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.

Stabilizing Loose Teeth

Teeth can become loose for several reasons: Traumatic injuries, severe periodontal disease, or tooth grinding. In many cases, those problems become terminal, and the loose teeth have to be removed.

We can stabilize teeth and increase their lifespan. If we can anchor loose teeth successfully, and treat the source of the loose teeth, those questionable teeth can survive longer.

One method is splinting. We can unite or bond several teeth together. We can use metal wires or non-metallic fibers to unite the teeth with adhesive dentistry.




We also make clear acrylic splints called biteguards so you can reduce the traumatic forces of grinding.



Combining splinting with treatments for bite problems or treating periodontal disease can prevent premature tooth loss.