Community Magazine Februafy 2009

108 Community magazine JaCQuES douECK, ddS For Adults and Teenagers: The average American drinks 576 cans of soda every year. These drinks put you at a higher risk for cavities and other oral health problems, as they bathe the teeth with sug- ary and acidic liquids. To minimize the risk of cavities, sip soft drinks and other beverages through a straw positioned towards the back of the mouth. It’s your throat that feels thirsty, not your teeth, so there’s no need for beverages to reach the teeth! Even with a straw, the beverage inevi- tably covers the back teeth. It is therefore advisable to rinse your mouth with water after drinking and use toothpaste that con- tains fluoride. We have found MI paste™ to be very effective in reversing or minimizing the damage of acids. For Children: The convenience of sippy cups results in many children toting their sippy cups around with them all day. But a child’s constant access to milk/juice bathes his teeth in sugary liquids that of course can lead to cavities. Worse, kids tend to hang onto sippy cups and drink more slowly and for longer periods of time, which increases their risk. It’s no different than sipping a can of soda all day -- you’ll get more dental dis- ease that way than if you drank the whole can at once. Neither children nor adults should constantly sip on sugary liquids like milk and juice, as this accelerates the process of tooth decay. The use of sippy cups has also been found to cause speech disorders and delays in speech development. If a cup, thumb or pacifier interferes regularly enough for a good part of the day, it prevents the growth of the teeth together which can cause a “tongue thrust,” adversely affecting speech skills. This is especially true for children who may already have special needs or receive services such as speech or occupa- tional therapy. According to speech thera- pist Yael Sassoon, “We recommend the use of straws to address tongue thrust and lisp- ing. This treatment encourages increased speech clarity. It is one of most effective tools in speech therapy and a good idea for many children. Drinking with a straw helps develop and improve lip closure, strength, and control. We start the child by using straws daily for drinking thin liquids, and, as they improve, thickened liquids and purees are introduced. Narrower straws are preferred because they require more tight- ness of lip closure. Wider straws are not as effective because they require less tightness of lip seal.” Straw cups are a great alterna- tive to an open-mouth cup (a cup with no lid) if your child still has frequent spills or isn’t quite ready for an open-mouth cup. Cups with straws allow parents to still have the convenience of a cup with a lid without the downsides of sippy cups. Tips for Healthy Drinking: • Reduce your soda consumption. • If you do drink soda, use a straw. • Don’t leave fluids in your mouth when sipping. • Don’t drink soda, milk or juice before going to bed. • Don’t brush immediately after drinking soda (the brush will harm the weakened enamel). • f you have dry mouth, try to avoid acidic or carbonated bever- ages (plain seltzer and diet iced tea are also very acidic) • Use straw cups for children and get rid of sippy cups as soon as possible.