Summer snacks, cool drinks and your teeth

Hope you are having a great summer-whether simply getting outside more and or going to local events in Kent County, DE, we're busy at Dr. Steckel's office helping our patients keep their smile improvements on schedule, and healthy. 

Our advice for our patients on diet choices was recently supported by a clinical study (Jain, P., Gary J.J; May/June 2014 General Dentistry, pgs. 63-68) undertaken at Southern Illinois University, to examine the relationship between 

1. Oral hygiene

2. Consumption of snack foods and 

3. Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Question: Which of these behaviors (or lack there of) present the greatest risk to developing dental decay? What do you think?

Answer: Sugar-sweetened beverages are a stronger risk factor for dental decay than snack foods!! The types of snack foods included fruit, ice cream, salty snacks, and soft candy.

Even though we may brush thoroughly, maintaining good oral hygiene is not sufficient to prevent dental decay!

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is the stronger indicator of dental decay

All Orthodontics on Silverlake patients know this, and make a promise to limit their intake of these beverages. :-)

Look for the next blog post for suggestions on some summer beverage suggestions to keep those pearlies white!

Until then, how about a tall glass of water...?