Braces as an adult? No way. At least, that was what I thought when my dentist told me that I was going to have to see an orthodontist about my crooked teeth. But my teeth were so misaligned that they were causing me pain when I chewed, so I decided to at least look into it. Turns out braces today are nothing like the ones my friends had when I was a kid. Mine were practically invisible, and I didn't need to wear them that long. I started this blog to encourage other people like me who are nervous about the prospect of wearing braces as an adult. My straight smile is so worth the trips to the orthodontist, and wearing braces was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Read on to find out more about how you can straighten your smile.
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If you are having trouble weaning your child from a bottle, you may have concerns about his or her oral health. Baby bottle decay is a condition that occurs due to the exposure of a child's teeth to decay-causing sugars from the use of a bottle, especially during times of rest. Here are a few reasons to prevent your child from using a bottle during naps and other periods of rest.
There is too little saliva present to rinse away bacteria.
When your little one sleeps, his or her saliva production slows down. This diminishing of saliva levels can cause a temporary dry mouth condition.
Dry mouth can make the oral cavity a breeding ground for bacteria. This is harmful because bacteria in the mouth release acid as they feed. The acid, which is excreted as a byproduct of their digestion, dissolves the tooth enamel to incite the development of cavities.
When there is enough saliva in the mouth, the liquid can help wash away bacteria and the food that they are trying to consume.
Bacteria feed on simple carbohydrates, such as the sugars found in milk or juice. Saliva serves as a diluting agent to help minimize the acid levels in the mouth.
If your child is protesting the weaning process and you feel the need to allow him or her to continue using a bottle for aperiod, only place water in the bottle, especially before bedtime and naps.
The water will have no sugars on which the bacteria can feed, and it can also dilute the acid in the mouth and rinse away bacteria and debris just as saliva does.
In addition, if the water in the bottle contains fluoride, it can help repair areas of weakened enamel on your child's teeth. The fluoride can coat your little one's teeth and attract calcium and phosphate back to the enamel surface to form tooth material that better resists acid then your child original tooth enamel did.
Your child's mouth is bathed in a pool of sugary liquid.
In addition to the diminishing of saliva production, your child's swallowing reflex will also decline when he or she rests. As a result, if the child falls asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth, the liquid in the bottle simply pools in the mouth. This pooling effect soaks the teeth in the bottle's contents, .making dental decay more prevalent.
Severe cases of baby bottle decay can result in a blackening of the teeth due to the damage to the tooth enamel. To learn more ways to discourage bottle use during times of rest, schedule a consultation with a local pediatric dentist.
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