Did you know Americans consumed 24.7 pounds of candy per capita in 2010?1 That’s a lot of sugar to potentially cause cavities if left on the teeth of boys and ghouls too long. After eating candy, Delta Dental recommends a thorough brushing of teeth (or at least a big drink of water).

Since Halloween is a favorite holiday of many Americans, Delta Dental has compiled a list of the 10 best terrifically terrifying truths:

1. Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of candy for Halloween each year.2

2. Major pumpkin-producing states like California, Illinois, New York and Ohio helped America grow 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins in 2010.3

3. Sixty percent of dentists polled for Delta Dental’s Tricky Treats survey said they give out candy on Halloween. Of the dentists who dispense candy, 79 percent choose chocolate, while just 13 percent hand out varieties like hard candy or lollipops. This confectionary choice is no accident. Chocolate dissolves quickly in the mouth and can be eaten easily, which decreases the amount of time sugar stays in contact with teeth.4

4. Americans spent nearly $6.9 billion on Halloween costumes, decorations and “entertainment”.2

5. About 50 percent of Americans decorated their homes or yards, 44 percent dressed in a costume, 34 percent attended a Halloween party and 23 percent visited a haunted house in 2011.2

6. In 2011, the three most popular costumes worn by children were Harry Potter, princess and Green Lantern. Classic characters like Winnie the Pooh, Elmo and the Smurfs were also among the top 10 favorites. Captain America, Green Lantern and Where’s Waldo were popular costume choices for adults.5

7. Nearly one out of four dentists said they do not hand out anything on Halloween, while five percent attack the holiday head on by handing out toothbrushes.4

8. Not everyone gives out candy on Halloween. Ideas include toothbrushes, pretzels, fruit (such as raisins), modeling clay and books.4

9. An estimated 41 million children between the ages of five and 14 went trick-or-treating across the U. S. in 2010.1

10. Candy corn, a popular treat commonly associated with Halloween, was created in the 1880s and popularized by farmers who appreciated its resemblance to kernels of corn. 6

To learn more about what dentists give out at Halloween and get their best advice for keeping kids’ teeth healthy, please visit http://www.trickytreats.org.

1 United State Census Bureau, 2010 Census. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. Accessed August 2012.

2 National Retail Federation. Consumers Eager to Have a Frightfully Good Time This Halloween, According to NRF. http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=1197. Accessed August 2012.

3 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf. Accessed August 2012.

Advances in medical technology, public health, personal health knowledge and greater access to health insurance are some of the key factors helping people in the U.S. today live longer and in better health than previous generations. The most recent data indicate that life expectancy from birth is at an all-time high of nearly 78 years, with women at 80.5 and men at 75.5 years.1

Improvements in oral health are also significant, and adults 65 and older are keeping more of their natural teeth for their entire lives than previous generations. During National Healthy Aging Month, Delta Dental is advising older adults that practicing good oral health habits is more important than ever.

The popular idiom “long in the tooth” references how gums wear away in the aging process, leaving the root of the tooth exposed. The tooth root is much softer and more prone to dental decay than the enamel that covers the tooth crown. Dental disease is cumulative over a lifetime, so almost all adults ages 65 and older have had dental caries in their permanent teeth.2 Older adults who take any one of several hundred medications that can cause a decrease in saliva should be especially careful because a lack of saliva brings a much higher risk for tooth decay.

Smart dental hygiene is important even for those seniors who have lost their regular teeth. Besides helping ensure dentures and other prosthetic replacements fit properly, dentists can catch life-threatening diseases like oral cancer early when they are at a more treatable stage.

Studies show that individuals with dental insurance are far less likely to have unmet dental needs than those with insurance, and are also more likely to get regular dental exams.3 However, once individuals retire they often neglect to purchase ongoing dental coverage. Medicare does not provide dental coverage but individual plans are available for purchase. Seniors can also check to see if membership in any national organizations or associations qualifies them to purchase dental benefits.

1 The 2012 Statistical Abstract.. The National Data Book. Data Source: U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics Reports (NVSR), Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2008, Vol. 59, No. 2, December 2010. Accessed August 27, 2012 at:http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0104.pdf

2 “Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Seniors (Age 65 and Over).” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesSeniors65older. Accessed August, 2012.

3 Bloom B, Simile CM, Adams PF, Cohen RA. Oral health status and access to oral health care for U.S. adults aged 18–64: National Health Interview Survey, 2008. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(253). 2012.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 26 million Americans suffer from diabetes. Even more troubling, another 57 million – about a fourth of U.S. adults – have pre-diabetes, which means their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be classified as diabetes. Delta Dental is reminding Americans during “National Diabetes Month” that regular dental visits are crucial for people with diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, controlling blood sugar levels is a key to preventing many serious complications of diabetes such as heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Research also suggests a two-way relationship between serious periodontal (gum) disease and diabetes. Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to severe gum disease, but it may have the potential to affect blood glucose control and contribute to the progression of diabetes.1 People with diabetes tend to develop periodontal disease earlier in life, and more severely. Instead of losing their teeth from gum disease in their 60s, they might begin losing teeth in their mid-40s. Smokers with diabetes are especially at-risk for gum disease and tooth loss.

Unfortunately, studies have found that people with diabetes see their dentist less often than those without the disease.2 Dentist visits are crucial because oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease are often reversible if they are diagnosed early and preventive treatments are delivered. Dentists will also check for other common mouth conditions that afflict people with diabetes such as dry mouth, ulcers and infections. Mouth conditions may also be a sign that other medical conditions exist elsewhere in the body. Depending on their findings, the dentist might advise patients to seek medical attention.

Daily brushing and flossing, regular dental check-ups and good blood glucose control are the best defenses against periodontal disease. In addition, quitting smoking may be the most important thing that people can do to protect their oral and overall health. The good news is that with proper dental hygiene at home and regular visits to the dentist (at least twice annually), there’s no reason people with diabetes should have worse oral health than people without.

1 American Diabetes Association. News and Research. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/oral-health-and-hygiene/oral-health-faqs.html Accessed October 2012.

2 Macek MD, Tomar SL. Dental care visits among dentate adults with diabetes and periodontitis. J Public Health Dent. 2009 Fall;69(4):284-9.

Although cavities are nearly 100 percent preventable, more than one out of four American caregivers reported that their children had a cavity filled in the past year. This was among the findings of a new survey1 of nearly 1,000 caregivers released today by Delta Dental in conjunction with National Children’s Dental Health Month. Among children who had a cavity in the past year, 53 percent had two or more cavities.

The 2013 Delta Dental Children’s Oral Health Survey shows that not only are Americans unaware they can pass cavity-causing bacteria to children, but they also need to brush up on some critical children’s dental health habits, including basics such as brushing and flossing.

Parents and caregivers need to teach good oral health habits to children at a young age to help prevent cavities. Baby teeth are very important. They help children chew and speak properly and hold space for permanent teeth. If a child has healthy baby teeth, chances are he or she will have healthy adult teeth.

These are some of the oral health habits that fall short of what’s recommended by dental professionals:

• Survey shows: Seventy-five percent of caregivers say they share utensils such as a spoon, fork, or glass with a child.
• Delta Dental recommends: Parents and caregivers should eliminate saliva-transferring behaviors – such as sharing utensils and toothbrushes and cleaning a pacifier with their mouths – all activities which can pass harmful bacterial to a child.

• Survey shows: Forty-nine percent of Americans with a child four years or younger report that the child sometimes takes a nap or goes to bed with a bottle or sippy cup containing milk or juice.
• Delta Dental recommends: Parents and caregivers should not put a child to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, sweetened water or soft drinks, which can lead to baby bottle decay. Instead, caregivers should fill the bottle with water.

• Survey shows: For children who have visited the dentist, the average age at the first visit was 3 years old.
• Delta Dental recommends: Children should first visit the dentist within six months of getting the first tooth – and no later than the first birthday.

• Survey shows: Only 58 percent of children had their teeth brushed twice a day and 34 percent of children brush for less than two minutes.
• Delta Dental recommends: Children’s teeth should be brushed twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Parents should assist with this task until the kids are about 6 years old.

• Survey shows: Forty-three percent of parents or caregivers report that their children’s teeth are never flossed, and of children whose teeth are flossed, only 23 percent are flossed daily.
• Delta Dental recommends: Once any two teeth are touching, caregivers should floss, or help the child floss, once a day.

1 Morpace Inc. conducted the 2013 Delta Dental Children’s Oral Health Survey. Interviews were conducted nationally via the Internet with 926 primary caregivers of children from birth to age 11. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of error is ±3.2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Once upon a time, kids who wore braces were teased by their peers with mean-spirited nicknames such as brace face, tinsel teeth, zipper lips and metal mouth. These days, however, braces have become seemingly as ubiquitous as eyeglasses, almost a rite of passage for American youth in their formative years. Studies have estimated anywhere from 50-70 percent of American children will wear braces between the ages of 6-18.

Children from ages 6-18 (and even some adults) typically get braces to correct malocclusions (i.e., bad bites). These jaw or tooth alignment problems are usually genetic, but can result from an injury, early or late tooth loss or thumb-sucking.1 Historically, most children started wearing braces in their early- and into mid-adolescent years, after all of their permanent teeth had erupted (ages 11-15), but in more recent years there has been a trend towards earlier intervention to take advantage of high rates of growth and to correct certain conditions that might otherwise adversely affect growth and development. Crowded, poorly-positioned teeth not only affect a child’s appearance, but can negatively impact the way a child bites, chews and speaks, and can increase the long-term potential for developing periodontal disease or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems.1

Whether or not they have braces, kids should always eat a healthy diet. In general, however, kids with braces should avoid foods that are difficult to bite off or chew, that may damage the braces, or that are difficult to clean from around the wires and attachment brackets. Foods like popcorn, corn on the cob, whole apples, sunflower seeds and sticky candy fall into these categories. It is also not a good idea to chew on ice, pencils or any other oral habits that can bend the wires or otherwise damage the appliances that go into moving teeth into proper position.2 Eating too many sticky and sugary foods is particularly damaging to children with braces, since plaque tends to build-up around the appliances and can lead to decay where the brackets are attached to the teeth.

Standard oral health care best practices apply to all children – with or without braces. This includes brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily, wearing a properly fitting mouthguard during contact sports, and making regular dental visits. Obviously brushing and flossing presents some challenges while wearing braces but the child’s dental team will usually provide the proper guidance on facing the challenges to good oral hygiene that wearing braces can present. This may include things like using fluoride rinses, floss threaders, interproximal cleaners, powered brushes or irrigators, dental wax and other tips for keeping the braces and teeth clean and wearing them comfortably.

A child’s teeth are often sore for a day or two after the braces are first put on or after an adjustment appointment. In addition, other typical problems that children may have to deal with include food caught between the teeth and appliance, one or more of the little rubber bands break that hold the wires to the bracket, a wire breaks and pokes into the cheek, a sore develops on the cheek or gum where something is rubbing.

1.American Dental Association. “Braces” http://www.mouthhealthy.org/az-topics/b/braces.aspx
2.American Dental Association 2010 Survey of Dental Practice

Toothpaste – it has been the foundation of the most basic of daily oral health routines dating back to ancient civilizations. But, how many people today actually know what makes up the concoction that we dab on our toothbrushes and scrub all over our teeth every morning and night? You’ll be happy to know that we’ve come a long way since the use of crushed bones and oyster shells, ashes, burnt eggshells and powder of ox hoof.

Toothpastes, also called dentifrices, are pastes, gels or powders that help remove plaque and strengthen tooth enamel. So, what are all of those substances listed on the side of the tube? The paste or gel itself takes its form from abrasives, water, humectants and binders. Other ingredients like detergents or surfactants; preservatives; flavor, color, and sweetening agents; fluoride; calcium phosphate; anti-bacterials; whiteners; and other agents may be added to provide certain properties to each specific toothpaste forumulation. All of these ingredients can be important for not only helping to prevent dental disease but also for giving the toothpaste the taste, appearance and feel in the mouth that makes a person want to brush with it.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common ingredients you will find in your toothpaste and why they are there.

• Fluoride is the key active ingredient in toothpaste that has been demonstrated in numerous clinical trials to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride affects the bacteria that cause tooth decay, but its primary action is to incorporate into the tooth structure (enamel and dentin) making the tooth more resistant to acid attack by decay-causing bacteria. It actually repairs (remineralizes) the tooth enamel that gets damaged by the acid producing bacteria present in almost everyone’s mouth. Without fluoride in the toothpaste, the cavity-preventing benefit from brushing your teeth is severely limited. Very few people brush thoroughly enough to prevent cavities by brushing alone. Over-the-counter (OTC) toothpaste in the U.S. contains fluoride at approximately 1,100 parts-per-million (ppm). There are several different fluoride formulations and all are effective in helping to prevent tooth decay. Other remineralizing agents such as amorphous calcium phosphate have demonstrated some decay prevention ability and are now being added to some toothpastes.

• Mild abrasives remove food debris and stains, as well as the sticky plaque that is always forming on the teeth. The goal is to make them abrasive enough for efficient cleaning, but not so abrasive as to damage the tooth enamel or the softer dentin or cementum that makes up the tooth root surface. Common abrasives you may see on your tube include calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), dehydrated silica gels, hydrated aluminum oxides, magnesium carbonate, phosphate salts and silicates.1

• Humectants are organic compounds that hold water and help the toothpaste maintain its moisture even when exposed to air. Examples include glycerol, propylene, glycol and sorbitol.1

• Binders or thickeners help keep the whole mix together in a nice paste or gel and stabilize this form. They provide the texture and flow to get the toothpaste onto the brush and keep it there. These include natural xanthum gums, seaweed colloids (carrageenan) and synthetic cellulose.1

• Flavor, color and sweetening agents make brushing enjoyable by providing visual appeal, pleasing taste and fresher breath. Specific ingredients vary, but common flavorings include spearmint and peppermint, though nowadays there seems to be toothpaste available in flavors for every taste including strawberry, bubblegum, vanilla, green tea, fennel and bacon – even scotch and bourbon. For a sweet taste, artificial sweeteners like saccharin or natural sweeteners like xylitol are added since they do not promote tooth decay.

• Antibacterial agents are added to reduce plaque growth, the sticky bacterial-laden film that forms constantly on the teeth and can eventually cause tooth decay and/or gingivitis and more serious gum diseases if not brushed away regularly. Some anti-plaque agents include triclosan and cetylpyridinum chloride.

• Detergents in toothpaste create foaming action that helps the toothpaste coat the teeth. The foam helps reduce surface tension on the tooth, and makes cleaning easier and food particles or debris less likely to reattach to the tooth before it can be spit out. They include sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulfate (SLS) and sodium N-Lauryl sarcosinate. 1 Some toothpaste users have been reported to develop canker sores as a result of an allergic reaction to SLS, but SLS-free toothpastes are available.

• Preservatives prevent the growth of microbes in the toothpaste. Methyl paraben and sodium benzoate are also commonly found in food and beverage products.

• Whiteners, desensitizers and tartar preventers Other agents appear in toothpastes that make specific claims for whitening (carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide); desensitizing sensitive root surfaces (potassium nitrate, arginine bicarbonate/calcium carbonate complex); and preventing tartar/calculus buildup (tetrapotassium pyrophosphate/tetra and disodium pyrophosphates, sodium hexametaphosphate). Even though some whitening toothpastes contain similar chemicals to those used in dental office bleaching, these toothpaste products work primarily by removing surface stains and don’t typically change the basic tooth shade like bleaching strips or bleaching treatments at a dental office.

For best tooth decay prevention, we recommend brushing with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day. So, when is the best time to become one with your favorite toothpaste? Preferably right before bed and in the morning, but soon after meals is also very effective.

1 American Dental Association. Toothpaste. http://www.ada.org/1322.aspx Accessed January 2013.

Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD is offering an opportunity to children 13 years or under to trade in their Halloween candy for cash. The buyback program is to encourage children to get rid of their excess candy. The pediatric dentist is offering $2 per-pound from November 2^nd to the 6^th.

“We want kids to have fun on Halloween, but also give them an option to do something with all that sugar,” said Dr. Verwest.

Dr. Verwest will donate the candy collected to U.S. troops overseas, as part of the Operation Gratitude care packages. Parents must have their child present with them to be eligible. There is no limit on the amount of candy that can be turned in. Candy buyback address is 8016 Summerlin Lakes Dr, Ft. Myers, FL 33907. For more information, please visit www.verwest.com and click on cash for my candy.

Pediatric Dentistry of Ft Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for over 25 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.