Kids Take Gum Disease to Heart

Proper oral health early in life will pay off later.

(NewsUSA) - Teaching your kids to care for their teeth will do more than ensure a healthy smile -- it may also help them avoid health problems later in life.

Many parents consider cavities a normal part of childhood -- after all, children eat more sweet foods than adults and often neglect brushing and flossing. But research links cavities and gum disease with serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease.

Research suggests that there is a relationship between gum disease and heart health. The American Academy of Periodontology reports that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease. Likewise, in a study of 657 heart-disease patients published in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association," lead researcher Moise Desvarieux, M.D., Ph.D. of Columbia University discovered that patients with harmful bacteria in their mouths were more likely to have a clogged artery in their neck, a precursor to stroke.

Researchers believe that, when the harmful bacteria that cause gum disease invade the gum line, they also access the bloodstream. Once they enter the circulatory system, these harmful bacteria can cause disease in other parts of the body.

But kids will be kids, and some may stop brushing their teeth before they finish singing "The Star Spangled Banner" or forget to floss after eating that ice cream cone. Even if kids are excellent brushers and flossers, they can't get rid of the harmful bacteria living in every part of their mouths.

Parents can skip the risk by giving their kids probiotics for oral care, like EvoraKids (www.myevorakids.com), a chewable that contains beneficial bacteria that are normally found in healthy mouths. When these good bacteria adhere to the teeth, they leave less room for harmful bacteria to grow, helping to support tooth health.

"Daily use of a product such as EvoraKids is an easy way to naturally maintain oral health," says Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, D.M.D., Ph.D. and chief medical officer for Oragenics. "The good bacteria inhibit the growth of the damaging bad bacteria, leading to better health and breath."

For more information, visit www.myevorakids.com.

Tips to Keep Preschoolers' Teeth Healthy

If your child wants to eat a piece of candy, make sure it is small enough that they can consume it all at once. Always make them brush their teeth soon afterward.

(NewsUSA) - Preschoolers' smiling teeth do more than just bring joy to the people who see them. Preschoolers' teeth also help them chew and speak, and they create space in the jaw for adult teeth to grow in straight. Unfortunately, these "baby teeth" are also prone to early childhood caries or baby bottle tooth decay, also known as cavities.

How do preschoolers develop cavities? As in adults, children's mouths are filled with bacteria. Whenever a child consumes sugar or starch, the bacteria feed on the sugar, releasing acid as a byproduct. This acid can break down the outer layer of the tooth, creating cavities.

So, how can parents ensure that preschoolers' teeth stay healthy? Here are some tips:

* Keep preschoolers' teeth clean. By the time a child has reached age 2 to 5, they should be on their way to caring for their own teeth. By age three, they should have a full set of baby teeth. Most children at this age will want to brush their teeth on their own, but it is important to supervise and help them until they are doing it correctly. Do a quick follow-up brushing if necessary with a soft-bristled tooth brush.

* Use probiotics. Oral care probiotics can be an effective step in a preschooler's oral care routine. If left unchecked, bad

bacteria can overwhelm the mouth, possibly leading to tooth decay. EvoraKids (www.myevorakids.com), a chewable containing a special blend of oral care probiotics designed for children, works by flooding the mouth with good bacteria, which adhere to tooth surfaces, including crevices, pits and fissures in the chewing surfaces, helping to promote happy smiles. It supports tooth health by balancing the bacteria in the mouth.

* Limit sweets. Sugar produces an acid that removes calcium from teeth, thereby breaking down the enamel. Only give children fruit for snacks, not cookies or crackers with refined sugar. If you do keep sweets in your house, only give children candy that they can consume all at once. Always make them brush their teeth soon after eating candy to remove any sugars that may still be sitting in the mouth.

* Avoid sharing silverware with your child. Never put your mouth on anything that will enter your child's mouth -- children aren't born with destructive bacteria in the mouth, they catch them from mom and dad.