This week, we find out how texting can
improve your oral health, learn what “health” foods are actually harming your
teeth, and see a new “fashion trend” for your pearly whites. Join the
conversation on Twitter using #FridayDentalDL.
We’re proud to
support this innovative project; Text2Floss is a messaging service created by
the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health that uses text messages to
remind users to brush and floss, as well as provide oral health tips. According
to the Pew Research Center, 90% of American
adults have a cell phone, so the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
saw this as a convenient way to provide users with an oral health resource in
their daily inbox.
The American
Dental Association’s
Council on Scientific Affairs recently updated its guidelines for caring for
the teeth of children under the age of two. The ADA previously recommended
brushing a child’s teeth with only water until the child is two; now it recommends
that parents use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first
tooth erupts. For more tips on caring for teeth of all ages, check out our Oral
Health Library.
It may come as no
surprise that coffee can have cosmetic effects on teeth, but did you know that
the stains caused by coffee can actually attract plaque? Dried fruit is another
snack that harms teeth, as it is highly concentrated in sugar and often chewy,
causing it to stick to the surface of teeth and cause cavities.
European
researchers found that components in red wine have antimicrobial effects,
meaning it can slow bacterial growth in the mouth. According to the study, this could lead to the development
of more natural products with a grape or grape seed base to help prevent dental
disease.
We’re not so sure
about this new “fashion” trend in which a tattoo-artist inks a picture onto a
cap or crown, which is then placed onto the tooth. We imagine people who have
tooth tattoos often receive the comment, “You have something in your teeth.”