Snack Swop!
June 2, 2010
Think about making wise snack choices.
In the spirit of National Smile Month’s suggestion that we cut down on sugary snacks and drinks, here is our Snack Swop menu….give it a go and let us know what you think….you may even lose a few pounds in the process….but for sure, your teeth will thank you.
Snacking per se isn’t great for teeth. The more times you introduce sugar forming foods or drinks into your mouth, the more opportunity there is for plaque to form. But making small changes can make a big difference to your oral health. Here’s what Dr Kaman suggests we try for our Snack Swop challenge.
Ditch…sweet biscuits and cookies loaded with sugar.
Try…Brown Rice cakes or oatcakes.
Why? These choices are naturally low in sugar, although do remember that any carbohydrate will breakdown to form acids in the mouth which in turn attacks the enamel. Wholemeal varieties of savoury crackers don’t breakdown in the same way that refined carbohydrates do, so are a step in the right snack direction. Dr Kaman also recommends protein based snacks, which are more tooth friendly and have the added bonus of balancing blood sugar levels. Nuts, a piece of cheese or chicken all make good snack choices.
Ditch…High sugar fruits such as mango, figs, grapes and cherries.
Try…raspberries, strawberries, papaya, and watermelon or cantaloupe melon.
Why? While fruit is perceived to be a healthy snack, some fruits are higher in sugar than others, so you make a more tooth friendly snack by choosing fruit wisely. Dr Kaman adds “Raw vegetables are great alternative to fruit as a snack because of their low sugar and high vitamin C content. Vitamin C is essential for healthy gums! But fruit can be acidic which is bad for enamel, try combining it with something like yoghurt and milk which can cancel out the acidity, so for example it’s good to have sugar free yoghurt with fruit or a raspberry milk shake.”
Ditch…Fizzy drinks, sugary cordials and fruit juices.
Try…Sparkling mineral water, sugar free juice or plain old tap water.
Why? Constantly sipping on sugary drinks is a definite no no, you are constantly introducing plaque enemies into the mouth and this should be avoided at all costs.
Ditch…Chewy sweets, toffees and milk chocolate.
Try…Good quality dark chocolate.
Why? Chewy sweets stick to teeth, keeping the sugar in the mouth for longer, thus giving the sugar more time to do its worst. Whereas dark chocolate is low in sugar and, as previously reported in this blog contains ingredients which may even be good for teeth and gums!
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Smile….it’s May….
May 14, 2010
May 17th sees the start of another National Smile Month where we the nation are encouraged to look after our teeth under the slogan of Teeth 4 Life. Great, a catchy slogan and a month of reading about tooth paste and good brushing habits, just what we need to get the nation’s teeth polished and gleaming. But wait! Surely this message isn’t just for one month out of twelve, isn’t this something that we should be encouraged to do every day of every year?
The answer is obviously yes! Every day, every month, every year we need to take good care of our teeth, because good oral habits isn’t just about avoiding expensive dental work or the dreaded NHS dentures. There is good evidence to support a systemic link between oral health and overall body health. So healthy teeth, healthy body is the message we need to get. Gum disease is linked to diabetes, strokes, premature births and low birth weights, clearly taking control of your dental health won’t just benefit your smile and self confidence.
Dr Attila Kaman suggests: “If there is a nagging dental problem worrying you such as gum disease, poor fitting dentures or missing teeth it is worth seeking a second opinion on what can be done. It isn’t just about your smile; we see lots of patients whose overall health has suffered because of dental issues. Remember that problems with your teeth often lead to a poor diet which is also a major factor in failing health…many people report an improved diet once they have had implants or good quality crowns or bridges fitted”
The Teeth 4 Life campaign is extolling the virtues of brushing twice a day, cutting down on sugary snacks and drinks and visiting your dentists as often as recommended. Assuming you can get to a dentist that can accommodate NHS patients that all sounds very good. May also seems like a good month to think long term and sort out any nagging problems….it’s worth researching alternatives to NHS or private treatment options. Budapest’s reputation for top dentists puts it at the top of the list for overseas treatment options and summer is a popular time to visit the city.
But before you pack your bags, we’ll leave you with one last tip from the Teeth 4 Life campaign…. Apparently, if you lead a healthy and active lifestyle, you are 40% less likely to experience teeth and gum problems, so grab your toothbrush and… your tennis racket, trainers and gym membership….and get a healthier smile all year round!
Visit the permanent link to “Smile….it’s May….”.
Making the right chocolate choices
March 31, 2010
Approximately 80 million Easter eggs will be consumed this weekend….it’s a mind blowing, tooth decaying amount that just shows what a sweet tooth we have in the UK. This got us thinking about making small changes that can make a big difference to our teeth.
Dentists would agree that an occasional chocolate binge isn’t that bad for our teeth – if it’s consumed in one hit, say after dinner, then it’s not too bad…..it’s the constant snacking on sweets that drives dentists to reach for the drill. So that’s the first small change to consider.
The second change is the type of chocolate that you choose. Milk chocolate tends to contain more sugar, as does the cheaper versions. Upscale your choccy choices and going for a dark chocolate is an all round improvement. In fact, some say dark chocolate is actually good for your teeth. A study carried out by research scientists at Osaka University in Japan found that parts of the cocoa bean can help fight bacteria in the mouth. Polyphenolen found in the cocoa bean husk has anti-bacterial properties….there is even speculation this ingredient could be used in mouth washes or other dental care products. Another study, this time by a doctoral candidate at Tulane University, showed that a compound in chocolate called theobromine might help to harden tooth enamel.
Neither ingredient is active enough in dark chocolate to make an improvement to your dental health, but the lower sugar levels alone to make it a good choice.
The other good news is that because chocolate melts away in the mouth its actually a better choice than other sweets such as jellies or toffees which tend to get stuck on teeth and linger in the mouth for longer….so crack the Easter egg but ditch the sweeties inside…..and opt for a dark chocolate egg rather than milk…..best wishes from the Easter Bunny!
Visit the permanent link to “Making the right chocolate choices”.
To floss … or not to floss…that is the question…
March 26, 2010
79% of over 35’s suffer from gum disease, it’s surely a statistic that will make you think more about your brushing routine? But however good we are with a brush, brushing alone will only reach 60% of the tooth’s surface. As dentists will tell you it’s flossing that will really make a difference to our gum health.
For many of us dental flossing is not considered an important part of our dental regime and we often put it down to lack of time and busy lifestyles. Yet regular flossing in between teeth is essential in preventing gum disease and tooth decay which has been proven to be one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults. The build up of plaque, a film of damaging bacteria, collects in hard to reach areas such as along gums and in between teeth and can lead to serious problems later on. Although we can’t stop plaque from forming, we can prevent it from getting worse by regular cleaning. Regular flossing breaks up and removes plaque from between teeth and at the gum line, where gum disease often begins.
So there we have it! Regular brushing is simply not enough in our fight to maintain the perfect smile! So here are our top tips for flossing
Tips on flossing:
• Ideally floss after each meal – a pack of floss is much more portable than a toothbrush so is a great way to look after your teeth on the move
• If you are really pushed for time, start by flossing just once a day, it’s best to at night before going to bed
• It’s normal to experience some gum bleeding at first, and this is telling you that you really do need to floss regularly to get your gums more healthy
• For a motivating floss experience try Oral B Indicator Floss – it turns blue to show you it’s working!
• There are different types of dental floss to consider. Choose from: dental tape, waxed floss, woven floss or unwaxed floss. For advice ask your hygienist or dentist to recommend which is most appropriate for you.
A flossing step by step
• Select the type dental floss that you prefer
• Tear off a piece of floss about 18 inches long
• Wrap one end of the floss around either your middle or index finger
• Wrap the other end of the floss around the finger on your opposite hand.
• Grip the floss tightly between your thumb and finger
• Gently insert the dental floss between your teeth. Be careful not to snap the floss or you could damage your gums
• Gently move the floss back and forth against the tooth on both sides and underneath the gum line
• Repeat this process in between all of the upper and lower teeth.
• It is important to floss against the backside of a tooth even if there is no tooth behind it
Visit the permanent link to “To floss … or not to floss…that is the question…”.
Love is….a tooth brush…
March 23, 2010
Sonic Cleaning
So what led me to my new bathroom love? Well, I am worried about my gums and realised that my teeth are making me look older. That and the fact that NHS dentists are not going to replace any teeth that go missing in action!
I’ve tried a number of electric tooth brushes and some of the new battery operated disposable toothbrushes that look the same as a traditional one but buzz away and claim to have superior cleaning power. Well now I realise they are mere cheap pretenders compared to the original Sonicare.
OK, so it wasn’t cheap, the FlexCare HX6932/10 was £199.00 (reduced in Boots to a bargain £99.00!), but it’s lightweight, slim line and comfortable to hold. The two choices of head sizes and various cleaning settings mean you can personalise your whole teeth brushing routine. Choose from three modes – clean, sensitive and massage (the latter being good for gums); and the tooth brush will even help you time your clean if you want it to. It comes with a portable recharger and an infrared brush sanitiser which I believe is a bonus – particularly if you have been ill and want to ensure germs are killed off pronto.
The first time I used it I confess to being worried – it tickled, yes, really tickled! But wow, my teeth felt so clean, my gums looked good and I really felt the brush get between the teeth and into all the corners. Subsequent sessions haven’t tickled at all, so I must be getting used to those sonic waves now. It’s easy to get the angle against the teeth right and my teeth feel like they do after a trip to the hygienist ….which must be a good thing! It’s sonic-love!
Visit the permanent link to “Love is….a tooth brush…”.
Is chewing gum dumb?
March 12, 2010
Our Neolithic ancestors did it, it was around in Aztec times and Ancient Greece and American Indians had it too….chewing gum has come a long way from tree bark to the latest variants that claim to whiten teeth and increase energy levels.
Since its modern invention in the 1860’s chewing gum has been the subject of debate, myth, anger and a whole lot of street cleaning. From the ridiculous (chewing gum can enhance breast size) to the tragic (a Ukranian chemistry student was killed by exploding chewing gum); it’s clearly a habit loved by millions and hated by many more.
As ever, this blog has gone in search of the truth behind the headlines and lays out the facts so you can decide:
Most chewing gum is sweetened with aspartame, excessive amounts of this artificial sweetener are linked to cancer and diabetes.
The action of chewing gum can cause wear and tear of the cartilage in your jaw – once worn this can cause pain and discomfort that will last a lifetime.
The act of chewing sends a signal to your stomach to produce acid so it is ready to digest the food it thinks will be shortly arriving in your tum. Too much stomach acid is uncomfortable and in extreme cases will cause ulcers.
According to the Chewing Gum Action Group the average cost to clean up chewing gum in public is 10p per piece, yet it costs only 3p per piece to manufacture. In January of this year proposals to impose a ‘litter tax’ were raised in parliament, putting chewing gum in the same ‘sin bin’ as fast food litter and graffiti.
So far chewing gum isn’t selling itself to me very well, but in the interests of being a balanced blogger, what’s the upside?
Gum manufacturers and the Dental Health Organisation claim that chewing sugar free gum after meals means you produce more saliva which counteracts the acid produced by food remnants and so helps to prevent tooth decay. And there are also claims that chewing helps with stress management, concentration, short term memory and smoking cessation, and to be fair Wrigleys has gone a long way to show evidence of these claims on their website. Equally, the US Military have always supplied gum to their troops claiming it helps with stress and concentration, but I can’t help but feel cynical about this! An easier one to believe is that chewing gum freshens breath and I am sure many thousands will testify as to the help chewing nicotine gum has given them in the fight against smoking.
Now that we have covered the pro’s and cons of chewing….let’s cut back to the real news here…a chewing gum to enhance breast size? In Japan, gum manufacturer B2UP has launched its Bust-Up Gum which contains a plant extract called Pueraria mirifica. This botanical has long been used in traditional medicine as it mimics the effects of the female sex hormone oestrogen. Research tests carried out by Chulalongkorn University in Thailand found Pueraria mirifica therapy was able to enhance breast size by 80%…..however because the gum isn’t available in the UK we have been unable to carry out our own research……happy chewing.
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