Don't infect your child with YOUR toothdecay

We all do it- In an effort to wean toddlers off the bottle we try to encourage them to eat real food. There is more to tooth decay than badgering kids to brush and floss. Tooth decay is caused by a bacteria that is more easily passed from a Mom than a Dad (not sure about Granddads...)

If you've just stumbled onto this blog and like it you might want to subscribe to our  RSS feed and  subscribe to Subjective Reality via Email to ensure you can enjoy the latest post(s).

The bacteria behind tooth decay is called mutans streptococcus

Tooth decay begins with a group of germs called mutans streptococcus. "The bacteria feed on sugar and produce acid that eats away at the structure of teeth by depleting calcium," explains Parents advisor Burton Edelstein, D.D.S., founding director of the Children's Dental Health Project. The bacteria also create plaque -- a yellowish film that builds up on teeth and contains even more enamel-eroding acid. Once an area without calcium becomes big enough, the surface of the tooth collapses, and that's a cavity.

Source: http://www.parents.com/baby/health/teething/cavities/

Tooth decay is:

Caused by a bacteria

Spreads easily between family members

Can last a lifetime

"it's more common among young children than any other chronic illness, including asthma and diabetes."

My daughter found this article on parents.com, it was news to me and felt I should pass it on to my readers here.

The article goes on to say:

Babies are born without any of these harmful bacteria in their mouth, and studies have proven that moms (rather than dads) typically infect their children before age 2.

It happens when you transfer your saliva into your child's mouth -- by repeatedly eating from the same spoon as your baby, for example, or letting your toddler brush his teeth with your toothbrush.

More stuff I didn't know is that 80% of cavities happen in just 25% of children.
Cavities have more to do with this family passed bacteria than they do with kids not brushing their teeth (and it's NOT because they have faulty tooth enamel or 'soft teeth')

Moral of this story?

Do NOT feed your toddler from food YOU ate off of.
Don't even use the same spoon!

I just got used to the fact that when I go outside to smoke a cigarette, I have to wash my hands to keep the noxious fumes from getting all over my granddaughters toys, I have to wash my face before I pick her up to kiss her and now I've got to brush my teeth more?

Geez, I've got to quit smoking... this is too much work.

Watching my granddaughter is the most fun I've had in 2 dozen years!



Want more of this? Get each new blog post in your email. Look for the 'Delivered by Feedburner' subscribe box on the left side of this blog. Feedburner is owned by Google, so you've no worries about being spammed.

Shoulda checked the domain name first

I've not posted to this blog in over a month, partly because of the holidays and partly because I failed to do my market research before choosing the blogs name.

Someone already grabbed Grand daddy day care dot com and I can't get it.

I may change the title of this blog... not sure yet.

Baby Boomer Day Care?

nah, sounds like a senior citizen day care.

How about Granddaddybabysits?

I'll think of something



I do have quite a few articles to post... will do so

Happy New Year!!! forgot to say that.





Want more of this? Get each new blog post in your email. Look for the 'Delivered by Feedburner' subscribe box on the left side of this blog. Feedburner is owned by Google, so you've no worries about being spammed.