This Month's Topic: Strong and Healthy Teeth
by Dominick DePaola, DDS, PhD, ScD

Dr. DePaola is the CEO and President of Forsyth Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. He is widely regarded as an expert on nutrition and its relationship to dental health and disease prevention. Dr. DePaola serves on the editorial board of The American Journal of Dentistry and has published numerous professional articles on nutrition and dental health. The National Institutes of Health and the American Dental Association are among the many organizations with which he works. As this month's familyfoodzone expert, Dr. DePaola responds to questions about nutrition and children's dental health.

In general, what can parents do to keep their children's teeth and gums healthy?

There are a number of things. Most importantly, parents need to make sure children:

• Brush every day in the morning after eating and before bed. The recommendation for adults is to brush for at least two minutes. This may be unrealistic for children. The goal with children is to make brushing a habit.
• Floss regularly, just like adults. Brushing is not enough because it does not remove plaque and food from between the teeth. Again, the goal is to make it a habit.
• Eat a balanced diet that has a variety of foods from the Food Guide Pyramid.
• Visit a dentist regularly, and have the dentist evaluate whether putting sealants on the teeth's chewing surfaces is a good idea.

In addition to regular brushing and flossing, how important is a balanced diet?

It's absolutely critical for two reasons. First, as the teeth form and mineralize, they need adequate calcium and phosphorus to form a hard structure. This takes place over a long period of time. Having an adequate amount of the right minerals during growth is critical for healthy teeth. Second, an adequate diet is important for a healthy immune system. The gums act as a barrier for the high concentration of bacteria in the mouth. Healthy gums ward off challenges from bacteria.

We tell kids to drink milk for strong teeth and bones. From a dentist's point of view, how important are milk and dairy products in keeping teeth healthy?

Calcium is very important as teeth form, and milk and dairy products are the best source of calcium. More and more research shows that milk and dairy products can play a role in preventing cavities.

• Children build most of their bone during the childhood and teen years, and this includes the bones that support the teeth. So adequate calcium intake during childhood and adolescence is important for helping children develop healthy teeth and for maintaining healthy teeth throughout adulthood.
• Many studies show that eating dairy products — especially cheese — after meals or snacks helps to prevent the bacterial coating on the teeth from converting food sugars to acid. This reduces the risk for cavities. Cheese also stimulates saliva flow, which helps to clear acids from the mouth that cause cavities.
• Dairy products — again, especially cheese — can actually prevent teeth from losing minerals. In some people, it even helps teeth to add back minerals.
• Some studies show that proteins and phosphorus in milk may reduce the risk for cavities.

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