Fluoride Use in Adolescents

Fluoride is a mineral that plays an essential role in oral health. In fact, the significant reduction in American tooth decay in recent decades can be attributed to a greater availability of fluoride in public water supplies, toothpaste, and other resources. When it comes in contact with the teeth, fluoride helps protect the enamel from acid and plaque bacteria. In some cases, it can even reverse tooth decay in its earliest stages.
Despite the benefits of fluoride, tooth decay is still common, especially among teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control reports that cavities can be found in more than half of young teens and two-thirds of older teens over age 16. Many of those teens are deficient in fluoride, either due to a lack of public water fluoridation or the use of bottled water. So how can parents ensure their teens are getting the fluoride they need to facilitate strong, healthy teeth?


Monitor Fluoride Exposure
Dr. Bander, Dr. Baldwin and our team recommend you start by measuring your teen’s fluoride exposure. Make sure you purchase fluoridated toothpaste for your household, and find out if your tap water is fluoridated. If your teen primarily consumes bottled water, examine the bottle to determine whether fluoride has been added. The majority of bottled waters are not supplemented with fluoride, but those that are will be clearly labeled.


Fluoride Supplementation
Dr. Bander and Dr. Baldwin may recommend topical fluoride treatments at routine dental exams. These treatments are painless for your teen and may help establish stronger enamel that is more resistant to plaque and tooth decay. If you have a public water supply that is non-fluoridated, we may recommend fluoride supplementation between visits. These can be administered as drops, tablets, or vitamins.
Keep in mind that fluoride is critical for children and teens under the age of 16. Be proactive about your teen’s oral health by speaking with us about your family’s fluoride needs at your next dental visit.
For more information about fluoride, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bander or Dr. Baldwin, please give us a call at 616-949-5980!

What should I use to clean my baby’s teeth?

You might think babies don’t need to brush their teeth, especially when they don’t have any. But by starting good habits like brushing when your child is young, you can lay the foundation for them to continue those good habits into adulthood.


When do I start?
The best time to start brushing your baby’s teeth is before he or she has any. Develop the habit of wiping your baby’s gums with a wet, soft washcloth or gauze every day. There is no need to use toothpaste, just wrap the gauze or cloth around your finger, moisten it with a little water, and gently rub it over the gums.
This helps your little one get used to brushing while it eliminates bacteria in the mouth that can harm emerging teeth. You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure or even take very long: just a quick, gentle rub over the gums will do it.


What do I use?
When your child’s teeth begin to come in, you will need to switch from a cloth to a baby toothbrush. Find one that has a grip big enough for your hand, but a head that is small enough to maneuver easily in your infant’s mouth.
You don’t need to use any toothpaste until your son or daughter is about a year old. Even then, though, you’ll want to use just a tiny amount: about the size of a grain of rice. When your toddler is about two years old, you can use a pea-sized amount.
By around six years of age, your child will probably rinse and spit without your help. At that point, you may want to introduce a child-friendly fluoride mouthwash.


How do I do it?
Your child probably won’t be able to brush his or her teeth alone until about the age of five or six. This means that you will need to do it. To brush your child’s teeth, gently use the brush over all the teeth and gums, even areas where the teeth have not come in yet.
As your child grows and becomes more independent, you can allow him or her to hold the toothbrush while you guide your child’s progress. Make sure you talk to your child while you are brushing, and explain why you brush: what you are doing and how you are doing it.
In addition to regular visits with Dr. Bander and Dr. Baldwin, instilling good oral health habits in your child early on will ensure a lifetime of good dental health.

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The Nutrition Plan That Will Save Your Life

Believe it: Three simple, cost-effective changes can help prevent and reverse heart disease, and reduce the risk and progression of cancer. The facts will have you overhauling your kitchen, your eating habits and your bill of health.

The groundbreaking book, The China Study, authored by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, reveals what can be described as a startling, yet wholly intuitive, relationship between nutrition and disease. Dr. Campbell found that a whole-foods, plant-based diet can not only lower your risk for certain diseases, it can reverse their progression.

The 20-year China Study allowed Campbell to test and compare laboratory findings against a participating human population. Across China, over 100 villages participated – and the findings were consistent: a high consumption of animal-based foods is associated with more chronic disease, while those eating primarily a plant-based diet were the healthiest.

The key of this nutritional dietary overhaul: avoiding meat, dairy and processed foods.

Meatless Protein
Animal protein, including fish, delivers a heavy dose of saturated fat and cholesterol, which can put you at risk for heart disease. Saturated fats raise your cholesterol and, over time, attack arteries leading to strokes and heart attacks. As a source of omega-3 fatty acids, fish has long been touted as one of the staples of a healthy diet, however 15-30% of fish is saturated fat.

Instead, get protein from beans, like pinto beans, black beans and kidney beans. Beans also contain soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol. Click here for recipe ideas featuring the cholesterol-fighting power of beans.

Whole grains, such as quinoa, amaranth and millet are also good sources of protein. Nuts, including walnuts, pistachios and almonds are all high in protein.

You can also get protein from vegetables. For instance, broccoli is 30% protein in addition to containing highly absorbable calcium.
Dairyless Calcium, Potassium and Vitamin D
It may surprise you, but meat isn’t the highest source of bad fat. That title goes to dairy. Additionally, casein, a protein found in milk, has been linked to the growth rate of cancer. Give up dairy without depleting your supplies of calcium, potassium and vitamin D.

Boost your diet with leafy green vegetables, like collards, Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli, for calcium, and fruit, like oranges, for potassium.

Sunlight is the natural and best source of vitamin D. The vitamin D found in milk is artificially added – you’ll notice that products will boast of being “vitamin D fortified.” Soy, almond, rice and oat milk can also be fortified with vitamin D, and they are lower in saturated fat than dairy milk.

The Ultimate Diet Don’t: Processed Foods
Processed foods are stripped of nutrients and injected with sugar, salt and trans-fats, three substances that lead to obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Swap out these health saboteurs in favor of whole grains, including bread, pasta and seeds. Ditch processed sweets for fresh fruits – and enjoy as much as you like.

It’s important to remember that added vegetable oils, like olive oil, can be considered processed. Get creative with your cooking and experiment with lemon and lime juices, vinegar and spices. Plant-based foods contain natural oils, so added oils aren’t necessary during cooking.

This type of eating isn’t a diet; it’s a nutritional commitment. While vegans avoid animal and dairy products, they don’t ideologically avoid processed foods like potato chips.
Here’s a sample menu to help you adjust to this lifesaving whole-food, plant-based food plan.

Breakfast
Steel cut oatmeal with apricots

Lunch
Spinach salad with tofu, vegetables and roasted red pepper vinaigrette

Dinner
Whole grain fettuccine with sundried tomato sauce and grilled vegetables
 

This website is for informational and entertainment purposed only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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