rinse after brushing. Just don’t swallow!

6) Brush with baking soda, a gentle abrasive that can clean like toothpaste.

7) Use a straw. Might feel awkward to drink coffee or red wine through a straw, but doing so can help minimize direct contact between your pearly whites and these staining liquids.

8) Soften your toothbrush. Sensitive teeth can find relief from rough bristles by running the toothbrush under hot water before brushing.

9) Avoid sugar and starches. Both sugar and carbs can feed bacteria that causes tooth decay. It’s just not the sweet stuff – a handful of crackers can have the same effect as a candy bar at feeding bacteria.

10) Brush and floss. Duh.

Source(http://worldental.org/oral-hygiene/top-ten-budget-tips-to-keep-your-teeth-healthy/)

How far should your toothbrush be from the toilet?

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Here are 3 more dental experiments to do with your kids. These experiments are a great way to keep fun and education going throughout the summer. Our favorite was the soda experiment, very interesting!

1. Clean a penny with soda (the effects of acid on teeth)

Children love to perform this experiment. The acid from the soda eats the dirt away from the penny’s surface, resulting in a clean penny.

 Materials needed:
    - Shallow container
    – Carbonated cola beverage
    – Pennies (the dirtier the better)
 

Instructions: 
Put a dirty penny in a shallow container. Add enough cola to cover the penny. Let the penny sit undisturbed overnight. The next day remove the penny and discuss why it is clean.

What a child learns from this experiment:
Bacteria and germs in your mouth need sugar to make acid. The acid then eats away at your tooth. If you are not cleaning your teeth properly or you eat a lot of sugary foods, you can get these acid attacks more often which will result in a cavity. In this experiment, the soda acids etch and eat at the penny, just as the acids etch and eat away at the tooth’s surface. 

2. Make your own toothpaste

Making your own toothpaste is an easy experiment for kids. Adults will find this a cost effective and simple approach for use as daily toothpaste.

Ingredients for homemade toothpaste:
  – Baking soda 
  – Salt 
  – Glycerin (found in the first aid aisle)
  – Flavoring (peppermint or strawberry suggested)

Instructions: Combine 3 tablespoons baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon glycerin, and a few drops of flavoring. Mix together. Water can be added to get to the desired consistency. Store in an airtight container.

If making a larger batch of homemade toothpaste the ratio is 3 parts baking soda, to 1 part salt, to 1 part glycerin, and flavoring to taste.

3. Tongue taste buds

Our food combines with saliva when we eat. This lets the food disperse the flavors across the entire tongue and its taste buds. This experiment will single out the specific areas for each type of taste bud and its flavor.

What you will need:

Cotton swabs

Tonic water (bitter)

Lemon juice (sour)

Salt water

Sugar water

With the cotton swab, apply a small amount of one of the solutions to the area of the tongue that contains its taste buds. Try this with all the different solutions and their correlating areas of the tongue. Use the solutions in other areas of the tongue that do not contain that taste bud as well.

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