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Sipping, snacking and tooth decay




Many parents across the country will issue a common refrain at dinnertime tonight: "You’d better eat that--it’s good for you"


There’s another old favorite in the parental arsenal of dietary admonitions: "Don’t eat that — it’ll rot your teeth!"


Now more than ever, kids are faced with a bewildering array of food choices; from fresh produce to sugar-laden processed convenience meals and snack foods. What children eat and when they eat it may affect not only their general health but also their oral health.


Americans are consuming foods and drinks high in sugar and starches more often and in larger portions than ever before. It’s clear that junk foods and drinks gradually have replaced nutritious beverages and foods for many people. For example, in the U.S., on average, individuals consume approximately 50 gallons of sugary beverages per year! Alarmingly, a steady diet of sugary foods and drinks can ruin teeth, especially among those who snack throughout the day. Common activities may contribute to the tendency toward tooth decay. These include ― grazing habitually on foods with minimal nutritional value, and frequently sipping on sugary drinks. Consuming too much sugar can also affect your overall health, such as becoming overweight/obese, or getting heart disease or type 2 diabetes.


When sugar is consumed over and over again in large, often hidden amounts, the harmful effect on teeth can be dramatic. Sugar on teeth provides food for bacteria, which produce acid. The acid in turn can eat away the enamel on teeth.


Almost all foods have some type of sugar that cannot and should not be eliminated from our diets. Many of these foods contain important nutrients and add enjoyment to eating. But there is a risk for tooth decay from a diet high in sugars and starches. Starches can be found in everything from bread to pretzels to salad dressing, so read labels and plan carefully for a balanced, nutritious diet for you and your kids.


Reduce your children’s risk of tooth decay:

  • Sugary foods and drinks should be consumed with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.

  • Limit between-meal snacks. If kids crave a snack, offer them nutritious foods.

  • If your kids chew gum, make it sugarless

  • Chewing sugarless gum after eating can increase saliva flow and help wash out food and decay-producing acid.

  • Monitor beverage consumption

  • Children should make healthy beverage choices such water and low-fat milk.

  • Help your children develop good brushing and flossing habits.

  • Schedule regular dental visits.

 
 
 

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Northeast Missouri Health Council
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Northeast Family Health

1506 Crown Drive       

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone:  (660) 627-4493

After Hours: 1-844-820-9111

Hours:

Monday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Tues/Wed/Thurs: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Fri: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Northeast Pediatrics 

402 W. Jefferson Suite A

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone:  (660) 627-2229

After Hours: 1-833-745-2217

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

OB/GYN Specialty Group 

402 W. Jefferson Suite B

Kirksville, MO 63501

Phone: (660) 665-3555

After Hours: 660-785-1750

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Edina Family Health

104 E. Jackson

Edina, MO  63537

Phone: (660) 397-3517

After Hours: 1-844-820-9111

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Northeast Dental 

402 W. Jefferson Suite C

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone:  (660) 665-2741

After Hours: 1-866-292-7780

Hours: 7:45 a.m.-11:45 p.m. & 12:45 p.m.-4:45

Macon Family Health & Macon Dental

209 N. Missouri

Macon, MO  63552

Phone:  (660) 395-5045

After Hours: Medical: 1-844-820-9111

After Hours Dental: 1-866-292-7780

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Memphis Community Health Center

118 Grand Ave.

Memphis, MO  63555

Phone:  (660) 465-7522

After Hours: 1-844-820-9111

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Kahoka Dental 

22291 US Highway 136

Kahoka, MO  63445

Phone: (660) 727-1500

After Hours: 1-866-292-7780

Hours: M, T, W, F 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Thursday: 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Northeast Family Health - Milan 

52334 S. Business Highway 5

Milan, MO  63556

Phone: (660) 265-1042

After Hours: 1-844-820-9111

Hours:

Mon - Thurs: 7:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Friday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Northeast Behavioral Health 

1410 Crown Drive

Kirksville, MO 63501

Phone: (660) 627-3621

After Hours: 1-800-356-5395

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Envision Wellness

1506 Crown Drive

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone: (660) 627-4493,  Ext. 412

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Kirksville Veterans Clinic

506 Rosewood Drive

Kirksville, MO 63501

Phone: (660) 627-8387

After Hours: 1-800-349-8262

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Business Office

1416 Crown Drive

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone: (660) 627-5757, Ext. 6

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Administrative Offices 

1416 Crown Drive

Kirksville, MO  63501

Phone:  (660) 627-5757 

Hours: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. & 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

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