Updyke seems to be leading the charge. He hopes the current German study on the subject — apparently the first such study — may finally help convince the AAPD and pediatric dentists to take the initiative in warning parents of potential tooth decay.

Updyke, a reluctant warrior, thinks pediatric dentists should do a better job of warning unsuspecting parents about sippy cups. He is concerned that this secret costs consumers and taxpayers (in the case of welfare families) millions of dollars in unneeded dentistry costs each year.

Updyke challenges a visitor to do the math and determine the scope of the national problem. “I see five to 10 kids a week with damage from sippy cups, some weeks a lot more, and there are 5,000 other pediatric dentists, not to mention regular dentists, seeing the same numbers.”

Updyke now wants parents to stop using sippy cups as a pacifier — and he wants dental organizations, such as AAPD, to take a more active role in warning parents about the dangers.

The battle has just begun. The question is: Will the AAPD and other dentists sound the alarm and join the fray?

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“This is the first report I have seen that suggests [that] training cups can produce effects similar to that of prolonged use of the nursing bottle,” Nowak concluded.

Both Nowak and Updyke agree the sippy cup can sometimes be an effective, if limited, transition for a child from a bottle to a cup when filled with a nonsugary drink or water. However, Nowak fears many parents still use the cup as a pacifier for noisy children. “It’s a continuation of a use of a bottle to pacify children in an inappropriate way,” Nowak said.

Nowak is also concerned about the unsteadiness of small children walking around with a cup hanging from the mouth, which he feels could lead to serious tooth injuries if a child were to fall on a hard surface.

Dr. Donald Bowers, a professor of pediatric dentistry in the College of Dentistry at Ohio State University, isn’t sure falling is as much of a problem as the possible tooth decay. He feels the sippy-cup problem just hasn’t appeared on the public’s radar screen of incoming worries yet — although it should. He is also convinced the cups are as bad for small children as nursing bottles and warns, “tooth decay is caused by fermentable carbohydrates in the mouth for extended periods of time.”

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Updyke also believes the dental community has been unconscionably silent about the problem for far too long. “It’s something we dentists talk about all the time, and something widely known in the dental industry,” he said.

Although figures on the number of children using training cups aren’t readily available, Updyke believes the count is in the millions. He says he began prodding the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry to take a stand on the issue in 1998, leading to the resulting warning in a fall 1999 AAPD newsletter dentists put in their waiting rooms: “The oral attack starts when the drink pools up behind the front teeth and is held there by the tongue while sipping.”

Thus, the name sippy cup.

Updyke says he was bothered that the tepid “warning” wasn’t accompanied by larger press or consumer warnings. “The AAPD and [American Dental Association] have really dropped the ball on this subject,” he charged. (The ADA and the AAPD have issued at least one small four-color brochure on the danger of nursing bottles, however.)

The AAPD Web page has little information on sippy cups for consumers or dentists to access. Amy Johnson, a spokeswoman for AAPD, says that it is more a matter of time constraints and few available studies on the subject. She says AAPD information on sippy cups will be available later this year. “I tell the attendees at our booths during trade shows all the time to remember to treat sippy cups, sports bottles and juice boxes like baby bottles,” she stressed.

Perhaps the most prevalent cosmetic dental practice is teeth bleaching. Zoom whitening pen gives the reliable, great option if it comes to convenience and ease of use.

In addition to the inability to control the degree of whiteness, Goldstein and Dr. Richard Price, consumer adviser for the ADA and president of the Newton Dental Associates in Massachusetts, there are other, perhaps hidden, health reasons for avoiding these tests:
Very large pulp tissue — the tissue inside of the tooth, which contains nerves, arteries and veins — can mean highly sensitive teeth. The amount of hydrogen peroxide in home bleaching kits can irritate teeth and gums.

Teeth can have micro cracks that are hard to see if you are not trained to look for them. These cracks can be difficult to bleach properly, and the result is that the crack in the tooth becomes lighter than the tooth surface, making it more pronounced.

Teeth with too much translucency actually get darker, not lighter after bleaching. (Teeth whitening does not work for those with teeth that are dark from the inside, as a result of medications and antibiotics.)

Teeth with existing restoration have to be considered. For instance, if you have a lot of fillings, crowns or other work, you’re going to have to have them redone after the bleaching because they often look darker after the bleaching. “Some teeth just cannot be bleached,” said Dr. Price. “Dark spots on teeth can also indicate the obvious: cavities. Dentists can supervise the bleaching by providing molds and having the patient use bleaching gel at home. I do them and they range between $300 to $400.”

Visit your dentist for a dental exam before deciding what procedure to use.

But under certain circumstances, bad breath may point to other health problems. It is wise to call on the doctor or dentist if the following circumstances exist:

When bad breath saves for no inexplicable cause after you’ve thoroughly and repeatedly cleaned and flossed your tongue, teeth and gums for a week.

If a toothache accompanies your bad breath. You may have an abscess or a cavity.

When your gums are bleeding or inflamed. That could be a symptom of gum disease.

When bad breath with a cough and mucus or fever. This may be a sign of a lung abscess.

Bad Breath A Real Mouthful

It can ruin a great kiss or a simple conversation. It may be offensive and embarrassing. If you struggle with bad breath (halitosis), your doctor or dentist may be able to help.

Your best friend can confirm that you have the problem, or you can be diagnosed more professionally with a device called a halimeter. It’s painless, and it not only determines if you have bad breath, but how much, and where it’s coming from.

The source of your problem could be your teeth, dentures, gums, tongue, throat, sinuses and even your stomach.

The breakdown of food caught between your teeth is a common cause of bad breath, so be sure to brush and floss regularly. Gum disease can also cause bad breath. If that’s the case, your dentist can help.

If your teeth and gums are healthy, the odor might be coming from your tongue, and your doctor or dentist may recommend a tongue scraper.

For some people, a throat or sinus infection or stomach problem can be linked to bad breath.

Whatever the reason, 95 percent of all cases are treatable. Ask your doctor or dentist what’s best for you.

Perhaps the most popular cosmetic dental practice is teeth bleaching. Teeth whitening at home provides the reliable and great chance if it comes to ease, convenience of use.

How long is treatment expected to last? Parents need to understand that initial predictions may be off by months since growth patterns can vary from child to child. Keep in mind that younger patients are often treated in two stages: the first when they have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, the next when they have all their permanent teeth, which may come after insurance benefits have run out.

How much is treatment expected to cost? Again, an orthodontist is likely to give her best estimate, but there may be some deviation from this because growth patterns are impossible to predict with total accuracy.

Does the orthodontist use recycled brackets? Some orthodontists sell the brackets that they remove from their patients to companies that then sterilize and resell them. Some patients may not object to recycled brackets, although the safety of this practice is debatable.

Ask the doctor whether he is a dentist or an orthodontist. All orthodontists are dentists, but the reverse is not true. According to the American Association of Orthodontists only 6% of dentists are orthodontists, trained in diagnosing, preventing and treating facial and dental irregularities. In addition to completing college and a 4-year dental graduate program at a school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, orthodontists must also complete a 2- or 3-year program of advanced education in orthodontics, also accredited by the ADA.

Ask the orthodontist for recommendations from former patients.

Ask the orthodontist how long her average case takes. Of course, no two patients are alike, but this can give you some guidelines about what to expect.

Is there a possibility that my teeth will shift back after treatment? Even after a successful treatment, patients may need to wear corrective devices periodically to maintain the correct position of their teeth.

How much discomfort can the patient expect? Most orthodontic patients will experience some aches and pains, which can be relieved with Advil or Tylenol.

What can I expect my teeth to look like when treatment is completed?

Many people need to select for effective teeth whitening kits cause they want to do smile look beautiful. Discover about special ways to whiten your teeth.

Terry

A. Symptoms like bad breath, chronic sore throat, laryngitis, and other ear, nose and throat problems may be due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus or perhaps as high as the throat. Your bad breath may be due to GERD even if you do not have heartburn.

It’s certainly possible, as your doctor suggested, that you also have a problem with delayed stomach emptying. This is sometimes seen in GERD patients, and it may also occur in patients with irritable bowel syndrome — which, in turn, may be the cause of your constipation. The improvement on Propulsid is likely due to improvement of stomach emptying. This can happen independent of any change in your bowel movements. An occasional patient will have improvement in constipation on Propulsid, but a more effective way to improve constipation is to add fiber (Metamucil or bran), fruits and vegetables to your diet; for details, see my earlier column on Stopping Long-term Laxative Use.

You might keep a diet diary to see which foods cause you to fill up fast or bloat; these are signs of slowed stomach emptying. Also, eat smaller, more frequent meals and exercise regularly to improve stomach or bowel function. You may wish to see your doctor to be evaluated with a nuclear X-ray (in which you eat a meal containing a substance visible on X-rays so that the doctor can track how fast the stomach empties over the next hour or two). This can show whether your stomach empties slowly.

Maybe the most popular dental practice is teeth bleaching. Teeth whitener offers the great and reliable option if it comes to convenience and ease of use.

They’re called Whitestrips. The thin, plastic strips are coated with 4 percent hydrogen peroxide. That active ingredient can remove stains within the teeth as well as on the surface.

It’s almost like putting on an adhesive bandage. You peel off a sticky back and place it on your teeth.

The makers of Whitestrips say they are as effective as teeth whitening gels used with special, high-intensity lights, lasers or in trays you wear overnight.

“They use the same, enamel-safe ingredient that dentists have used for over 20 years,” explained Paul Sage, the inventor of Whitestrips.

I wanted to try my own experiment, so a colleague agreed to use Whitestrips for two weeks. She put one on her upper teeth, twice a day for 20 minutes at a time. Two weeks later, she was pleasantly surprised at the results.

Some dentists do not like Whitestrips. They warn that they can cause irritation, and that it’s hard to control consistency. They prefer in-office whitening procedures.

Whitestrips cost about $42 for one box. That’s enough to treat your upper and lower teeth for about two weeks. They’re available over the Internet and through a toll-free phone number, and they will be available in drugstores next spring.

Teeth health starts with proper eating habits. Sweets don’t have to be avoided, but there has to be the proper balance. When it’s time to select the foods your children are going to eat, if candy is going to be eaten, teach them to keep their teeth healthy.

Be careful with your child’s teeth by brushing them two times daily, regardless of whether they have sweets, chocolate or any kind of food in the day time. A Candy Cane isn’t a brush to scrub their teeth, although a lot of young people like to put it in their mouth. Brushing daily is necessary for those who eat foods rich in sugar.

Sweet candy can also cause tooth decay. Fluoride toothpaste is the best way to keep your smile. This assists children in establishing a routine of brushing their teeth, not eating too much sweets, and avoiding eating anything after brushing their teeth at night to keep micro-organisms out of their mouth.

The American Dental Association has cartoons and online games created to instruct kids as to how to brush their teeth as well as other basic information regarding oral health care. They tell students to be aware of the harm that chocolate candy, sugar, hard candy and other sweet foods can cause if they don’t get regular cleanings.

Using a flavored toothpaste that contains fluoride is the best method to help children develop good brushing routines. Lots of dentists suggest changing the taste of the toothpaste used regularly to get the best outcome.

Studies have shown children who enjoy brushing their teeth twice a day, do it for a longer time if the toothpaste is flavored, since they link the taste with the taste of candy. Correct brushing prevents gum disease, cavities and other dental issues created by eating chocolate or chewy candy.

Children who are 6 years old or younger should brush using about a pea-sized bit of toothpaste to get rid of plaque. This small amount is enough to give the needed protection from hard candy, and other foods that stick to teeth during the day.

Proper eating habits contribute to healthy teeth, but the snacks kids eat that are made of sugar lead to the formation of cavities. Limiting snacks for your kids isn’t necessarily a good idea since they need food for energy, but replace candy with nutritious foods like carrot sticks or other vegetables.

Let’s explore the ingredients in toothpaste; telling you what else they make from these same chemicals and compounds found in it.

Back in the 1840′s, toothpowder contained ground-up coral, cuttlefish bone, burnt eggshells or porcelain. They were colored purple with cochineal, which is derived from the bodies of tropical scale insects.

Today, toothpaste’s white color alone has 10 or more ingredients, along with enhancers and binders. The main ingredient, is finely powdered chalk called calcium carbonate, or another mineral powder such as aluminum oxide, which is an ingredient used to make cement. Then you have titanium oxide, a white powder, which is added to make the paste whiter.

So does this make you want to use gel toothpastes? Okay, let’s explore that option. These get their abrasiveness from a compound called silica, you know, silica. The little white packets of stuff put in a purse, luggage, vitamins, etc. and marked with an extreme warning label not to ingest! Oh … then they add the coloring. The thickening agent is usually alginate, a derivative of seaweed … not so bad, but what makes toothpaste foam? Detergents!

Now we come to fluorides. The FDA recently remarked that there “may” be indications of links to diseases from the use of fluorides. This is only a “may,” but you know how it will end, don’t you?

Then on to the mouthwash substances incorporated in there to make your breath smell good and keep your teeth strong. Plus you have glycerin to prevent the paste from drying out. And let us not forget the formalin, which is a disinfectant to kill bacteria.

We’re not even going to tell you what the stripes are made of, or how they keep the colored stripes from running together, we fear you may hate us for being the bearer of bad news!

I don’t know about you, but this all makes me want to use baking soda.

Actually, we use “one drop” of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Peppermint Soap, which is made from rosemary extract, hemp oil and is a vegetable-based soap, so it has no detergents. Or we use Melaleuca (tea tree oil).

If you care about what goes into your children … please make sure it is not toothpaste.