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Soft Drinks Not Hard To Swallow - Just Too Sweet
During the past 20 years, American women increased their consumption of soft drinks by 61%, and during the same time, children and adolescents more than double theirs. Along with this, the incidence of diabetes in adults increased by 80%, and even more in children. This is understandable, since long-continued, almost daily consumption of sugar in excess causes obesity and stresses and exhausts the pancreas, the gland that produces insulin. Insufficient insulin production by the pancreas is the most common cause of diabetes. In the USA, soft drinks are now a major dietary source of sugar. Researchers have discovered that about 71 million Americans (about a quarter of the population) are obese. A large number of these obese people will develop type-2 diabetes, with its associated high risks of atherosclerosis and premature death from heart attack and stoke. If you wish to reduce your risks of becoming obese and diabetic, take it easy with soft drinks. Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association (292:927, '04) and British Medical Journal (329:530, '04) Halitosis - PEW!
Bad breath [halitosis] is overwhelmingly the result of problems that develop in the mouth; it can be embarrassing and create psychological barriers to personal relationships. Other reasons for bad breath include kidney failure [fishy odor], infection in the lungs or sinuses, diabetes mellitus [acetone odor] and gastrointestinal disorders. Fasting may result in halitosis from metabolic waste products when, in the absence of food intake, the body breaks down fat and protein to provide energy. Most people are unaware of their own mouth odor, and it’s difficult to test you own breath. Exhaling into your hand is unreliable. Since 90% of halitosis originates in the mouth, you must understand its causes and eliminate or modify the risk factors. The most common cause of mouth odor is the decomposition of food particles or other debris by bacteria. Some of the smelly end-products of this putrefying process are sulfur compounds. Toxins given off by bacteria in oral infections also are odor producing. A dry mouth due to decreased salivary flow is a contributory factor to oral odor. Saliva naturally cleanses, removing food and particles that may cause halitosis. Some people awaken in the morning with a bad taste and/or odor due to diminished salivary flow while sleeping. Individuals taking medications such as anti-histamines, tranquilizers and various blood pressure medicines may have decreased salivary flow as a side effect. Stress contributes to a decreased flow of saliva. Mouth breathers and smokers tend to dry out their mouths, and of course, tobacco has its own distinctive odor. People experiencing dry mouth can stimulate salivary flow with sugarless gum or candy and should increase their liquid uptake to 6-8 glasses of water a day. Some foods such as onions, garlic, eggs and others give off their own pungent smells. Mouthwash and toothpaste only temporarily mask these odors, and they will continue until eliminated by the body. Good oral hygiene will remove sticky plaque that entraps food particles and provides a home for bacteria. Daily brushing and flossing will go a long way in eliminating halitosis. Tongue scraping or brushing is also important. Full or partial dentures are harbingers of plaque and food particles and should be cleaned thoroughly. Since they also absorb odors, they should be bathed in appropriated solutions. See your pharmacist or call this office for recommendations. If you are still concerned about bad breath, please visit us for a check-up. We can find and eliminate any periodontal infections or tooth decay and make specific suggestions. Don’t risk having offensive halitosis. Take the proper steps. Toothpaste & Orange Juice - Not A Good Match
Ever wonder why orange juice tastes so bad after you brush your teeth? You can thank sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) for ruining your drink, depending on which toothpaste you use. Both of these chemicals are surfactants — wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid — that are added to toothpastes to create foam and make the paste easier to spread around your mouth. They're also important ingredients in detergents, fabric softeners, paints, laxatives, surfboard waxes and insecticides. While surfactants make brushing our teeth a lot easier, they do more than make foam. Both SLES and SLS mess with our taste buds in two ways. One, they suppress the receptors on our taste buds that perceive sweetness, inhibiting our ability to pick up the sweet notes of food and drink. And, as if that wasn't enough, they break up the phospholipids on our tongue. These fatty molecules inhibit our receptors for bitterness and keep bitter tastes from overwhelming us, but when they're broken down by the surfactants in toothpaste, bitter tastes get enhanced. So, anything you eat or drink after you brush is going to have less sweetness and more bitterness than it normally would. Is there any end to this torture? Yes. You don't need foam for good toothpaste, and there are plenty out there that are SLES/SLS-free. You won't get that rabid dog look that makes oral hygiene so much fun, but your breakfast won't be ruined. |
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6-16-15 Your Toothbrush
7-21-15 What is Periodontal Disease? 8-6-15 Healthy Gums, Healthy Body 10-6-15 Dry Mouth 10-12-15 Dental Sealants 10-21-15 Sensitive Teeth 10-27-15 When Should I Start Taking My Child To The Dentist? 11-4-15 Scaling and Root Planing 11-10-15 Teeth Grinding 2-2-16 Heavy Drinking Linked to Oral Cancer 2-10-16 How to pick a Toothbrush 2-24-16 Bulimia Nervosa 4-6-16 Vitamin D Deficiancy Linked to Early Childhood Tooth Decay 4-12-16 How To Floss 6-8-16 8 Dental Care Tips for Moms (and Moms to-be) 8-11-16 Gum Disease Treatment *Videos supplied by Mouth Healthy, an ADA publication.
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