A Quick Bite

   Tooth decay, in the form of dental cavities or caries, is a common health problem, second in prevalence only to the common cold.  Most people understand that candy and soda are bad for teeth but do not realize that all carbohydrates foods play a role in tooth decay. 

All carbohydrates are not the same nutritionally but they all are made up of long chains of sugar.  Some carbohydrate foods, such as soda, candy, table sugar, and honey, are simple chains of sugar.  Other carbohydrates, such as grains, fruits, and milk products, are more complex chains and may contain additional nutrients. How are all carbohydrates related to tooth decay?  The bacteria living in plaque, the sticky film coating the outer surface of teeth, feed on sugar and when they do so, produce an acid which destroys the tooth.  Any carbohydrate that is left behind on the teeth can be food for the bacteria. 

Repeated productions of acid can increase the risk of dental caries because the tooth does not have time to recover.  Therefore, small amounts of carbohydrates eaten throughout the day are more damaging than large amounts eaten less frequently.   This spells bad news for kids because snack time is often a favorite time of day and crackers and fruit leather a major snack time preference. 

Bottom line: For happier teeth, steer your child away from constant snacking on carbohydrates throughout the day. Replace those carbohydrates with foods containing protein, which is not used by the bacteria.  Sorry Goldfish and fruit leather – the gig is up.

  Bacteria live naturally in our digestive tract as “defenders of the gut”, helping with nutrition, digestion, and immunity.  One recent trend in nutrition is to consume more bacteria in the diet to ramp up these activities in the gut, thereby promoting health.  The live microorganisms in the diet are termed probiotics.  Probiotics are found in fermented foods but in the US, these foods are limited and often do not contain live cultures in the final products.  The best source in the US for live and active cultures other than probiotic supplements is fermented dairy, such as kefir, yogurt, and cheese.  There are also many nutrition bars and drinks emerging on the market but their probiotic content and efficacy are unclear. 

Now for the two million dollar question – should I give my child probiotics?   Hard to say.  No two types, or strains, of bacteria have the same effect in the gut.  Thus, it is hard to determine which strain of bacteria at which dosage helps with which health issue.  One area that looks promising is antibiotic-induced diarrhea.  Antibiotics can eliminate all bacteria in the gut, both good and bad, frequently resulting in diarrhea.  Current research suggests that probiotics, taken anytime up to two months after antibiotic use, may help prevent this.   For infectious diarrhea, the kind that spreads like prairie fire through kids, the research is not quite as strong.  Probiotics may help decrease the duration of diarrhea by roughly one day.  For lactose intolerance, allergies, and certain diseases, research still needs more time to fully examine probiotics, including best strains, delivery, and dosages, especially for supplemental use of probiotics.    

Check out www.usprobiotics.org for more information.

The arrival of clementines in the grocery store easily marks the start of the winter season.  Clementines, those juicy miniature oranges, make a terrific snack as they are easy to pack, easy to peel, and full of vitamin C. 

Vitamin C is needed for normal growth and development.  It helps in the repair and maintenance of teeth, bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels, aids in the absorption of iron, and is needed for wound healing.  Thus, signs of a vitamin C deficiency, which is also known as scurvy (listen up all you pirates out there), are dry and splitting hair, inflamed or bleeding gums, rough, dry, or scaly skin, poor wound healing, nosebleeds, and tooth decay.  Being a water soluble, vitamin C can not be stored by body and unused amounts of the vitamin leave the body through urine.  Therefore, a daily supply of vitamin C is needed in the diet.  All fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits, are major sources of vitamin C. 

Now, for the question on the minds of everyone in the midst of a roaring cold and flu season – does a large dose of vitamin C prevent or treat the common cold?  At least 30 major clinical trials have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation at preventing and/or treating colds but to date, none have proven a significant effect.  So, while clementines sure are tasty to eat, they and other vitamin C sources have nothing on good old hand-washing for keeping colds and flu at bay.