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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Want whiter and brighter teeth? Look no further than your food. Grab an apple, some carrots, a cucumber now and then and you'll scrub your stains away. It's the abrasive or crunchy quality of these foods that do the trick, says Elisa Mello, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. Items to avoid: Red wine, coffee, and cola, which may darken your pearly whites.

Another cleaning trick, says Mello for Woman's Day magazine (July 8, 2008), is to sip staining beverages through a straw and then chase with plenty of water to prevent them from leaving a mark.

For more tips on eating for healthy teeth, check out fatfreekitchen.com.

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Want to know another reason -- beyond those you can already think of -- why you should keep doing all those pull-ups, running all those miles, hiking all those trails, swimming all those laps, and playing all those sports? See how this one suits you: staying out of the dentist's chair.

The Journal of Periodontology reports that regular exercise can greatly reduce a person's risk of gum disease. In tests, men who put in a solid 45-minute workout three times a week were 40 percent less likely to develop gum problems than men who avoided workouts like ... well, like most people avoid the dentist.

Maintaining healthy gums is important for overall health. Numerous studies have linked periodontal disease to more serious health issues, such as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

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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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Like most women I know, I schedule my annual and semi-annual exams when it works with my schedule. I know that a midday appointment at the dentist's office will always start late, so I make those appointments early in the day. And, I don't want to see the gynocologist on the morning of my anniversary, you know?

But, according to I'm Not Obsessed, there are certain times of the day (or month) that are best for certain appointments. For example:

• Mammograms should be done during your period or the week after.
  
  
• Schedule your colonoscopy first thing in the morning.
  
  
• See your dentist for a cleaning two weeks after your period.

Wondering why? Find out here.

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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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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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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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If you have anxiety about going to the dentist, why is that? All that poking and prodding in your mouth by sharp instruments and possible drills can be enough to many anyone queasy.

Still, good dental check-ups are really something everyone should do, meaning that you must get over that anxiety somehow. The American Dental Association even has some suggestions to help get you through it.

• Talk to your dentist or hygienist about your anxiety, so they can better understand and accommodate your needs.
• Schedule appointments when you have plenty of time and won't feel rushed -- such as very early in the morning, or on a Saturday.
• Bring soothing music to distract you during your appointment -- especially if the sounds of a dental office bother you.
• Visualize yourself somewhere pleasant -- on a beach, with family or at a park.

[Thanks, Diana]

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Are you good are brushing your teeth well two times per day? Not so fast, according to Dr. Paul Warren, who thinks that most people are "no good" at brushing their teeth.

Dr. Warren, who works for Procter & Gamble (naturally), stated that "Odd as it sounds, most people are no good at brushing their teeth." Dr. Warren mentions the American Dental Association's suggestion that adults and kids brush each tooth to the gum line for two minutes each time they brush.

Problem is, most adults -- according to Warren -- don't do this at all. Instead, we brush haphazardly, concentrating on the front-and-center teeth and making short work of our molars.

Another failing: many of us brushers scour gum lines "like if plaque were bathtub grout." What to do, you may ask? The tooth brush, which can't really be refined any further, may be doing just that -- inventing new designs to overcome out impatience and incompetence in brushing. I can see the name now -- couch potato brushing.

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I thought that I was doing everything I could to take care of my kids' teeth. They eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid sweets, don't get juice between meals, and we follow all the rules for good dental hygiene. Still, at her appointment last week, my preschooler had cavities. I was alarmed, and the dentist was too.

Our family isn't alone, and cavities among the preschool set are on the rise. And though many people think that cavities in baby teeth don't need to be filled, they do. Decay is caused by bacteria and if decaying baby teeth are left in place, they can permanently damage adult teeth as well.

Taking care of your own teeth is another good way to protect your child's dental health. Because decay-causing bacteria can be spread person to person (even by moms who share utensils with their babies), having a clean mouth can less exposure for your child.

For more information on this issue, check out this article from Yahoo Health.

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Lately, everybody seems to be on a quest for the perfect smile. And at-home whitening procedures are a big part of that -- in fact, it's a multi-billion dollar industry. But here's a fact that you might not know: at-home teeth whitening is not a regulated industry. Why? Because the ADA feels that teeth whitening is something that should only been done after a consultation with a dental professional. But how may people have consulted their dentist before picking up a pack of Whitestrips? My guess is not many.

So it's important to consider what you're getting yourself into when you embark on a teeth-whitening program. It's also important to consider the risks and side effects.

WebMD has a great, in-depth article on teeth whitening and it's safety. The low down?

• Kids under 16 and women who are pregnant shouldn't whiten at home.
  
• Neither should those with tooth sensitivity or any sort of gum or enamel problems.
  
• Cavities need to be treated by the dentist before being whitened.
  
• If you notice increased tooth sensitivity or a change in the colour of your gums, stop whitening and see your dentist immediately

But there's more. Read the full article.

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Do you fear the dentist chair every six months? If you're like many (myself included) who cringe at the thought of s dentist's drill entering the mouth area, would you believe that a "pain free" dental visit can be had if you need to have that cavity removed?

Sounds weird, I know. But, a 'plasma brush' that uses a low-temperature chemical reaction to disinfect and prepare cavities for filling may indeed be invading your local dentist's office soon.

Preparing a cavity for filling is the dreadful part for most of us, since it does involve a drill and most likely, a little pain. It would be nice to have a pain-free solution that does the same thing -- no spinning metal rod needed. Maybe I do look forward to that next checkup after all.

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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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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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