Yesterday, my daughter was excited about her teeth. She opened her mouth as wide as it would go to show me her molar. She wanted to point out her canine, too, but I asked her to swallow her cheese stick first. She listened when Natasha Mathias, DMD, owner of Sparkles Dentistry, talked teeth to the kindergarten classes at Northeast.
Area dentists are out on the town and in the schools right now promoting February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month. Hopefully, your child will come home with a new toothbrush and toothpaste soon–just itching to brush.
My daughter knew a lot about her pearly whites, but do you? Dr. Mathias came up with the following tooth test. Answer true or false to the statements below:
1. Cavities are contagious.
2. Juice causes cavities.
3. New Jersey’s water is fluoridated.
4. Fluoride prevents cavities.
5. Children can brush their teeth themselves.
Find out how you did on the next page….
1. True. Cavities are caused by bacteria and pass from person to person through sharing utensils, food and through contact.
2. True. Juice is a form of sugar, and sugar causes cavities.
3. False. New Jersey water is not fluoridated so children need fluoride supplements.
4. True. Fluoride taken in water or as a supplement makes the structure of developing teeth twice as resistant to cavities.
5. False. Kids need adult supervision and help with brushing their teeth until kindergarten or longer.
And, parents, you floss every day right? Right?
(Photo: Flickr)
I didn’t know #1 at all. And I thought that some NJ towns did have fluoridated water. Learn something new every day, I guess.