It's no surprise that candy isn't good for dental health. But as popularity of sour candies rises, so does the rate of tooth decay.

Most of these sour candies have extremely low pH levels -- as a comparison, battery acid has a pH level of 1 as do many of these candies. Some of the candies are so acidic they can cause permanent damage to tooth enamel -- particularly in young children whose protective enamel is immature. Gummy and sticky candies seem to cause the most damage because of the length of time kids suck on them before chewing and swallowing.

While it's best to avoid these treats altogether, if you're going to let your children indulge, make sure they don't suck or chew on them for a long time and have them rinse their mouths with water afterwards. A glass of milk can also help neutralize the acid from the candy. Don't have your ckids brush their teeth immediately after eating sour candy -- brushing the surface after an acid attack can actually increase the damage the acid causes.

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I tell my kids we eat nutritious snacks to keep our bodies healthy. I often neglect to tell them that good-for-you-foods are also key for healthy teeth. We're all about keeping our teeth in tip-top shape here in our house -- we brush lots, floss, and visit our dentist several times per year -- so it seems we need to remember which healthy foods will keep our mouths in fighting shape.

Sticky snacks and sugary drinks are definite no-nos. Fortunately, we steer clear of all juices and try to limit the sticky stuff as much as possible. Tara Gidus, a dentist in Orlando, Florida suggests a snack like a small turkey roll-up with a slice of cheese and a piece of lettuce. The cheese is key -- some studies suggest cheeses like aged cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and processed American (yes, processed), may protect against cavities. It's the calcium, phosphorus, and casein (a protein found in dairy products) that give cheese the power of prevention.

Other great snacks and drinks:

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Bulimia nervosa, like anorexia nervosa, is an eating disorder that centers around control. One of the most common eating disorders, bulimia is characterized by consuming large amounts of food and then ridding the stomach of its contents by way of vomiting, over-exercising, or use of laxatives.

Eating to excess (called the "binge") is comforting to bulimics. But eating too much causes them to feel out of control. They also feel guilt, shame, and a fear of weight gain which causes them to "purge." This "binge and purge" cycle is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious and long-term health problems, like tooth decay, gum disease, loss of tooth enamel, osteoporosis, kidney damage, heart problems, and even death.

Because bulimia is harder to recognize than anorexia -- the symptoms are more subtle and bulimics are not always thin -- awareness is critical. Please consider these symptoms and physical effects of bulimia.

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If you're into the natural way to feed babies, then some good news this week: previous studies that linked breastfeeding and tooth decay (and cavities) were disputed by a new study that quashed any link between the two.

Prior studies showed little evidence that breastfeeding caused tooth decay problems in infants, so this new study hopefully will put the issue to rest. Breastfeeding is the best way possible to nourish that new baby, and it's hard to believe that possibly cavities could be a result.

The new study looked at 1,500 children aged two to five that were breastfed and whaddayaknow -- there was zero correlation between that activity and anything related to dental problems with their teeth. However, enter in a mother who smokes, ears poorly or does drugs, and the breast milk may not be all that healthy after all.

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Fluoride is an amazing compound. Since being added to our community water supplies, the occurrence of tooth decay has dropped as much as 40 percent in some places. But considering fluoride is now a part of the water which we use to cook, clean and eat with, skeptics are saying too much of a good thing is bad.

Of course, skeptics can find fault in just about anything we use regularly nowadays. A group called the Fluoride Action Network is waging a crusade against fluoride, citing that too much can actually hurt your teeth (discoloration called fluorosis). In an attempt to scare away the public, they even cite studies which show how excessive amounts of fluoride can cause reduced thyroid activity, IQ deficits, premature puberty and... bone cancer?

It's in your toothpaste, baby formula, soda, juice, and cooking, but is fluoride something you should be scared of? We've been consuming the compound in our water for over 50 years now, so in other words "No." I cannot imagine why fluoride would be an issue now after being used for so long.

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Growing up, my grandfather who was an ancient physician used to keep sodas and other carbonated drinks under lock and key. No joke: it was water, milk or prune juice on a daily basis. Coca-cola was only for very rare occasions. Like this article points out, if you've ever seen a science fair project demonstrating the effects of soda on teeth, it's easy to see why he would want to limit the intake in such a way.

But Coke isn't the only thing you should watch out. Other sugary beverages like sports drinks or even fruit juice have an acidic base that is doubly dangerous for pretty smiles. A great suggestion for bypassing your teeth when drinking these things is to use a straw (it can also avoid staining them).

So what about bread, chips and all that other good stuff? Well apparently anything sticky like that can cling to teeth and cause cavities. Don't be surprised: they can hang out in your mouth for 20 minutes after eating! What can you do? Try brushing afterward, or if that isn't an option drink some water and chew sugarless gum to break up that clinging material. Those are some things to keep an eye on, but thankfully there's a "smile saver" list of foods that benefit a good smile too. These include apples, cheese and even tea! Read on for more.

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