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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Too much of a good thing ... yeah, this saying applies to exercise, too. While it is very important to always push yourself hard during workouts, going TOO far (or too often, too long, too much, etc.) can lead to over-training.

When this happens, you actually start regressing. Muscle wasting occurs, body fat storage can increase, and immune suppression can lead to sickness and infection. One of the major reasons for these physiological responses to over-training is the release of excess amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. And while coritsol's body-busting affects have been known for quite some time, new research shows that it may also have a negative effect on your gums.

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology (a must for all summer reading lists) indicates that cortisol can worsen elements of gum disease. Bad bones, bad body, and now bad teeth? Man, that cortisol is some nasty stuff.

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My kid got a cavity. Just had it filled recently. It cost me a bundle and makes me rethink getting dental insurance. It also makes me rethink what I need to do to ensure my two little guys do the very best they can with their pearly whites.

Of course, they need to brush. If I had it my way, they'd brush after eating, every time they eat. But this is hard since they spend a few hours each week day in school and I can't realistically mandate classroom brushing after snacks and lunch. I can be vigilant at home, though. I can hover like a helicopter over them, judging their respective techniques. Let's face it: Kids left to their own brushing devices will cheat, even if unaware their form is not exactly right.

My boys can floss -- and they do -- but as a team, we can do better. We can also swirl around a little mouthwash. And use this cool pink solution the dentist gave us (well, sold us) that marks the hiding places of food bits. And my favorite: We can cut down on sugary, sticky, sweet treats. We've got them down to a pretty good minimum but there's always room for improvement.

What can you do to treasure your kids' teeth? Visit this American Dental Association site for age-appropriate practices.

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For the first time ever, a sweet tooth could be beneficial for... well... your teeth. A UCLA scientist has developed a lollipop that helps fight cavities. The developer of the lollipop studied more than 2,000 different herbs in an attempt to find a combination that would naturally fight the bacteria that leads to cavities. The surprising winner was licorice. When prepared a certain way -- soaked and then turned into a powder by evaporating all the liquid -- licorice root offers protection against cavities.

The lollipop's creator claims that if you suck on one of these herbal lollipops twice a day (e.g. one in the morning and another in the evening) for 10 days, your teeth will be protected from cavities for 3-6 months. Then you can start the lollipop-process all over again. Using the lollipops doesn't replace brushing/flossing your teeth or visiting the dentist, of course. It's just touted as extra protection against cavities.

Because the lollipops are all natural, herb-based products they don't require FDA approval. Therefore, none of the claims have been tested or verified by the FDA.

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I love the mini lessons my kids get at school about health, nutrition, and fitness. What they learn is not abundant by any means but when words of wisdom come their way, I'm truly thankful for them.

Yesterday, my first grader came home with his February Weekly Reader. It happens to be Dental Health Week at many schools across the country and so this issue was all about Terrific Teeth. Here's what my grade schooler learned.

Brush
Brush your teeth at least two times a day. Brush the outside and the inside of your teeth. Gently brush your tongue too.

Floss
Floss your teeth once a day. Ask a grown-up to help you.

Get Checkups
Visit a dentist two times each year.

Eat Healthful Foods
Eat foods that are good for your teeth. Drink a lot of milk too.

My preschooler learned a thing or two as well. He even had a dentist visit his classroom and was gifted with a new toothbrush, floss, and a timer so he can monitor how long he brushes. Two minutes is the goal and already, my littlest guy is watching his pink sand drizzle to the bottom of its hourglass while he brushes and brushes and brushes.

If you find you can borrow from this elementary dental lesson, please do. If your kids would benefit from it, please pass it on.

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When you're a young child going to the dentist, it can be scary. Not everyone feels comfortable sitting in that big chair with a huge light hovering over his or her head. But when someone is an adult and still gets chills when thinking about a supposedly trustworthy dentist working on their mouth, something is wrong.

That describes the feeling of one person who fell victim to a crook who just so happened to work on teeth too. Dentists are fantastic, but like in any job, some are out for money (and not your well-being). Take this guy who was profiled by ABC News as an example. He put a lot of people in unnecessary pain and now serves time in jail for it -- not to mention a slew of lawsuits from ex-patients.

Phantom billing is another way to subtly charge someone's insurance for services never actually performed. It can drive huge amounts of money and max out your benefits if left unchecked. While this is certainly not an epidemic, it goes without saying that you should stay keen. Some people may not have to worry about this issue, as they see the same professional year in and year out. But be wary of sudden surgeries or get a second opinion if insurance won't cover certain expenses. However, if you have a family doctor that you already entrust your dental care with, no need to worry!

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Ok, so proper dental hygene is an important thing -- we all know that. But brushing your teeth is not only good for your dental health, but your waistline too! Let me explain:

After each meal, brush your teeth. This isn't just to get the food off of them--it will also keep you from snacking after meals. It's a practice that is especially effective in the nighttime -- brushing your teeth shortly after dinner will keep you from snacking in front of the TV because firstly, food won't taste as good when your mouth is minty fresh, and secondly, you won't want to re-do the whole teeth routine before you hit the sack.

Brushing your teeth can also be invigorating; In fact, when I need a quick pick-me-up, I find that brushing my teeth is often more effective than downing a cup of coffee.

I am officially addicted to brushing my teeth! A few weeks ago I got hold of the new Triumph with SmartGuide toothbrush by Oral-B and have been doing that weird licking the front of my teeth thing since. I've always used plain old no-frills toothbrushes, but just recently got to thinking that it wasn't doing the job. Kind of like cleaning your dinner table with a napkin. It removes the big crumbs on the surface, but doesn't really get all the dinner goo that truly needs to be removed. The Triumph is the equivalent of using a scrubby sponge with soap on that table. It does the job a toothbrush is really supposed to do.

Not only do my teeth feel like I've just visited a dental hygienist every day, but brushing has become a strangely enjoyable challenge. The Triumph comes with a neat SmartGuide wireless monitor (a personal trainer for your teeth). The SmartGuide gives me the goal of brushing for two minutes, and encourages me to spend 30 seconds on each quadrant of my mouth. I'm totally in to this. And when I hit the two minute mark.....the monitor gives me a happy face! Woo-hoo! If I keep going, the monitor will wink at me. Who couldn't use a little wink to start your day, right?

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This story scares me a little: there really wasn't anything obviously done wrong in a dentist's office here in the U.S. when a rare case of patient-to-patient Hepatitis B transmission took place.

Investigators narrowed it down to a 36 year old woman who had several teeth extracted hours before a woman who came in after her ended up infected by the time she went home. Yeah, you're thinking this was some slummy office where they don't follow universal precautions properly, but it wasn't. The investigators have no idea what went wrong, they're just guessing that a spot must have been missed in the cleaning process. After all, the Hepatitis virus can live invisibly for up to a week on a dry surface.

Creepy.

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Okay, so here's some cool technology: a hand held device that can assess dental disease in mere minutes. With just a drop or two of your saliva, the handy gadget can analyze proteins and chemistry to not only determine if you have periodontal disease but also how severe the case is. The researchers are hopeful that in the future this technology can be used to help with identifying other diseases, like prostate and breast cancer.

The article compares it to a Star Trek tricorder, but I don't remember the tricorder needing spit samples.

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There is nothing worse than that horrible stinging piercing grating nerve pain that comes right when you bite into something hot, or cold, or sweet, or sour...you get the idea. Sensitive teeth stink.

There are some things you can do to make them less bothersome, though, like simply switching to a softer toothbrush and using toothpaste and mouthwash specifically designed for sensitive teeth. Other than that you'll probably have to ask your dentist for advice, and learn what's causing your sensitivity in the first place. Usually it's receding gums exposing roots, in which case working to prevent that from getting any worse becomes a priority. There's no easy fix, so maybe finding and avoiding problematic foods could help? Any ideas that work for you?

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In a study of 120 people suffering from severe cases of gum disease (periodontitis), those who received more aggressive treatment showed healthier cardiovascular systems in the long run.

The participants were split into two groups, one receiving standard gum disease treatment (having teeth scraped and polished) while the other received more aggressive therapy (anesthesia with below the gum-line plaque removal, and possible teeth extractions). Although at first it appeared the standard-treatment group was doing better, in the long run (2+ months) the aggressive-therapy group had much improved blood vessel health.

It's like that song "the hip bone's connected to the leg bone," but it's your heart and teeth instead.

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I remember hearing somewhere that one of the dirtiest and germiest places around is the human mouth. With that in mind, it is absolutely amazing to me that the toothbrush, which gets used to clean that grimy place every morning and every night, doesn't need any more attention than just a quick rinse under running water and a toss into the brush holder.

And really, it doesn't. You can check out this list of tips from the American Dental Association, but it basically says that if you don't share your toothbrush, do allow it to air dry thoroughly, and do replace it every three months, you're doing just fine.

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Having whiter teeth can brighten your whole appearance, making you look younger and more attractive almost instantly. And whether you have it done professionally at the dentist's office, or use a do-it-yourself kit at home, it's a pretty basic process.

All teeth whiteners do their whitening with peroxide, and they only differ in how the peroxide is delivered and how strong the peroxide concentration is. You'll get a much stronger and more effective treatment at the dentist, but it'll cost a lot more too. And if you have dull teeth you should know that smoking and coffee-drinking aren't the only culprits -- things like blueberries, red wine, and even tomato sauce can cause discoloration. Also, you won't get the effect you want if you have gum disease so don't even bother (unless you're going for a two-tone look).

Whitening your teeth is really just a cleaning process that has surprisingly few side-effects, so if you're looking to give your looks a boost it might be something to consider. Just make sure you don't overdo it and end up with a glow-in-the-dark/Cheshire cat smile!

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Over the past few years, the debate about the safety of amalgam dental fillings - the silver kind which contain the toxic metal mercury - has grown.

A good friend of mine recently had all her silver tooth fillings drilled out, then underwent two rounds of intravenous chelation therapy and colon hydrotherapy to remove the released mercury from her system. On the other hand, my dentist has advised me that the worst way to deal with silver fillings is to drill them, a practice which would release more toxic materials and vapors into my body than simply living with the filllings in my mouth. As the debate continues in the health communtiy, I wonder if we'll ever know which approach is most sound?

The US Food and Drug Administration recently reviewed 34 studies of amalgam tooth fillings that contain the toxic metal mercury, and yesterday announced its conclusion that the use of such fillings is not harmful. Of course this will not convince anyone who strongly believes otherwise - chief among them proponents of naturopathy - and some concerned individuals have already alleged that this government conclusion is driven by politics and not concerns for the health of U.S. citizens. In fairness to these amalgam filling opponents, here is a link to holisticmed.com with a list of arguments against mercury filllings and their opinions as to their dangers.

Regardless of the FDA's conclusion that mercury fillings are safe in the mouth, its sister agency the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) does advise against using mercury in voodoo rituals, a practice which the EPA is not keen on regulating, since it may violate the U.S. guarantee of freedom of religion.

[Photo by d&e.]