Lesson 1:
Summer time + hot weather= lots of yummy treats and drinks
Yummy treats + drinks= SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR
SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR= Bad Bacteria Bugs that eat holes in your teeth (Ewww!!)
We don’t want holes in our teeth, right? Does that mean that we have to say “goodbye” to soda and candy forever?
No. We just need to remember The Croc Doc’s Rule. We all know “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away” right?
So now let’s put on our memory caps…
Dr. Parco and Croc say: “A treat once a day won’t cause tooth decay. Hooray!”
Tooth decay is fancy for holes in your teeth, and sugary drinks and treats do cause tooth decay. But only when you eat and drink sugar every meal, every day, all day long. So the good news is; a little sip of soda or a bite of mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies every once in a while won’t ruin your pretty smile!
Take home: (For moms and dads)
What Causes Tooth Decay?
Four things are necessary for cavities to form — a tooth, bacteria, sugars or other carbohydrates and time. Dental plaque is a thin, sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyone’s teeth. When you eat, the sugars in your food cause the bacteria in plaque to produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. With time and repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down and a cavity forms. Safe sugar practices are to always use moderation and know that one soda once in awhile will not hurt your child’s teeth. It is the repeated exposure to the acid that will do the damage. So remember mom and dad, “A treat once a day, won’t cause tooth decay!”
