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Most of us know that our diet is important to our waistline. But did you know that what you eat plays a huge role in your oral health as well?

Walk down the aisle of any supermarket and you are bound to see endless foods that have been processed. While these are usually are packed with unhealthy amounts of sodium and fat—the added sugar to these snacks and many other foods is the main culprit in turning your teeth and gums into a disaster area.

Your mouth works to maintain a delicate balance of chemicals that helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. When too much sugar is introduced into the body, your immune system is weakened. To help counter this action, your mouth becomes more acidic. When your saliva becomes acidic, it creates nasty bacteria that stick to the teeth and tongue. This bacteria—plaque—wreaks havoc on your teeth and gums unless it is removed. People that leave plaque untreated run the risk of developing gum disease. Gum disease can lead to many other serious health problems such as increasing your risk of strokes, heart attack, pregnancy problems, and also contributes to bronchitis, pneumonia and emphysema.

The average Canadian eats the equivalent of 40 kg of sugar each year. While we enjoy the occasional dessert as much as anyone, there are many other ways to cut down on your sugar intake!

• Try to choose sugar-free snacks
• Add less sugar to coffee or tea (or use sugar substitutes)
• Avoid sugar-sweetened soft drinks
• Look for fruit juices and drinks with no added sugar (better yet, make your own!)
• Read lists of ingredients when you’re grocery shopping (note that sugar can be under many names: honey, molasses, liquid invert sugar, glucose and fructose, etc.)
• Avoid sticky sweets as they stick to teeth and are harder to brush away
• Carry a travel-size toothbrush and use it after eating sweets (if you can’t brush, at least rinse your mouth with mouthwash or water)
• Chew sugarless gum

There are also many ways to get that afternoon pick me up that won’t hurt your teeth OR your waistline!

• Plain milk and buttermilk
• Fruit and raw vegetables
• Plain yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese
• Hard boiled or deviled eggs
• Nuts, sunflower or pumpkin sees

These are just a few suggestions—but the possibilities for healthy snacks and meals are endless! So before you reach for that soda, candy bar or extra helping of dessert, take a moment to think about how skipping the sugar will help not only your teeth but your whole body become a healthier environment!

Canker sores are painful lesions that form in the soft tissues of the mouth, usually along the inner lips, under the tongue, and along the cheek walls. They are usually small and round, and take on a white or yellow hue. Though most are generally harmless and tend to heal on their own within a week or two of appearing, canker sores can be very irritating.

Only about one in five people develop canker sores. Of those who do, many develop them recurrently as a result of external factors. Though canker sores have been connected to allergies and hormonal changes, many people who are prone to developing canker sores find that their outbreaks are stress-related.

A combination of emotional stress and fatigue can be a perfect storm for the development of mouth sores. Some people say they are not under stress when canker sores form, but the sores appear several days after a stressful event or situation instead. Managing stress, reducing anxiety, and getting plenty of sleep may help prevent canker sores from forming and ensure that existing ones heal more quickly.

What to do if you develop canker sores

Do not be alarmed if you develop a canker sore. They are not contagious and are not harmful to your health. Over-the-counter oral numbing products can be used to manage pain, as can ice chips. Canker sores may heal faster if you apply milk of magnesia to them daily and avoid spicy foods that could irritate them.

You should contact your doctor if you find that your canker sores are unusually large or persist without healing for several weeks. Our team at Cataraqui Dental Centre also recommends seeking out professional treatment if you experience extreme pain or a fever develops in association with a canker sore outbreak.

For more information about canker sores, or to schedule an appointment with Drs. Tom Holmes, Gordon Lansdown, Karen Nesbitt, and Nick Cosman, please give us a call at our convenient Kingston, ON office!

Drs. Tom Holmes, Gordon Lansdown, Karen Nesbitt, and Nick Cosman and our team know it can be easy to underestimate the significance of baby teeth. At Cataraqui Dental Centre, we sometimes meet parents who assume that since their child's baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, eventually fall out and are replaced, they are less important. But did you know baby teeth serve purposes other than biting, chewing, and digesting food properly?

Baby teeth are essential not only for your child’s language development, but they also serve other important functions, like contributing to the normal development of your child’s jaw bones and facial muscles. Baby teeth also reserve space for your child’s future permanent teeth.

So, when do baby teeth fall out?

A baby tooth is intended to remain in your child’s mouth until the permanent tooth underneath it is ready to take its place. Sometimes, either due to a tooth being knocked out accidentally or being removed because of tooth decay, kids lose baby teeth before the permanent teeth are ready to erupt. If a tooth is lost, the teeth on either side of the open space may possibly push into the open space. The result? There may not be enough room for the permanent tooth when it is finally ready to erupt.

If you have any questions about your toddler’s teeth, or if your child is experiencing issues that concern you, please give us a call to set up an appointment at our convenient Kingston, ON office.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease, or HFMD, is a type of contagious viral illness that causes a rash in the mouth and on the hands and feet of infants and young children, and, while rare, adults. Characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet, hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most commonly caused by a coxsackievirus, a bacterium that lives in the human digestive tract. HFMD can spread from person to person, typically via unwashed hands.

What are the symptoms of HFMD?

Symptoms of HFMD usually begin with a fever, sore throat, poor appetite, or general malaise. A couple of days after the fever starts, kids may develop painful sores in the mouth. A skin rash characterized by red spots may also develop, usually on the palms of your child’s hands and soles of their feet. It’s important to note some children may only experience a rash while others may only have mouth sores.

Is HFMD serious? Should we be concerned?

Usually not. Nearly all children infected recover anywhere between seven to ten days without medical treatment. Rarely, however, a child can develop viral meningitis and may need to be hospitalized. Other rare complications of HFMD can include encephalitis (brain inflammation), which can be fatal.

How can my child prevent HFMD?

There is no known vaccine to defend your child against HFMD. However, the risk of your child contracting the disease can be reduced by:

• Making sure your child washes his or her hands often
• Thoroughly cleaning objects and surfaces (these include doorknobs and toys)
• Making sure your child avoids close contact with those who are infected

To learn more about hand-foot-and-mouth disease or to schedule an appointment for your child, please give us a call at our Kingston, ON office!