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to tooth decay; parents
should:
1. Provide a good diet
throughout childhood
2. Brush children’s teeth
until they’re mature
enough to do a thorough
job by themselves (usually
by 6 or 7 years old)
3. Supervise twice-daily
brushing and flossing
thereafter
4. Never put babies or
toddlers to bed
accompanied by a bottle
of milk (which contains
the natural sugar lactose),
juice, or other sweet drink
the only culprit. Although
sugary foods, including
cookies, candies, and
sodas, are major
offenders, starchy foods
(such as breads and
cereals) also play an
important part in tooth
decay. When starches mix
with amylase, an enzyme
in saliva, the result is an
acid bath that erodes the
enamel and makes teeth
more susceptible to decay.
If starchy foods linger in
the mouth, the acid bath is
prolonged, and the
potential for damage is all
the greater.
5. Never dip pacifiers in
honey or syrup
1. The sugar
factor. Sucrose, most
familiar to us as
granulated sugar, is the
leading cause of tooth
decay, but it is far from
JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE
Be careful when eating
dried fruits. Dried fruits
can have an adverse effect