Healthy Teeth for Kids

Despite all that is known about keeping teeth healthy, the importance of good dental hygiene, and the importance of early visits to the dentist for toddlers, kids continue to get cavities at increasing rates.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cavities in baby teeth have been increasing in recent years. On the positive side, cavities in permanent teeth of children and teens have been decreasing.

Healthy Teeth Habits

Most parents know the basics of how to keep their kids' teeth healthy, especially the importance of frequent brushing and avoiding junk food. Unfortunately, these basics often just aren't enough. To keep your child's teeth healthy, it's important that you follow specific steps:

• Clean your baby's gums, even before he gets his first baby tooth.
• Brush your child's teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush and non-fluoride toothpaste, until he is two years old.
• Switch to a fluoride toothpaste once your child is two years old. Only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to help prevent fluorosis, or tooth staining, which can be caused by swallowing too much fluoride.
• If your child brushes his own teeth, be sure to brush them again for him -- until he gets very good at doing it himself (usually at age 6) -- to make sure they are adequately clean.
• Be sure to brush at least twice a day, but especially at bedtime -- all sides of each tooth, including the backsides, and the gumline.
• See a dentist for regular checkups six months after your child's first tooth comes in. If your child is at risk for getting cavities (has a close family member with a lot of cavities, drinks milk or juice at night, has an obvious cavity or tooth staining with white spots), that first checkup should take place when he is twelve months old. Pediatricians can monitor children's teeth, but many do not have any special education about healthy teeth or instructing you about good dental hygiene.
• Consider helping your child floss each day once he has teeth that touch each other, since this area between teeth is a common area for cavities to form.
• Consider dental sealants for permanent molars at around age six to reduce the risk of cavities in these teeth.

Hidden Dangers

Parents often believe the myth that baby teeth just aren't that important. After all, who cares if your child gets cavities in his baby teeth since they are just going to fall out and be replaced with permanent teeth later on, right? This is a dangerous misconception.

Poor dental habits that your child learns early in life can last a lifetime. The same things that led to cavities in his baby teeth will likely also cause him to get cavities in his permanent teeth. And if his baby teeth fall out early, it can lead to spacing issues when his permanent teeth do come in. Besides all of that, poor teeth in early childhood can lead to poor self esteem, nutrition and growth problems, pain, and infections.

Other hidden dangers to your child's teeth include:

• Eating or drinking something after your child brushes his teeth at bedtime.
• Drinking too much fruit juice throughout the day.
• Putting your child to sleep with a bottle or cup of milk or juice, or giving him milk or juice in the middle of the night.
• Eating sticky snacks, which includes many fruit snacks, raisins, dried fruit, candies, etc.
• Eating unhealthy snacks frequently throughout the day between meals, including sugary snacks, chewy candy, hard candy, and potato chips.
• Not getting enough fluoride, which is especially a problem for kids who don't drink water or only drink bottled water, which typically doesn't have fluoride in it.
• Getting a lot of added sugar in his diet from sugary cereals, unhealthy snacks, chocolate milk, etc.

To avoid these hidden dangers, be sure to brush your child's teeth at bedtime and avoid giving him anything else to eat or drink after that. Talk to your pediatrician or dentist about a fluoride supplement if your child is drinking fluoridated water, and encourage him to eat healthy snacks, such as fruits and vegetables.

Also, make sure he brushes after eating any sticky snacks, which may otherwise stick to his teeth.

Smoking Teeth Confusion

Dr. Laidler’s criticism, Response to: "Smoking Teeth" - the truth gets "smoked out", reduces to the following propositions. First, he contends that what is actually being seen is water vapor; and second, since mercury is a heavier molecule than the other constituents of air (i.e. oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc) the mercury vapor could not rise, but would fall toward the floor. This analysis does is not consistent with the Laws of Physics and Chemistry for the following reasons.

First, atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) is a well substantiated scientific analytical technique used to measure a wide range of elements in various materials such as metals, pottery and glass. It is based on the simple fact that some elements in the Periodic Table absorb specific wavelengths of light. This constitutes that materials fingerprint. In the case of mercury vapor the absorbance wavelength is 253.7nm.

Thus, when a pure material is vaporized by the application of heat, while specific wavelengths are sequentially shone at it, the wavelength absorbed tells one the element making up the sample. In it simplest form, gold miners employ this principle when mining for gold. In the natural state, gold has a very high attraction for mercury; the miner heats his ore sample in a dark container, while shining an ultraviolet light. If a vaporizing shadow is cast, then mercury is present and the sample is likely gold. The amount of light absorbed is proportional to the concentration of the mercury.

The video “Smoking Teeth = Poison Gas” is simply an application of this Miner’s Test, using an amalgam filling, containing approximately 50% mercury, as the sample. Water vapor will not absorb the wavelength from the Miner’s light; and, it will not cast a shadow. Therefore, for Dr. Laidler to suggest it will is unfounded. In the video, the vaporizing shadow is caused by mercury atoms absorbing the spectrum from the Miner’s light. A light, scientifically designed to identify the presence of mercury, not water. Water vapor cannot be visualized with a 254 mm light.

Secondly, Dr. Laidler is correct when he states, “When molecules vaporize, the volume they fill depends on the number of molecules and their temperature”. This is called the partial pressure and the partial pressure for mercury in air is 0.00185 mm at 250 C. However, Dr. Laidler fails to report that the vapor pressure of mercury doubles for every 100 C increase in temperature. Employing dubious calculations, Dr. Laidler concludes that because mercury is heavier than the other components of air, if what we saw was actually mercury vapor coming off those teeth, and not just water vapor, it should have been SINKING rather than rising - even at 370 degrees C.” This of course is false, since the mercury in the amalgam is being is heated, causing the mercury molecules to become more active and vaporize. Thus, the mercury vapor rises from the amalgam and spreads into the environment in accordance with Boyles Law of Gases, the Guy-Lussac Law, and Avogadro’s Law and the Law of Entropy. These laws indicate that gas molecules by natural law move away from each other. Therefore, concentrated mercury atoms near the tooth naturally move to a location where less mercury atoms reside. These laws of the behavior of gas have nothing to do with gravity as Dr. Laidler improperly assumes.

In conclusion, Dr. Laidler reports that “ever since (he) saw the video, (he) felt that there was something wrong with it.” Indeed, he is absolutely correct! It is wrong to place materials containing 50% poisonous elemental mercury into humans, while calling them “silver” fillings. It is wrong to promote such materials as safe, when there is no level of mercury exposure considered to be “safe”.

Dental Problems Resolved

Many people visit their doctor thinking that they have a sinus infection or upper respiratory infection. After the doctor explains that there are no physical signs of infection the patient leaves frustrated and still feeling bad.

What many fail to realize is the health of your mouth is as important, if not more so, than any other part of the body. If your mouth is not healthy, you are not healthy. Problems with the teeth and mouth can cause you to have similar headaches and pressure that accompany sinus infections. Bacteria live in the mouth and serves as a breeding ground for infection that can spread throughout the body by releasing into the blood stream.

Good oral hygiene is very important and the right product can keep you out of the doctor's office. You only get one set of teeth so the products that you choose are extremely important. There is no second chance with your teeth and if you develop periodontal disease there is no cure, only a treatment and deterring the progression of the disease.

Good Oral Hygiene Can Prevent

* Halitosis (bad breath)
* Recessed gums
* Sensitivity
* Removal of plaque/tartar
* Bleeding gums
* Loose teeth
* Gingivitis
* Pockets


Proper oral hygiene will assist with the removal of food particles and buildup on the teeth. If tartar is allowed to buildup and food particles remain in the mouth the gums will recede causing what is known as pockets between the gums and teeth. This can create a hard to reach area where you are unable to brush or reach with toothpaste and toothbrush.
Flossing is good, but will not reach deep inside the pockets to cleanse. Eventually these pockets will become infected and can cause severe pain and danger of other medical conditions. It is important that you be aware of receding gums and other symptoms that could leave the raging bacteria in your mouth.

If you have these symptoms there are things that you can do to prevent the further destruction of your teeth and gums. A significant key to good health is to prevent dental problems before they occur.

Preventing Dental Problems

* Practice good dental hygiene
* Routine visits to the Dentist
* Proper diet


OraMD® is a product that can be used as preventative maintenance on a daily basis. With the use of OraMD® you can improve your dental health by eliminating the bacteria playground in your mouth. You will feel better and have a healthier life. Dental problems can cause serious medical issues and lead to expensive dental work. Two of the most common types of problems that result from too much bacteria taking over your mouth are gingivitis and periodontal disease. Following the above tips can ensure your health by keeping your mouth clean and healthy.