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Difficult to ignore, humans can seemingly catch a whiff of bad breath from a room away. While we may be able to avoid the malodour of a client or passerby, bad breath, also known as Halitosis, becomes a bigger nuisance when you can’t hide away from it – like with a spouse or child.

In moments like these, it is best to let your loved ones know about their rancid breath to save them some embarrassment. Especially considering that it is difficult to monitor one’s own breath.

However, if your child has frequent bad breath, it might be a sign of a much bigger issue. Let’s go through what causes bad breath (halitosis), how to treat it, and where to reach out for a solution.

What Causes Bad Breath?

Halitosis is common among children. This isn’t because their bodies are more susceptible to bacteria or that their mouth biomes are adjusting, but simply because children aren’t the best brushers.

Who is to blame them? They are learning after all!

But beyond poor dental hygiene and its inevitable plaque buildup, halitosis has a surprising number of drivers. Even with optimal oral hygiene, your child can still experience stinky breath.

So, what can cause bad breath?

• Poor oral hygiene
• Acid Reflux
• Dry mouth/Dehydration
• Retainers and Dentures
• Cavities
• Loose or Dead Teeth
• Chronic Lung and Sinus Infections
• Diseases – Diabetes, Kidney disorders, Liver disease
• Periodontal Disease
• Certain Medications

As you can see, there are innumerous conditions that cause our mouths to excrete a less than favourable odour. It is up to you and your dentist to uncover what might be the source of your child’s chronic bad breath.

How is Halitosis Dealt With?

First off, the initial solution for halitosis should be to look at dental hygiene technique (don’t forget the tongue!), diet, and habits. If your child just wets their brush and hides away from taking care of their smile, it is to no surprise that they would have bad breath.

But if halitosis is chronic, despite brushing and flossing, you will want to see a dentist as soon as possible to uncover the underlying cause.

Some bad breath catalysts will be worse than others, but it is never recommended to leave the issue to fester.

If your dentist cannot find the root cause of your child’s bad breath, the next step is generally being referred to as an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor – or ENT for short).

These doctors are specialized in dealing with diseases and conditions that affect our fundamental life sustaining-skills (eating, breathing, etc.). With their specialization comes a whole lot of equipment that dentists simply don’t have.

If referred to an ENT, they will primarily be concerned with conditions such as tonsillitis, post-nasal drip, sinusitis, rhinitis, and many other diseases that deal with the nose and throat.

Depending on the severity, an ENT’s solution might be antibiotic treatments to surgery.

Want a Professional to Take a Look?

Sometimes the problem is out of our hands. When it comes to oral health, that is why you trust the professionals.

Treehouse Dental Care has helped countless children and teens better their oral health, bringing confidence into their everyday!

If your child suffers from chronic halitosis, give us a call and Treehouse Dental Care team will get to the bottom of it!

There is nothing more terrifying in the world than thinking of our children possibly catching a disease.

However, most children (and even adults) experience bleeding of the gums during regular dental hygiene at one point in their life.

If you or your child’s gums are bleeding from flossing or brushing, you have Gingivitis; a form of periodontal disease.

Don’t be too alarmed. Gingivitis can be combated with simple education and overlooking your child’s brushing habits.

But as you know from us already, knowledge is most of your battle!

So, let’s go through what exactly is gingivitis, what it can lead to, and what are the causes of this fairly common periodontal disease.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the same, whether it affects an adult or a child.

From a medical standpoint, gingivitis is a common and mild form of periodontal disease (sometimes referred to as gum disease). In more generic terms, gingivitis is a bacterial infection within our gums that leads to bleeding, inflammation, and potentially, more chronic forms of periodontal diseases.

In fact, if we break it down the word into its root terms, Gingiva means gums, and -itis means inflammation.

The disease itself onsets from poor dental hygiene practices, such as a lack of brushing, flossing, and/or visits to the dentist. Without proper oral care, food debris from our meals will lodge itself underneath the gum line.

These bad habits result in a build-up of plaque in and around our gum tissue. If left long enough, the plaque will harden into what is known as Tartar.

At this juncture, a regular toothbrush won’t do you any good. You will need to see a dentist to have your teeth cleaned thoroughly. With enough time, your gums will heal back to their resilient selves.

With all this information, it is easy to see how children would be more susceptible to catching gingivitis, as children are often brushing without proper technique and sometimes not at all.

Is Poor Dental Hygiene the Only Cause?

While our dental habits certainly influence the majority of cases, gingivitis can stem from a variety of different causes beyond missing a brush or two.

These can include gene mutations, poor diet, prescription medication, type 1 diabetes, hormonal changes (I.E. puberty), kindler syndrome, and mouth breathing (drying of the gums).

The first steps for preventing and treating gingivitis will always be looking at oral habits, however, if you truly believe your child has been doing their best, health care practitioners can help uncover other possible illnesses for the source.

What Happens if Gingivitis Gets Worse?

Before we dive into it, know that treating gingivitis by following dental healthcare professional’s instructions will usually prevent further complications.

However, if left untreated, gingivitis can spread, evolve; and deteriorate soft tissues, teeth, and even bone (the more serious condition known as periodontitis). Eventually, periodontitis will result in a loss of teeth and will require restorative surgery to combat the symptoms.

As well, several studies have linked mouth diseases and plaque to increased risk of cardiovascular health.

According to Harvard Health, “people with gum disease have two to three times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular events.”

This all stems from chronic inflammation. Over the short term, acute inflammation is a defence mechanism that is a response to our immune cells attacking bacteria and irritants, which aids in healing. But with no end, inflammation can be the catalyst for many health problems.

How to Stop Gingivitis

As we have said, time-and-time, listen to your dentist!

Brush twice daily, floss at night, and make regular visits to your dentist. This will help keep you and your child’s mouths free of plaque, tartar, and food debris, allowing our miraculous bodies to do their things!

If it has been a while since you have seen your dentist or are looking for a new one, call Treehouse Dental Care today to discuss availability!

Some things never change.

But when it comes to your dental health, adapting your habits as you age is crucial for a lifetime of healthy smiling!

Brushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and flossing tools can often be marketed towards children, but are they any different than what we use as adults?

Of course!

So, let’s go through the best dental hygiene tips for your kids, no matter their age!

Dental Hygiene for Infants

Your new addition to the family might not have sprouted their first tooth, but that doesn’t mean their teeth are not there!

In fact, babies are born with a complete set of teeth underneath the gum line, ready to erupt when their time comes.

If you want an approximation, you can expect newborns to get their first tooth around the age of 6 months, but there are plenty of dental hygiene practices you should be aware of before this point!

For the first year, your child will most likely be fed milk and/or formula. After feeding, it is important to always wipe down your infant’s gums with a cloth moistened with water.

Gently massaging the gum tissue during this age helps to deter inflammation caused by bacteria. This action will also come in handy at about 4 months when babies can start teething (we recommend using cold water at this pivotal moment, as it will help to ease their pain).

However, don’t consider this pain to be a detrimental stage in their life. We all have growing pains sooner or later, and teething is a natural process moving towards your child’s first tooth.

Once you notice a tooth emerge, you can start using a soft-bristled toothbrush designed for infants. It was once recommended for parents to use fluoride-free toothpaste, however, if you’re using less than a grain of rice worth of toothpaste you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

If you are concerned about your infant’s fluoride intake, you can lean your child forward during brushing to let any excess toothpaste dribble out of their mouth.

Hygiene Tips for Toddlers

Around 30 months of age, your toddler will likely be smiling with all their primary (baby or deciduous) teeth in place!

While this is certainly an exciting event for parents, it is also a sign that your child should be brushing with more toothpaste (roughly the pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste).

At this stage, children will also start gaining the ability to spit, decreasing the likelihood of swallowing toothpaste. However, be mindful of using flavoured brands.

Flavoured toothpaste can certainly help entertain the notion of your child brushing themselves, but stress the importance of never swallowing your toothpaste, no matter how good it may taste.

Also, it is worth mentioning that with more teeth in a mouth, plaque-causing bacteria have more places to nestle and do damage. Flossing should start when your child has any two teeth touching each other, but most children will need help until the age of 8 or 10.

Dental Tips for Teens

At this point, you’ll be happy to know that pretty much all teens can take care of their own teeth. However, this doesn’t mean they are doing a good job.

Plenty of upbeat young adults will go about their fun-filled lives, missing a brushing or two along the way. While it may not be the biggest issue to them, as dentists, we can tell when our patients have been skipping their daily routines.

As a parent, you can help them remember by telling them to set alarms on their phones, or by mentioning their breath/hygiene.

We have spoken about it before, but teenagers are usually obsessed with looks and trying to fit in. While we need to teach our children confidence in their own skin, it is alright to use this natural tendency as leverage to increase their dental hygiene frequency.

General Dental Tips for Any Age

Now that we have age specifics out of the way, we can talk strictly about brushing techniques and random facts that you may have not known about ageing teeth.

1. Using both manual and electric toothbrushes can provide an overall better clean than just using one or the other.
2. Proper brushing technique not only reduces plaque build-up, but also helps to massage gums, lowering inflammation and infection. To get the most out of your brushing routine, your bristles should be at a 45° angle from your gumline, ensuring contact on your gum tissue and teeth. Brush away from the gum line in a rolling motion downwards 2-3 times for each tooth touched.
3. As you age, your enamel will become thinner revealing the yellow dentin layer beneath. This does NOT mean you aren’t brushing properly. It is the natural progression of our teeth as we age.
4. Only a fraction of your mouth is your teeth. Adding mouthwash to your oral care routine helps to reduce mouth bacteria found on your tongue, cheeks, and gums!

Want to Learn More?

Education surrounding dental health is always evolving as we uncover more and more about our mouth’s role in our greater health.

Because of this, we as dentists are always learning too! For more resources on your child’s oral health and hygiene, head over to our blog or FAQ page, filled with learning material for parents and your little one.

Or, if your family prefers hands-on-learning, book an appointment to visit Treehouse Dental Care today.

We always look forward to chatting about healthy smiles!

We have all experienced it once in our lives.

Waking up with a sore jaw, tender teeth, and stiffness in our cheeks. You were clenching and grinding again!

While this pain might only happen once in a blue moon, teeth grinding and clenching can become a considerable issue for some children.

If you have ever witnessed your child gnashing their jaw as they nap or have heard teeth grinding while they sleep, your kid may have bruxism.

But what exactly is bruxism? What causes my child’s teeth grinding? And what can you do to help ease their grinding?

Let’s run through everything that you will need to know as a parent!

What is Bruxism?

When you, or a child, or anyone grind their teeth involuntarily and habitually, their condition is known as bruxism.

This uncontrolled gnashing of your teeth can happen during the day or at night and is unrelated to normal functions, such as eating or talking. Since there is no connection to the ordinary use of our jaw, bruxism can be defined as a parafunctional activity.

Not so surprisingly, using our teeth for anything other than eating or talking is far worse for our enamel and increase the likelihood of extreme teeth wear.

However, bruxism is not uncommon. 8% of adults and 14% of children in Canada report grinding their teeth at least a few times a week, as reported by the Canadian Sleep Society.

These numbers may not paint an accurate picture, as Dr. Larry Levin from the Canadian Dental Association states, “…the majority of people experience at least some grinding…” whether that is compulsive bruxism or small bouts of stress.

Causes of Bruxism

While dentists and doctors are aware of the detrimental side effects of bruxism, experts still do not understand the complete picture. Simply put, we aren’t always sure why children end up with bruxism.

Grinding your teeth while you sleep can stem from several variables. For most of us, stress and anxiety is a simple driver for our teeth clenching. Being unable to relax, your stress translates itself through physical manifestation.

For children, bruxism has also been shown to triggered by a misalignment of their top and bottom teeth. Other examples can include pain from teething, earaches, temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ), and some medication side effects.

Whatever the cause, we understand bruxism is terrible for our teeth.

Why Does Teeth Grinding Cause Trouble?

If our teeth are the tools we use for chewing, shouldn’t they be able to withstand the force of biting?

Yes, and no!

While normal chewing and talking work to strengthen our jaws, bones, and muscles, bruxism is not the same motion.

Chewing distributes pressure through vertical energy transfer. Through this motion, much like with exercise, the resistance created will increases bone density.

Teeth grinding and clenching is perpendicular to your jaw’s traditional motion. Moving back and forth, the energy is transferred horizontally across your teeth leading to pain, chips in enamel, cracks, and can potentially damage past dental work (fillings, crowns, etc.).

Mouth/Night Guards

The damage caused by bruxism can be severe or mild. However, consistency is going to be the cause of concern.

Much like water eroding a river bed, habitual teeth clenching and grinding can cause enamel to crack, wear down the shape of your teeth, and can damage permanent teeth in children. For this reason, it is recommended for parents to monitor their child’s sleep intermittently, especially near the teething ages.

Listen for sounds of grinding and watch the motion in their jaw. The quicker you can catch cases of bruxism; the sooner you can protect their teeth!

And how do you protect your child’s teeth from grinding? – Mouthguards!

There are a couple of different avenues that one can look for when it comes to protection. Store-bought mouth/night guards are often the most inexpensive, but they come with issues.

Store-bought teeth guards for sleeping can claim they are one-size or preformed and claim they are ready to wear right out of the packaging. But as dentists, we KNOW that every mouth is different. It is more often than not a game of chance if a stock mouthguard will fit your child or not.

The second style is the boil-and-bite protectors. Exactly as it sounds, these mouthguards are made of a thermoplastic material that softens in hot water. Once boiled, your child will need to bite down and allow the soft plastic to settle into the shape of their jaw and teeth.

While this sounds more beneficial when compared to stock mouth guards, the boil-and-bite options are still prone to gum sensitivity. Teeth can be various sizes, so the amount of plastic used in a mouth guard might be too large for your child. Prolonged experiences with ill-fitting night guards will lead to gum sensitivity, and in severe cases bleeding.

The best-fitting mouth guard will always be a custom and mold-casted guard to match your child’s specific jaw alignment and bite. This is the favoured alternative for many patients as it ensures both comfort AND protection in one product. The caveat is that custom mouth guards are more expensive to the ones found in department stores or pharmacies.

Is Your Child’s Grinding Consistent?

If you believe that your child is experiencing bruxism, it is pertinent that you schedule them for a dental checkup for diagnosis and treatment.

Catching bruxism early will help to reduce the potential damage that could be caused to your kid’s beautiful smile!

Contact Treehouse Dental Care today to schedule your child’s next visit with the dentist. Our team of pediatric dentists are able to identify signs of bruxism, provide dental education to your children, and supply preventative dental tools, like mouth guards.

Get your child sleeping in comfort once and for all!

Call today.

By the time your child sets off on their first day of high school, they should already have their 28 adult permanent teeth.

Utilized as our first step of digestion for the rest of our lives, our permanent teeth are an incredible display of evolution.

Except…. For our wisdom teeth!

Also know as our third molars, wisdom teeth seem to cause more troubles than good for a majority of dental patients. Often becoming impacted or growing substantially crooked, what’s the point of having them in the first place?

For parents concerned about their child’s oral development, we will be looking at what wisdom teeth are for, the symptoms of impacted molars, and when you should start asking your dentist for more information.

The Purpose and Function of Wisdom Teeth

Somewhere between the ages of 17 and 21 years-old wisdom teeth start to emerge. As the last set of molars to enter the stage, our mouths are often left with little room to accommodate the extra 4 molars.

But why do they develop so late? And what are their purpose since they don’t show up until we’re almost fully developed?

Well, the good news is, that your third molars are redundant at this point. Currently, in our current societies, we have no use for wisdom teeth. Which is often why dentists recommend their extraction.

Our mouths are already crowded as it is, and an extra set of molars just adds to the risk of dental misalignment.

But, if you’re wondering why we ever hand them, anthropologists have offered a hypothesis centred around our ancestor’s diets. Mostly eating different roots, leaves, and nuts, our mouths used to have to do a lot more work than our current diets require.

The extra set of molars would have been great for grinding and chewing the tough to digest cellulose found in plants. Luckily, our foods have become a lot easier to digest through the evolution of our agricultural habits.

When Should Wisdom Teeth Be Removed?

Wisdom teeth don’t always emerge. Some people may only have two ever appear, while some people may never have their wisdom teeth breach. Because of this, it is often hard to pinpoint an exact date in our lives that would suit everyone’s development.

Instead, dentists look for symptoms of impacted teeth. Generally, starting around the age of 15, your child’s dentist should start taking an interest in your child’s wisdom teeth.

Monitoring third molar’s development is incredibly important, as for a majority of us, our jaws have already grown to their fullest even before wisdom teeth come into the equation.

Due to the size limitations of our jaws, wisdom teeth have nowhere to go when they reach maturity. This results in impacted teeth.

An impacted tooth is one that is “stuck” and unable to achieve its natural position within your mouth. For wisdom teeth, this can mean a horizontal tooth or a molar that has erupted halfway.

Both of these issues are serious, as they can potentially cause infection, and a half-erupted tooth increases the chance for cavity-causing bacteria to get beneath the gum-line. The symptoms associated with impacted teeth can include swelling, irritation, stiffness, blood infections, and cysts (which can damage the tooth, bone, and surrounding tissue).

Wisdom Teeth Treatments

For most of us, the treatment for wisdom teeth issues is a simple extraction. With no use for our wisdom teeth, it is only sensible to try and reduce the harm that they may cause.

However, even though thousands upon thousands of procedures are completed without an issue, there are still risks associated with the surgery.

Firstly, wisdom teeth should be removed at their earliest possible time (if they pose an issue). For most, that is between the ages of 17-21. For many dentists, they even recommend preparing for removal before the age of 20, as the longer you wait, the stronger the roots become, as well as an increasing the likelihood of surgical complications.

These can include a painful and/or dry socket, infection of the wound, and potential damage to surrounding teeth, nerves, bone, and sinuses.

For some, they may want to weigh the benefits associated with surgery against the potential risks associated with extraction. A professional saxophone player may not be in any pain from their wisdom teeth, and extraction could possibly leave their mouth numb. Situations like these can be rare but are viable reasons to leave your third molars intact.

However, for the majority of us, extraction is the smartest decision for long-term health.

Wisdom Teeth Inspection

Want to monitor the development of your child’s wisdom teeth? Treehouse pediatric dentistry is there for you with in-depth examinations for all dental needs.

Don’t wait for their wisdom teeth to become an issue. Call now to book your child’s consultation and we’ll provide you with all the information you need to make the proper decision on wisdom teeth removal.

Kids can be a handful.

Taking your eyes away from them for just a moment can end disastrously if you’re not being careful. Even if you made it through their toddler years, sports and friends can leave your little one bruised & battered.

While some wounds can be treated with Band-Aids and topical creams, dental injuries are a different story altogether. Roughly 50% of children will at some point experience a type of injury to their teeth or jaw. Most of which are preventable.

Luckily, there are steps parents and guardians can take to reduce the chance of their child ruining their teeth. Let’s go through the most common injuries parents are likely to see, when you should seek medical attention, and what you can do to encourage safer play.

Most Common Dental Injuries

Unfortunately, most dental accidents are often a by-product of head injuries. For this reason, it is incredibly important to understand if your child has suffered a concussion.

If you notice your child is experiencing dizziness, vomiting, confusion, seizures, or slurred speech, you’ll want to seek medical attention right away.

Broken or Dislocated Primary (Baby) Teeth

If your child experiences a broken or premature loss of one of their baby teeth, you will want to see a dentist ASAP. Damages to the root, gums, and nerves can come with serious consequences, such as loss of feeling or shifting of the permanent teeth beneath the gum line.

If a tooth is loose (also known as dental subluxation), you will have to judge the severity. Lightly loose baby teeth will often repair themselves with time and a bit of protection, however, very loose teeth should be removed by a dentist before more damage can occur.

If a baby tooth is ever removed, dental specialists will usually install a space maintainer. This allows for the permanent adult to have enough space when emerging and reduces the chance of crooked teeth due to crowding.

Broken or Dislocated Permanent Teeth

In the case of small chips in your child’s teeth, you can use your judgement and ask your young one if they are experiencing consistent pain. If it is small enough and doesn’t induce discomfort, there is nothing to worry about.

However, if the damage has resulted in a sharp tooth or a major chunk has broken off, then you will want to see a dentist promptly. They will manage the damage through a myriad of different techniques, such as smoothing rough edges, repairing with resin, or removing the tooth completely.

In the case of an adult tooth becoming fully dislodged, the first thing you will want to do it put the tooth back in the socket (if possible), ensuring to not to touch the roots. If it is not possible to reach the socket, you will want to place the tooth into a glass of cold milk for preservation, and seek dental assistance immediately.

Teeth placed within the socket or in a glass of milk have higher chances of reattachment than a tooth stored dry. In a perfect world, you should aim to have your child at a dentist’s within one (1) hour from the tooth’s dislocation.

Mouth Tears or Punctures

Most tears that you or your child will experience are not serious. A majority of cases will heal themselves without the aid of stitches, even including tears to the frenulum (the flap of skin underneath the upper lip).

Large cuts may require stitches, but it will require judgement upon the parent. If bleeding is persistent and lasts longer than 10 minutes you and your child should seek medical attention.

For any perforations or cuts involving the throat, it is important to have the injury inspected immediately. These injuries can result from tripping with an object in your mouth and are more common than one would think. However, the throat contains some integral organs and arteries, so don’t waste a moment hesitating a trip to the closest medical assistance.

Protecting Children from Dental Injuries

You’re not always going to be around to monitor your child – that would be impossible. So, the next best thing you can do for your child is to teach them the importance of safety and common sense. As well, providing your child with emergency contacts will empower them to make the right decision if they manage to injure themselves with no adult presence.

Protective Gear

We don’t need to be rocket engineers or brain surgeons to understand the importance of safety equipment. Helmets, mouth guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards help protect bones and skin, however, their presence provides a point-of-contact other than the head. It isn’t guaranteed to stop injuries to the jaw and/or mouth, but it does help to reduce the chances.

Hygiene and Diet

After any dental injury or surgery, it is important to keep your child’s mouth clean to avoid infections. This will include twice a day brushing (with dentist/doctors consent), and intermittent mouthwash to prevent bacteria and swelling within the wound.

Children should also avoid spicy or overly salty food, popcorn, and sticky treats during their recovery. Foods that contain a high amount of phosphorous and calcium are great to help repair any damages to enamel, while food high in zinc, protein, and vitamins A and C are needed for healing.

If surgery was involved your child may need to be on a restricted diet, avoiding foods likely to damage stitches, wires, crowns, etc. Liquids, milkshakes, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, yogurt, and hummus are all perfect foods to limit discomfort during these times.

Need an Injury Looked at?

If you are concerned and worried about your child’s dental injury and don’t know if it requires immediate attention, don’t take the risk!

A number of mouth injuries will benefit from prompt, professional attention. Instead of waiting, call Treehouse Pediatric Dental Care today and get your child the assistance they need!

Never wear white after Labour Day. Never wash whites with dark clothes. Don’t wipe the carpet, you have to dab it clean.

Some best practices never change. But, as seen last year with Canada’s updated food guide, healthy eating isn’t one of them.

So, with new scientific consensus about what constitutes a healthy diet, we thought it was only natural that we should update our recommendations for what children should eat for a brilliant smile!

We’ll go through the best foods for your teeth, the foods to avoid, and how your family can have a holistic game plan to aid in your dental hygiene and overall health.

Best Foods for Your Teeth

Beans and Lentils

Beans – the magical fruit! Part of Canada’s new recommendation for healthy protein sources, beans and lentils are also astonishingly healthy for our smiles.

Great Northern, chickpeas, navy, pinto, and lentils are all fantastic sources of phosphorus, one of the building blocks for strong enamel.

Green Vegetables

I am sure you have heard it all before, but the cliché is there for a reason – eating your greens is important for your health!

Broccoli and leafy vegetables, such as spinach or kale, are vitamin and mineral-rich super-foods! Containing calcium, phosphates, and beta-carotene, foods falling into this category are not only important for a balanced diet but also your healthiest smile!

Yogurt

You might think we recommend dairy products for their source of calcium, but that is only the icing on top of the cake when it comes to yogurt.

Due to its natural probiotic bacteria, yogurt helps to replace and prevent the plaque and gingivitis causing germs that build upon our teeth’s surface throughout the day.

Apples and Crunchy Fruits

High in fibre and available in so many colours and flavours, apples are truly made for all. However, not many tote its benefits to a healthy smile.

Chewing apples (or any other crunchy fruits for this matter) actively scrape tooth surfaces and massages your gums. While this shouldn’t be considered a substitute for brushing, any added protection against cavities is fantastic in our books!

Nuts and Seeds

Perfect snacks on the go, calorie-dense nuts and seeds, such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews, are nature’s recipe for teeth repair.

Chalked-full of minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, nuts supply us with vital nutrients needed for enamel remineralization.

As an added benefit, nuts and seeds are also playing a larger part in Canada’s new recommendations for healthy eating.

Water

Most of us understand that water is important for keeping our bodies hydrated and working optimally. However, H2O has quite a lot of benefits towards our oral health that usually gets taken for granted.

Firstly, when drinking water, we are completing a simple act, but a much-needed one – rinsing our mouths. This effect not only removes excess food debris from our teeth and gums, but it also helps to balance the pH of our saliva, reducing enamel damage.

Another benefit mentioned within Canada’s updated food guide, drinking water saves us from sipping at harmful beverages, such as juice and soda.

As well, practically all of the world’s water sources contain some form of ionic-fluoride compounds. This is especially helpful for our teeth as fluoridated water helps repair and preserve surface enamel on our teeth.

Foods to Avoid

Highly Acidic

While you don’t have to avoid acidic foods entirely, decreasing the frequency at which you can eat them can save your enamel a lot of time in repair.

Understandably, the low pH of highly acidic foods, such as citrus, are hard on the surface of our teeth. It is recommended to give our teeth time to remineralize, so don’t brush too soon after eating tomato sauce, orange juice, etc.

Chewy Treats

Highly troublesome during the holiday months, chewy and sugary treats are the bane of a healthy smile. This is due to their extremely sticky nature and adhesion within our mouths.

Embedding themselves deep within our molars and crevices between our teeth, sticky foods make a home in our mouths and teeth for far too long. This eventually leads to the degradation of your enamel and the development of dental caries.

It is suggested to try your best to limit gummy candies (even vitamins), caramel, taffy, raisins, and sticky hard candies to avoid complications. If you must crush your chewy craving, save your guilty pleasure until after a meal. The excess saliva production 20 minutes after eating will help to lower the stickiness of your treat.

Starchy Foods

White flour is used in an incredible variety of recipes. Useful for bread, pasta, pastries, and cereal, these simple carbohydrates can be found practically in every meal.

Don’t get us wrong – we love how useful flour is for countless kitchen applications, but the dental issues lie within how our bodies process the starchy product. Simple carbohydrates are great if your body needs sugar – stat! Easily broken down, the carbohydrates are split into either monosaccharide (one sugar) or disaccharides (two sugars). However, as we already know, sugars aren’t great for our teeth and are one of the main causes of tooth decay. Avoid overly starchy foods whenever possible and replace white flour-based

Children’s Holistic Dental Health

Being healthy doesn’t stop at your diet. Plenty of habits, such a reading food labels, eating a variety of different vegetables and fruits, exercising, and eating as a family are important for both mental and physical well-being.

Pairing these habits with twice-daily brushing and flossing can not only aid in the reduction of gingivitis, periodontitis, and oral thrush, they also help diminish risk factors associated with heart disease.

For the parents out there, we wanted to compile some quick tips that will have you and your family making healthier choices with ease.

Quick Tips

• Grab a variety of healthy snacks for your child to choose from! (Yogurt, fruit cups, nuts, etc.)
• Balance all food groups at mealtime to provide an array of vitamins and minerals.
• Include your children in food preparation that is appropriate for their age.
• Don’t use dessert as a bribe (unless it’s healthy!)
• Replace sugary drinks with water when possible.
• Read nutrition labels with your children and show them what ingredients to look out for.

Regular Visits to Your Dentist

The last piece of comprehensive health advice we can give is to schedule your child for regular visits with their Treehouse dental Specialist. Important to establish early on in life, routine dental cleanings reduce the chance of gum disease, gum recession, dental caries, and risk of cardiac disease.

As well, introducing your little ones to a dentist with frequency will help establish comfortability within their visits, minimizing the likelihood of dental phobias.

If it has been a while since your child has seen a dentist, whether for regular cleanings or a thorough checkup, don’t wait any longer to book. Call Treehouse today to discuss your child’s next visit to the dentist.

And don’t forget to keep smiling!

Brushing our teeth is important. Technique? Even more so.

Luckily, technology hasn’t been far behind in our efforts of achieving healthier smiles. However, with the extra cost involved in electrical toothbrushes, is it worth it to buy one for my child? Are there differences between manual and electric toothbrush results? Is it even recommended for children to use a powered brush?

With all the options being marketed towards adults and children it can be hard to find meaningful advice on the topic of toothbrushes. It can seem as almost ALL the options are favoured by “9 out of 10” dentists.

So, for the sake of clearing up confusing advertising, let’s go through the best toothbrush options for your child and whether you’ll want to use an electric or manual toothbrush!

Benefits of Electric Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes are manufactured for our benefit. Oscillating, rotating, and vibrating at frequencies quicker than a human hand, these technology-enabled toothbrushes have helped achieve an 11% reduction in plaque and a 6% reduction for gingivitis in the first 1 to 3 months of use.

However, these statistics come with a caveat. Plaque and gingivitis percentage reduction will be dependent on both how well the individual brushed when using a manual brush, and how well they used the powered alternative.

Be that as it may, reports continue to come out as adoption rates increase across the world, giving us greater insight into electronic toothbrush benefits and pitfalls.

As well, toothbrush technology continues to advance. Over the last few years, consumers have been able to purchase toothbrushes that can identify if you’re brushing too hard, can follow and track motion, play music, and can complete several different cleaning functions, from teeth to tongue!

These fantastical options are exciting for most, which can be its own benefit in and of itself! Especially for children, where brushing their teeth steals away from time that could be spent playing.

If you think new features might pique your child’s interest in oral hygiene, take them to the store and let them choose their very own electric toothbrush. Plenty of manufacturers design ones specifically for children that won’t put a burning hole in your wallet.

Benefits of Manual Toothbrush

The dental tool that practically all of us start with: the manual toothbrush. It’s part of all of our households, even if it is just for cleaning your grout.

With that being said, accessibility is one of the greatest benefits of manual toothbrushes. No need for brand-specific brush heads, which your closest store may not stock. No need for batteries. No need for charging. And can be easily transported without having to bring extra components!

With less to purchase, manual brushes are simply less expensive. An electric toothbrush with replaceable heads can easily cost an individual as high as $250. With replacement heads costing more than a multipack of manual brushes, the savings are clearly in favour of the non-electrical counterpart.

Another aspect that parents love about manual brushes is their larger heads. Able to brush multiple teeth at the same time, parents can assist their children more efficiently, if needed.

In terms of cleaning power, studies show that, if used properly, manual toothbrushes can be as effective as electric versions. It is up to the user to pay close attention to their technique to achieve these results, but parents can find comfort in knowing that electric doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthier smile.

Hard Vs. Soft Bristles

When it comes to teaching your tyke to brush, bristle strength will make a world of difference.

Both manual and electric toothbrushes are often used too aggressively – for both children and adults. Soft-bristled brushes help avoid excessive damage to the gums and tooth roots, while still being able to clean plaque, tongue, and gums.

When your children grow up, they choose their own brush stiffness, but whilst learning, we recommend erring on the side of caution. If you notice bristles on your child’s toothbrushes are consistently deformed, chances are that they’re brushing too hard. Offer some instructions to help these mistakes and you and your family will go through fewer toothbrushes.

Which Toothbrush Should My Child Use?

Well, the funny thing is, your brush doesn’t necessarily matter!

The truth of the matter is, parents should use whatever brush that will get their little ones brushing regularly and properly.

Your only job is to be that of a teacher. Ensure that your child is brushing with a technique that is meant for the respective design of toothbrush and preach the importance of twice-daily brushing/flossing.

As mentioned, small head brushes usually found on electric toothbrushes (such as Oral-B’s radial brush heads) are made to be used in a more controlled fashion. Sized to reach one tooth at a time, electric alternatives often require higher amounts of concentration from toddlers.

For this reason, parents with fussy brushers can achieve a quicker and possibly more thorough brushing with the larger heads found on manual toothbrushes.

However, if you’re child has reached an age of independence, let them make their own choice! Not only will your kid be more involved in their oral hygiene, but it will also help them get excited to brush their teeth again!

Is Your Child Falling Behind on Brushing?

If you’re more worried about getting ANY brush into your child’s hand, don’t worry! You’re not alone.

Our Treehouse Pediatric Dentistry staff have seen and heard it all when it comes to stubborn brushers. Luckily, we have the right resources, education, and passion to help your little ones get on track with their dental hygiene.

Don’t wait for your child’s next cavity. Call and book an appointment with Treehouse Dental Care today and start building a healthy future for your children.

As with most government decided health treatments, fluoridated water gets a lot of bad rep. Generally, these condemnations stem from misinformation and ignorance, but even with all the criticism, fluoride is shown to be incredibly useful at establishing a healthy smile and reducing dental caries across the board – Children and adults!

Some might be asking what exactly about fluoride makes it good for our teeth? Isn’t fluoride potentially dangerous? Does fluoridated water pose a risk to my children?

With all substances, the dose can be the difference between healthy or not. Even too much water consumption can be detrimental to humans.

However, even with 70 years of fluoridation practice across the globe, there still remains a sizable push against the treatment of water and the use of fluoride in toothpaste. 

At Treehouse Dental Care, we wanted to make sure our parents have the most up-to-date information regarding fluoride and its uses in the dental industry. As well, what to watch out for if you believe your child has become exposed to too much fluoride.

What Is Fluoride? 

Fluoride is a mineral that is found in a variety of environments and organic materials. From both our bones and our teeth to water, soil, food, and even air – fluoride is incredibly prevalent.  

When professionals, such as dentists or city officials mention fluoride, they are in most cases concerned about ionic fluoride compounds, such as sodium fluoride found within toothpaste. 

It is important to make this nomenclature distinction, as fluoride by itself is rather insoluble and has little to no effect on our teeth. With that being stated, the rest of this article will strictly revolve around the discussion of soluble ionic compounds used to protect our teeth against dental decay. 

What Does Fluoride Do for Teeth?

Mechanically speaking, fluoride’s purpose in dental applications is that of repair, and not of prevention. When in contact with damaged tooth enamel, fluoride compounds chemically embed themselves onto a tooth’s surface.

Through a process known as remineralization, an iso-ionic exchange of charges facilitates the crystalline growth of fluorapatite. While not a natural component of human teeth, fluorapatite is a chemical cousin to the hydroxyapatite mineral, which strengthens and remineralizes of our enamel. 

Both fluorapatite and hydroxyapatite are hard hexagonal crystalline structures with incredibly resilient properties. Biologists have even found these compounds in the animal kingdom, with fluorapatite in shark’s teeth, and hydroxyapatite in the clubbing appendages of the peacock mantis shrimp.

While the mineralization process is credited for the bulk of our teeth’s protection, there are several other benefits of fluoride treatments being studied. 

At certain concentrations (10 ppm or above), fluoride has potentially been shown as an effective antimicrobial agent, however, further research is still being done on this hypothesis. Some critics state that this would be a misnomer, as the investigations only display that fluoride reduces bacterial adhesion to teeth without changing mouth flora. 

Is Fluoride Dangerous? What About Fluoridated Water? 

The answer to this question is one dependent upon the dose. Fluoride, while varying in its concentration, is virtually found in all water supplies. But, even with possible health altercations connected to high levels of fluoride, the CDC declared water treatments as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. 

Even Canadian health agencies have released figures stating, “The rate of tooth decay has declined in Canada from 74% of children in 1970-1972 to less than 25% in 2007-2009 as a result of a variety of factors, including widespread adoption of community water fluoridation.” 

Through rigorous studies, the ADA, WHO, and several other public health agencies have been able to narrow down what an “optimal” level of fluoride is acceptable for water. Carefully trying to achieve dental benefits while avoiding any health concerns, the concentration agreed upon was 0.7 mg/L.

However, this number isn’t flat across the board. Depending upon local environments, this level can vary between 0.5 to 1.5 mg/L due to natural sources of fluoride (crops, fish, etc.). 

To put how little fluoride this is in perspective, it is the equivalent to 1 inch in 37 kilometres; 1 minute in 1,000 days; or 1 cent from $14,000. 

Naturally occurring levels in surface water, such as lakes and rivers, generally contain fluoride levels between 0.01 – 0.3 ppm. It is rare to ever see above 10 mg/L, but several areas of China and India have measured close, at around 8 mg/L. In fact, over half of India’s groundwater sources have been measured over the recommended levels. 

It is doses above 2.0 mg/L where concerns can be legitimized and action should be taken. However, one should know where to receive information on their water fluoridation concentrations. 

When living in a city you will have access to public levels of fluoride through government portals. For rural wells and groundwater, samples should be taken to your government officials for testing. 

What Are the Side-Effects of Fluoride? 

In the case of regular use and safe concentrations of fluoride, users will benefit from strengthened enamel and a reduction in cavity development. The Canadian Health Services estimates that every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves up to $93 in dental treatment costs per person.

On the other hand, if too much fluoride is digested, problems can arise in multiple areas of the body. These cases are however rare in developed countries, and most widespread examples arise from consumption of fluoride-rich groundwater. 

Smaller and more acute cases of fluoride toxicity have been reported in congruence with the ingestion of sodium fluoride-based insecticides and rodenticides. 

Other uncommon ailments related to excessive fluoride are dental and skeletal fluorosis. 

Dental Fluorosis is the hypomineralization of tooth enamel during formation and can be characterized by visual changes, such as white speckles or browning. Affecting mostly children, dental fluorosis is the main reason that daily mouthwash treatments are never recommended for adolescents below the age of 6. 

According to Public Health Ontario, acute or mild dental fluorosis is the only adverse effect experienced by the consumption of optimally fluoridated water. But even then, the results from their research defines mild dental fluorosis as “…unnoticeable white specks on teeth…”

Skeletal fluorosis is a more serious disease associated with excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones. This results in harder, but less elastic bones, increasing the frequency and likelihood of fractures. Other symptoms include impaired joint mobility and pain. 

How Do I Limit My Child’s Intake of Fluoride?

If you live in an area where your water reserve exceeds 2.0 mg/L or 2 ppm, you should seek an alternative water supply. 

Parents can choose to switch to water bottles, but there are plenty of treatment options one can consider before increasing their plastic waste. 

Home water filters are available for a variety of areas in your house, including showers, countertops, under the sink, refrigeration lines, and whole-house systems. 

As infants are the most susceptible to dental fluorosis, parents can mix their formula with low-fluoridated bottled water if you are concerned about locally sourced concentrations of fluoride. 

For dental applications, parents can choose to switch to a non-fluoride toothpaste, however, this will increase the presence of tooth decay and plaque adhesion. 

We do not recommend this alternative unless you have spoken with a professional, as childhood oral hygiene plays a pertinent role in their current and future health. 

Ask Your Dentist

If you’re still unsure about fluoride and would like some more information, ask the dentists here at Treehouse! 

Our team of dentists will happily clear up any questions you may have about our treatments or day-to-day best tips. 

Call now or visit our home page to book your appointment! 

It happens everywhere. 

Temporary means disposable. 

If you’re staying at a hotel, you’re not as worried about making your bed before you start your day. A rental car isn’t going to be waxed and shinned like a collector. And Timmy’s coffee isn’t going to be savoured like your Orange Triple-Mocha-Frappuccino. 

It is no wonder why parents and adolescents struggle to see the importance behind oral hygiene and non-permanent, AKA, baby teeth. They aren’t going to be there forever, so what harm can come from a cavity or two? 

While the visible surface stains and cavities might disappear with baby teeth, the damage they cause can last a lifetime! 

Below, we will look at what the biological purpose is behind baby teeth, and what short term and long term detrimental health effects poor dental hygiene can create.

Why Do We Need Baby Teeth?

Our baby teeth are spectacular little specimens. Humans, like most mammals, are diphyodonts. Meaning that we grow two separate sets of teeth. 

Baby teeth emerge when our skulls are small and still developing. Working to establish oral muscles (chewing, spitting, slurping, etc.) and speech development, our first set of teeth have an important job. 

Furthermore, while small, baby teeth still create the much-needed room in our jaws for our permanent teeth. Studies have shown that in the case of premature removal of a baby tooth (surgical or accidental) can lead to a crowded mouth and other development issues.

Childhood Dental Carries (Cavities)

Baby teeth, while relatively strong, can’t compete with the enamelled protection our secondary set provides our mouth. For this reason, baby teeth are far more susceptible to the threat of cavities. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, cavities (or carries) are holes that develop on your teeth. Caused by acid damage due to bacteria, such as plaque, cavities create an opening to the most inner layers of our teeth. 

And much like the Death Star, if there is a hole, you should probably fix it! 

This is because deterioration doesn’t stop at baby teeth. Quietly, underneath the gum line, adult teeth are forming, getting ready for their reveal. It is here where bacteria and decay can seep and cause lifetime issues.

If access is granted through childhood dental carries, abscesses can form inside teeth and/or gums. These extreme infections can deteriorate developing adult teeth if not dealt with immediately, and in rare cases can affect the jaw bone. Immediate symptoms include tooth pain, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and fevers. 

Periodontitis and the Jaw Bone

As mentioned, tooth decay and mouth bacteria don’t know what they’re attacking. So, while baby teeth will eventually fall out, damage done to those teeth can carry forward. 

One of the worst types of damage to occur is bone loss of the jaw. Caused by chronic periodontitis, bacteria gradually eat away at surrounding alveolar bone and ligaments, reducing the density and strength of the jaw.

Bone loss can also be caused by the removal or misalignment of teeth. This is because the alveolar bone needs stimuli through chewing to keep it rigid and dense. 

While this issue is a lot more prominent with individuals who wear dentures, it is entirely possible for childhood teeth loss or misalignment to cause a reduction in bone density. 

Cardiac Implications

Heart issues are quite well-documented diseases. And to no surprise! In Canada, heart disease is the second leading cause of death and accounted for over 51,500 deaths in 2015. 

However, most people don’t associate childhood with heart disease. The reality of it is, most cardiac issues stem from long-term “persecution” of the heart (for the lack of a better word). 

Not taking proper care of your health during your formative years not only causes damage to your organs, but it also increases the likelihood of contracting heart diseases later in life. 

A recent study in April of 2019 concluded a following of 755 participants from childhood to adulthood. The examination looked to uncover the associations between childhood oral infections with cardiovascular risk factors and the results were not surprising. 

Judging on the presence of four signs of oral infections (bleeding, gum pockets, cavities, and dental fillings), children would be examined for any or all of these symptoms. 

The children with all four signs of poor oral health were found to be 95% more likely to develop heart damage known as subclinical atherosclerosis. On the other end of the spectrum, children who didn’t sport any signs of oral disease were at lower risk for high blood pressure, high BMI, and also sported lower glucose and cholesterol throughout the entire follow-up period. 

Short-Term Health

You don’t have to spend a lifetime with poor dental hygiene to reap what you sow. Plenty of short-term health implications exist when one avoids proper oral care. 

A Toronto study looked to uncover the implications on what they determined an overall picture of health. Taking both social and emotional (mental) health into consideration.

Through this experiment, Doctors were able to group four (4) areas of short-term health. These included:

1. Oral Symptoms (Pain)
2. Functional Limitations (Difficulty Eating/Drinking)
3. Emotional Well-being (Avoiding Smiling, Embarrassment, etc.)
4. Social Well-being (Comments or Bullying)

Establish Good Habits Early

There is almost an infinite amount of complications that can stem from poor dental hygiene. Without establishing the habits early in your child’s life, it can be difficult for them to change course. 

If your child shows signs of poor dental hygiene, we can help! Check out our parent’s guide to dental decay in children. Or if you’re worried about your child’s health, contact us immediately! 

We have the resources and experience to help establish the importance of good oral hygiene. Treehouse Dental Care is here for you! 

Thumb sucking – the cutest darn thing when watching your infant fall asleep.

But, what if your kid is 9 years old? When should kids stop sucking their thumb? What are the issues associated with prolonged thumb sucking? Should we be worried about our child’s thumb-sucking habits?

We, at Treehouse, have been asked these questions time and time again. For most parents, waiting for their kids to stop sucking their thumbs requires little involvement. But, this isn’t always the case!

So, for those of you with an avid sucker at home, here are our experiences and knowledge surrounding thumb sucking and weening.

Why Do Children Suck Their Thumb?

Infants have a natural reflex for sucking. In fact, babies begin to nuzzle on their fingers and thumbs before they even leave the womb.

Most unborn children gain their sucking reflex around the 32^nd week of pregnancy. This is why we often see premature infants struggling with feeding, as their muscle memory has yet to develop.

To put it in its layman terms – thumb sucking starts in the womb as practice for eating. It’s a completely natural reflex to assist in sustaining our survival as a species.

As your child ages, thumb sucking eventually forms into a habit that provides comfort and relaxation.

Simply – thumb sucking is addictive.

When Do Kids Usually Stop Sucking Their Thumb?

Every child is different, so there is no need to worry if thumb sucking persists outside of the normal ages. With that being said, most children will stop sucking their thumbs between 6 months to 4 years.

Many children can also “relapse” to their thumb-sucking ways during times of stress or anxiety. Thumb sucking is comforting to young children, so it is best for parents to not punish their toddlers, as it will lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms and hiding their behaviours.

In fact, by the time children normally ween themselves, thumb sucking has been so engrained as a natural habit, your toddler might not even have been conscious of their decisions!

Long-term Effects of Thumb Sucking

Before we mention tactics for dealing with harmful thumb-sucking habits, we should mention complications that can develop if left for too long.

While it is normal for children to suck their thumbs, kids should be encouraged to curb their habits when adult teeth start presenting themselves.

Open-bite, prominent or buckteeth, constricted maxillary growth, lack of overlap between the upper and lower front teeth, and delayed full-eruption of the front teeth are all complications that can arise from prolonged thumb sucking.

Tongue thrusting (reverse or immature swallowing) and soft-palate deformations are also possible in extreme cases.

If interference is made early enough, many of these dental issues will correct themselves. However, in severe cases, pediatric dentists or orthodontists will be required to correct deformations of the jaw and restore teeth.

Can A Dentist Help My Child Quit Thumb-Sucking?

Plenty of psychologists and dentists feud about exactly when children should be weened, and emotional readiness or matureness is often the characteristic in question. While parents might feel like their offspring is getting too old for thumb sucking, some kids just might not be ready to quit.

And that’s okay!

Parents should only worry if thumb sucking is aggressive and frequent. It is these variables that can alter and possibly disrupt oral development in a child.

Pay close attention to your child’s habits when it comes to thumb sucking.

Is it a passing reflex they perform when bored or anxious? Try introducing activities that keep your child’s hands busy, such as drawing or playing with Lego.

Do your children only suck their thumbs at night? It may be a comfort factor that can be replaced with a stuffed animal or other alternatives.

Nonetheless, when worse comes to worst, bring your child to the dentist.

Often, as mentioned in our fussy brushers blog post, children will dismiss parents cautionary advise in favour of blazing their own trails.

Having a professional educate your child will enforce the importance of a healthy smile and how thumb sucking can be a detriment. Pediatric dentists have dealt with these issues for years and often know exactly what to say to influence positive habits.

If it is still relatively early in your kid’s life, try not to stress about who can help.

After all, your thumb sucking Avenger might just be your child’s best friend.

Really!!!

A majority of long-term thumb suckers will stop due to peer pressure. Advice from a friend holds a lot of value at these ages, and let’s face it – plenty of kids are blunt. However, don’t take this as a means to embarrass your child. You’re going to have to let that happen on its own.

Peer pressure isn’t the best plan. BUT, it is certainly one that yields results.

Already Too Late?

If your child is showing signs of teeth or jaw malformation caused by excessive thumb-sucking, don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance!

Treehouse Dental Care is here to help encourage your child to overcome troublesome thumb-sucking habits and replace them with healthier alternatives.

Your child’s oral health will thank you in the long run!

Halloween is a spectacularly spooky time of year. Whether you’re an adult or a young child, something is bewitching (pun intended) about dressing up and Trick or Treating. However, plenty of family’s question if Halloween will ruin their child’s teeth. We say – It doesn’t have to! 

From a dentistry outlook, many parents embellish or resort to scare tactics to deter the sweet candy consumption kids oh-so desire! While treats and sugar aren’t great for our teeth, we luckily have some tips to allow you, and your children, to proverbially have your cake and eat it too! 

So without further ado, here are the best ways to maintain a healthy smile and avoid pesky cavities for this Halloween season! 

How Sugar Affects Your Teeth

Before we get into the thick of it, it is important to know how sugars affect our teeth. The more you know about tooth decay, the better equipped you will be able to combat adolescent dental caries. 

Everyone’s teeth are comprised of three distinct layers. 

The innermost layer is called Pulp and contains the soft tissues, blood, and nerves that deliver nutrients to our teeth. The second or middle layer is called Dentin. Yellowish in colour, Dentin is composed of minerals and tiny tube-like structures that lead to the innermost pulp. 

The last and third layer is Enamel. The hardest material in our body, enamel protects our teeth from cavities and everyday chewing. While incredibly resilient to scratching and chipping, your enamel is susceptible to acid damage. 

But wasn’t sugar supposed to be the bad guy? Yes, it still is! 

Refined sugars, natural sugars, and carbohydrate-rich foods first go through a chemical process before becoming a risk to our dental hygiene. Reacting with the plaque and natural bacteria found in our mouths (mainly Streptococcus mutans), sugars and fructose convert into lactic acid and peel away the protective calcium and phosphate barrier that makes up our enamel. This process is known as demineralization.

Sticky Treats

Using what we learned, sticky treats are particularly devilish when it comes to a healthy smile. This is because stickier candies tend to linger in our mouths longer than bites of chocolate. So even if you are done chewing, hard to reach toffee might be dubiously producing more and more lactic acid. 

We suggest to either limit the number of sticky candies eaten or simply avoid them altogether. If neither of these options suits your lifestyle, individuals can look to eat tenacious treats close to dinner. 

For about 20 minutes after eating, your body is still producing saliva. This extra saliva can help neutralize acid created from sugars and bacteria. 

Brush and Floss Regularly

During Halloween, it is particularly important to watch your children’s brushing habits. Skipping a day or night of brushing can have adverse effects on tooth enamel. 

Acid production from sugar doesn’t sleep when you do. Brushing twice a day will limit plaque build-up, while also neutralizing the acidity that might be lingering in our mouths.

Fluoride-containing toothpaste is also recommended, as it remineralizes and reduces the solubility of enamel. Some research has even suggested that fluoride can reduce plaque organism’s ability to convert sugars into acids. 

Flossing once a day is especially important, as gummy and sticky candies are the perfect culprit to hide in tough-to-brush crevices.  

Sugar-Free Gum

Believe it or not, sugar-free gum can be a great defence against sugary candies of Halloween. 

Through the process of chewing, our bodies will naturally produce saliva to aid our digestion. Containing enzymes that break apart starches, saliva basically rinses our mouth of foods and sugars. 

But this isn’t the only benefit. Saliva also contains the phosphate and calcium necessary to strengthen our enamel after eating acidic or sugary foods. 

So get a stick of sugar-free gum after some candy. Not only will it be an extra treat, but your teeth will be thanking you as well! 

Plan a Visit to Your Dentist

Planning a regular visit to your dentist around Halloween can make sure you and your child’s teeth are in tip-top shape to deal with the harshness of sugar. 

Plaque removal, fluoride rinses, and oral hygiene utensils are only some of the benefits your child will receive. Dentists are also great resources for knowledge, skill-building, and possibly a positive ego boost if you’re already a stupendous brusher! 

Hopefully, these tips help you and your children’s teeth survive this frightful holiday. 

Have a safe and spooky Halloween, Everyone!