Tuesday, April 19, 2011

You, your child and cavities, from 19th Street Dental

Our team at 19th Street Dental read an interesting article this morning pertaining to cavities and how bacteria spreads from parents to children, and thought we'd share the news with you, our valued patients and parents.

According to the MSNBC article, Streptococcus mutans, or MS, is a bacterium that can pass from person to person through the transfer of saliva, and is the main culprit. Bacteria have been known to spread through blowing on babies' foods, sharing household utensils and even kissing your little one. In fact, a pediatric dentistry study showed “strong evidence demonstrated that mothers are a primary source of MS colonization of their children; a few investigations showed other potential sources … notably fathers.”

Drs. Trushar Patel and Tammy Zeineddin
know tooth decay is caused by a combination of factors, including the transfer of infectious saliva, genetics, oral hygiene, and feeding practices, such as letting your baby constantly suck on a sippy cup full of juice or milk or other sugar-laden liquids.

Drs. Patel and Zeineddin would like for you to read the article and learn a bit more about the transmission of bacteria and how it might impact your child. If you have any questions about bacteria or your treatment at 19th Street Dental, please feel free to give us a call!