Cookies, Pies and My Teeth, Oh My!

The health of our smile is built on more than just our brushing and flossing habits. We can visit the dentist 

every six months, brush two times and day and floss once a day, however, if you’re consuming large amounts of sugar, carbohydrates and fats you are continuing to do unnecessary damage to your smile. While it may not 

seem important, it is more than just the risk of obesity that you should consider when reaching for the Frito's instead of the celery.

Fruits and vegetables are low in sugar and high in water which helps clean off your teeth. They produce higher levels of saliva and allow for food to be rinsed from the surface of your enamel, while breads, pasta and chips decrease your overall saliva production and increase your risk of periodontal disease, especially if you do not plan to brush and floss right after you consume the five-layer bean dip or the spaghetti and meatballs. 

Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice at Rice Periodontics & Implant Surgery says, “I see thousands of patients a year that have developed severe periodontal disease not only from their overall dental habits but because of their daily negative food habits as well.”  Her responsibility is to educate patients on the importance of taking care of their whole body, not just their gums.  “While you may increase your healthy dental habits, if you do not change your food habits too, you may wind up right back where you started, in the dental chair with periodontal disease,” adds Dr.Rice.

Halloween Warning

While your kids are running around the neighborhood you maybe trailing behind, waiting for the moment where you can steal your favorite piece or two. You may want to stop yourself. In a fun size package of M & M’s there are ninety-three calories and ten grams of sugar. “While you’re savoring the chocolate yumminess, your teeth are holding on to the sugar, and your hips, the calories,” says Dr. Denine Rice.  If you think you’re going to eat just one, you may be lying to yourself because on average, adults will consume around 24 pounds of candy during Halloween.  

One or two pieces of candy are not going to cause harm. However, if you do not brush your teeth right away the sugar will begin to turn into bacteria and acid that eats at the enamel of your teeth.   Some recent research suggests that you should wait at least thirty minutes before brushing after eating. However, waiting until late into the evening or not brushing at all gives the acid in food the fuel it needs to attack the enamel.

To help protect your teeth from sugar brush your teeth before you plan to eat. This will remove any bacteria that are currently on your teeth and brush soon after you consume sugar to remove the acid from your teeth. While keeping candy in a large bag may seem easier, if you are prone to grabbing one or two pieces of candy each time you enter the kitchen, place a few pieces in different locations. For example, place some in the refrigerator, a small amount in the freezer and some in the cupboard.