Halloween candy hikes risk of cavities, not just from more sugar, but from more frequent eating of it; here are tooth-friendly tips

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Halloween candy can rot your teeth.

At Halloween, the issue is not just sugar, it's how often you eat it. Often, kids bring enough candy home from trick-or-treating to last a lifetime, but then eat the candy in a few days.

Every time we eat or drink something that contains sugar or starches, bacteria in our mouth use the sugar and starch to produce acids. These acids eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities.

With Halloween candy, the problem is twofold, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Not only do kids increase the amount of sugar consumed, they also increase the frequency at which they eat it. hat increases the exposure of their teeth to sugar, which increases acid exposure, which can cause cavities.

The University of Louisville School of Dentistry has worked for the past decade to inform the students in the Jefferson County Public Schools of the increased risk of cavities during the Halloween season. Over the years, the school's program has provided more than 25,000 students with free education about oral health and general health. This year, the dentistry freshmen continued the tradition and went to more than 70 classrooms and spoke to 3,300 students about the importance of oral health, especially during the Halloween season. The focus of their discussion was to teach the students about candy and the decay process.

The Dental and Craniofacial Research Institute offers these tooth-friendly tips to decrease the chance of tooth decay, especially important during the months after Halloween, when children (and even some adults!) see increases in both volume and frequency of sugar:

Limit between-meal snacks.

Save candy, cookies, soda and other sugary drinks for special occasions.

Limit fruit juice.

Don't eat or drink anything with sugar in after bedtime tooth brushing.

Brush your teeth.

Use fluoride toothpaste, especially if you have well water or only drink bottled water.

Oral health care for the poor in Kentucky suffers under managed care as dentists leave Medicaid; how about your county?

Kentucky's serious oral-health problems are getting worse because fewer dentists are participating in the Medicaid program -- a result of "new paperwork issues compounding Medicaid's reputation" for low payments to providers, Laura Ungar reports for The Courier-Journal.

Ungar's source for that is Dr. Raynor Mullins of the College of Dentistry at the University of Kentucky, who told her that only 700 to 800 of the state's nearly 2,500 dentists, about 30 percent, accept Medicaid patients.

That makes now seem like a good time for journalists to ask their local dentists if they accept Medicaid -- and if not, why not; and if so, whether they are considering dropping it.

Ungar notes that 28 of Kentucky's 120 counties are deemed not to have enough dentists to serve the local population. Most if not all of them are rural. You can find out which counties are under-served by physical, dental or mental health providers at this federal Health Resources and Services Administration website.

Louisville dental school to mark Women's History Month with women's art and oral-health fair and reception

The University of Louisville School of Dentistry will kick off its Women's History Month celebration March 18 with "Chew Art," an all-women's art and oral-health fair and reception.

In an effort to better engage with the community on issues related to oral health, increase oral health literacy and celebrate Women's History Month, the fair will focus on specific oral health care needs of women. The school will provide oral health information, and in some cases, limited screenings for women who live with diabetes, hypertension, who are pregnant or undergoing various treatments for cancer.

But the school says this event will not be like an ordinary trip to the dentist or health fair; it will be much more exciting! It is teaming up with Kristen Hughes, Arts in Healing manager at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, to employ an innovative Arts in Health Care approach. Unlike the normal clinical environment, original works of art, created by a group of local female artists, will be on display at the fair.

The "Chew Art" event will take place Monday, March 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the newly renovated dental building at 501 S. Preston St. and will feature tapas, wine, sangria and live music in addition to the art displays.  To RSVP, email Deborah Wade at D0wade01@louisville.edu.

Diabetes can cause gum disease and tooth decay

Though it's commonly known that diabetes can affect organ function and eyesight, an oral-health expert points out that the disease can also cause tooth decay and gum disease.

"Diabetics with uncontrolled glucose levels tend to develop more gum disease and may lose more teeth than diabetics who have good control of their glucose levels," writes Dr. John Novak, associate director of University of Kentucky's Center for Oral Health Research, in an op-ed piece for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A high carbohydrate/sugar diet can also lead to high levels of sugar in the blood, which can hamper the way the body deals with infection, he writes. Gum disease may be the result because the gums are inflamed by the increased levels of bacteria living in the mouth.

Diabetes can also cause dry mouth, which "creates the perfect environment for the growth of bacterial plaque and for fungal infections such as thrush," he writes. To avoid these problems, Novak recommends brushing teeth and gums twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing every day and using fluoride mouth wash before going to bed.

Signs of tooth decay or gum disease include tender gums that bleed easily when brushing or flossing; teeth sensitive to hot or cold temperatures; loose or broken teeth; sores, ulcers or a burning sensation in the mouth; and bad breath or a bad taste. (Read more)

Smile Kentucky! celebrates 10 years and more than 100,000 children helped

Smile Kentucky! celebrates its 10-year anniversary tomorrow, representing $1 million in free dentistry and benefiting more than 100,000 students.

"It's a wonderful program," said Arleta Watkins of Bullitt County Schools. "I've had children who've never had a dental exam before. They get that service for free."

The program serves children in Louisville and nearby counties. Since it began, more than 127,000 students in 143 schools and 11 counties have received classroom dental education, 35,000 kids have gotten free dental screenings at school and nearly 3,000 children have received free treatment.

Smile Kentucky! works with 30 elementary schools in Jefferson and surrounding counties each fall. Students receive dental education, and children in grades 3 to 6 get a free dental screening. Children without dental insurance or medical care get free treatments by going to the University of Louisville's School of Dentistry or private dental offices in February.

"Dental pain and infection is one of the leading causes of missed days at school and affects a child's ability to concentrate," said John Sauk, dean of U of L's School of Dentistry.

U of L is one of 30 agencies on the steering committee. Other founding partners include the Louisville Water Co.,  the Louisville Dental Society, Colgate, Sullivan Schein Dental, Northwest Area Health Education Center and the Bullitt County Health Department.

For more information about Smile Kentucky!, click here.

$45 million renovation complete at U of L School of Dentistry

The University of Louisville announced the completion of a $45 million renovation to its School of Dentistry last week. The two-year project added 20,000 square feet and renovated another 211,000. Enhancements include "updates to infrastructure, operatory equipment and clinical education support. Other features include new digital radiography, incorporation of an electronic health records system and state-of-the-art classroom technology. Improvements in patient waiting rooms and clinical space include new chairs, lighting, cabinetry and touch screen computer terminals," a press release said.

"These upgrades are critical to competing nationally for high-quality students, recruiting talented faculty and attracting patients who need care and who augment the education experience of our students," said Dr. David Dunn, U of L executive vice president for health affairs. (Read more)