Don't Run With Scissors, Don't Pour Gas On A Fire

My 3-year old daughter wanted to do some artwork last week. Upon the request to "go get some scissors," she ran to the office and ran back with the shears flailing in front of her face. Parenting Rule #856, Don't Run With Scissors, was then practiced for the umpteenth time.

There's plenty of new rules emerging in the dental world as we learn about the long-term effects of soda on teeth. My hygienist sent me a link about the wisdom of not drinking soda--'cause it's bad for your teeth--with a new twist. Not only does soda rot your teeth, it does it faster than we thought, and probably as well as meth and cocaine.

Methamphetamine and crack cocaine users suffer from dry mouth when using. Lethargy and thirst also increase, and users often turn to soda consumption to increase energy and satisfy the dry mouth. The triple whammy is that in addition to a dry mouth and acid erosion from soda, smoking the drugs will burn, erode, and decay teeth. It's like pouring gas on a fire.The photo below is pure meth mouth.

Non-drug users can suffer the same devastating results after long-term soda use. Caffeine will reduce the flow of protective saliva, and the pH of soda is so acidic, it will erode enamel quickly. This is a patient who has enjoyed Coke and Diet Coke for a decade.

 

 The good news is that soda erosion is manageable. Neutralizing the acidity of the soda immediately after drinking it will reduce the risk of this kind of decay. Chewing sugar-free gum, drinking water, or brushing your teeth are all effective choices. 

Sugar For Kids = Tooth Decay, Obesity, Apnea, Etc.

Yet another recent study connecting childhood obesity to sugar-containing beverages has been released.

I established how detrimental sugar is in a previous post.  But what stems from sugar beverages goes beyond tooth decay for me.  My experience with overweight kids is that they are significantly more likely to develop obstructive breathing disorder, or apnea. This breathing disease is likely to occur before adulthood in moderate to morbidly obese kids.  The Academy for Dental Sleep Medicine has really opened my eyes to the global significance of pediatric apnea.

When I see apneic patients, I almost always witness some element of tooth grinding or TMJ problem.  It's not consistently problematic in all apneic kids or adults, but there is usually one or more of the following issues we see: uncommonly sore jaw and head muscles, abnormal tooth wear, and sometimes TMJ joint pain. None of those things are common problems for children. ANd they are simply abnormal signs for people in general.

The literature has conflicted over the years about the connections between apnea and tooth grinding (also known as bruxism), but I know there is a relationship between obesity and tooth grinding.  And the sleep study summaries come back on these teeth grinders describing obstructive apnea.

But the main point of this post is this: Don't let your kids become obese.  There are a number of different diseases that will stem from a poorly governed diet and lifestyle for your kids.

If you have questions about managing childhood obesity, pediatric apnea, tooth decay, or nutritional choices for your children, please do not wait for a pediatric medical clinic visit. Call us for a consultation.