Genuine Preventive Dentistry. . - Book Corners - Healthy Teeth for Kids - book review

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  April, 2002  by Jule Klotter

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Healthy Teeth for Kids

by Jerome S. Mittelman, DDS, Beverly D. Mittelman, BS, CNC, Jean Barilla, MS Kensington Publishing Corp., 850 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022 USA; www.kensingtonbooks.com Softbound, ISBN 1-57566-611-1, c. 2001, 288 pp, $14

For most people, preventive dental care means regular brushing and flossing, going to the dentist for a cleaning, and maybe fluoride treatments. Healthy Teeth for Kids by Jerome S. Mittelman, DDS, Beverly D. Mittelman, BS, CNC, and Jean Barilla, MS, revises that common definition. Few people realize that the condition of one's teeth actually begins with the nutritional condition of the birth mother. The authors emphasize the importance of nutrition (before and after birth), and of breastfeeding or using naturally-shaped artificial nipples to prevent caries, orthodontic problems, and gum disease in children. The book also includes information on long-accepted, but toxic, dental practices, such as the use of fluoride and mercury fillings, and suggestions for making childhood trips to the dentist a positive experience.

In the book's introduction Jean Barilla states: "Healthy cells make healthy bodies. Good nutrition produces healthy cells. If you feed your cells the nutrients they need to be the best they can be, the whole body will be healthy, including the cells that will form your child's teeth." Healthy Teeth for Kids discusses important nutrients and gives valuable dietary advice for prospective mothers. For example, 30 mg/day of vitamin B6 significantly reduces morning sickness. Vitamin C is needed for healthy gums and to make collagen, a protein found in all connective tissue - including the amniotic sac. It is also necessary for wound repair and for strong immune functioning. Since the embryo depends, from the very beginning, upon the nutrients available in the mother's body, the authors state that eating a healthful diet even before getting pregnant is really the key to a preventive health and dental program. Their nutritional advice extends to after the child is born and develops teeth.

Once the child is born, the authors advocate breast-feeding to provide the best nutrition for good health and for proper jaw and teeth development. As they point out, "[s]uckling at the breast requires the use of different muscles than does bottle feeding. When a baby breast-feeds, more energy is used, and the muscles around the mouth are used more efficiently in order to draw the nipple and much of the areola well back into the mouth." Bottle-feeding encourages abnormal tongue and swallowing movements. Instead of using the tongue to move milk backward into the throat, bottle-fed infants push their tongues forward against artificial nipples to slow the flow of milk. This forward tongue movement during swallowing, which becomes habitual, can push teeth out of alignment. Children who were bottle-fed are more likely to have crooked teeth than those who were breast-fed. In addition, bottle-fed babies tend to become mouth-breathers, leading to dry mouth. Dry-mouth in combination with sugary foods, including fruit juice, contributes to plaque and leads to tooth decay. When breastfeeding is not an option, the authors recommend using a NukSauger (aka Nuk) nipple sold by Gerber because it is shaped like a natural nipple, thus requiring the baby to use the same muscles and swallowing techniques as if (s)he were breast-feeding.

The thoroughness with which the authors explain the importance of good nutrition and the development of tongue and swallowing movements extends to their suggestions concerning early dental care. Healthy Teeth for Kids urges parents to take their toddlers to pediatric dentists who are trained in behavioral techniques for working with young children. Some of these techniques are included in the book to help parents lessen anxiety and foster a positive relationship between their children and the dental staff. The authors urge the reader "...to be an involved parent. Speak up. Ask questions about what will be done. If you are not comfortable with what the dentist wants to do, get another opinion." The book includes information about the health risks of common dental practices, such as the use of fluoride and silver amalgam fillings. It also offers some alternatives for preventing dental caries such as the use of plastic sealants, which are painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth.

Healthy Teeth for Kids is packed with wonderful information that will help parents (and practitioners) make choices that contribute to healthy, well-aligned teeth. My only wish is that some of the information, which I had not read before, had been footnoted so that I could have learned more.

COPYRIGHT 2002 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group