My each appointment with my Dentist comes out with one good thing – Ice creams! A cavity filling or a root canal and the treatment follow with cold comfort after each sitting. The suffering of pain always come with unbridled trauma which makes one out of concentration, skip web, laze off with mood swings and there’s all amidst these x-rays and the dentist appointments. I asked my Doc ‘When she’s going to stop calling me?’ and she curtly replied,” Your root canal’s done and the fillings over. Another couple of days and another x-ray and if not any more, it’s done.” Ugh, the answer makes me wonder…..no assurance there!
I wonder, how can the younger kids and adults face the trauma of Dentist treatment? One culprit in food is Sugar to be blamed as far as eating habits are concerned. Other than sugar too, there are factors responsible.
When children are younger, early visit to the dentist is a good way to learn proper oral hygiene at an early age, including avoiding nighttime bottles or cups of formula or juice, proper tooth brushing, and a diet that promotes good dental health. Normally, a child diet is overlooked as we pamper our kids and stuff them with a lot of binge food and the chocolates n cakes n all the sugary n creamy stuff.
I would recommend simple steps for kids :
1. Know your mouth – teeth are vulnerable to acid attacks and we need to limit the amount of time teeth is exposed to the acid produced by the bacteria in the mouth. Hence, keep teeth clean, eat less of the foods that bacteria proliferate and get to eat more food that has positive effects.
2. Right Food: I said sugar but than sugar alone is not the culprit too. Carbohydrated food forms acids which sets the scene for decay. Hence, to make neutral – bad to good – is to finish a carbohydrate rich food with piece of cheese or keep sugar free gums.
3. Good Dental care: major problem with children is brushing the teeth. Twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. It’s necessary to clean between the teeth with dental floss once a day. No eating before bedtime as salivary flow decreases as we sleep. And, visiting a dentist on regular intervals is advisable.
4. Eating habits: Frequency of eating should be reduced. We find children nibbling a snack or sipping a drink and parents providing all they can. Time between meals should be allowed for saliva to neutralize acids and repair the teeth. Even one need to avoid brushing teeth immediately alter acidic food like citrus fruits, etc. to allow time for remineralisation to occur.
5. Remember the plus and minus food: The moderate intake of cheese as cheddar and Swiss cheese is fine. The neutral one’s are protein foods as eggs, fish but the bad food for teeth are sweets, cookies, pasta – any form of sugar, even honey. Dried and canned fruit and juices and cold drinks with sugar contents are all no good for teeth. If taken, you need to care for oral health after consuming.
Little did I know this earlier, I would not be facing the dental trauma with the RCTs. Too much pampered and with the lot of chocolates I got, as a younger child in the family, I will not blame my parents but the ignorance of Dental hygiene and health effects. As adults, when we face dental pain a traumatic condition, for children and elderly people, Dental pain is a distressing. Toothache in children is becoming a sizeable problem with more temptation eating or a simple fall or whatever. Elderly people face the situation quite natural. All is the need of the hour, to take care of good care of teeth right from the younger age. Well, I’ve undergone RCT and a fractured tooth due to an accident fall some years ago and I know, Its awful pain! Finally, when you get old, it’s the horrifying dentures or the smile makeovers!
(All Posts by ilaxi patel: This Health & Fitness Blog is based on personal thoughts and research work. Readers may please Consult your Doctor for your Health Problems)