The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Shamila Jamaluddin, Staff Reporter

An orthodontist gives tips for fresh breath and oral health while fasting.

 Dr Khalid Alameri, Consultant Orthodontist and Head of the Dental Clinic at Healthpoint, explained that fasting and therefore abstaining from liquids can lead to the development of oral bacteria, a prime culprit in bad breath, cavities and gum disease.

 “Most mouth odour originates from the tongue, so using a tonguescraper twice a day will also help.”

 Combating dehydration is particularly important in avoiding bad breath, Dr Khalid points out. In addition to drinking plenty of liquids and avoiding salt, caffeine and diuretics during non-fasting hours, there are measures to prevent a dry mouth.

“If care is taken not to swallow any liquid, then the use of mouthwash or rinsing with water will not break the fast. However, some people are uncomfortable with this, so they can use miswak sticks, a natural tooth-cleaning twig, to stimulate salivary flow.”

Dr Khalid’s top-four tips for fresh breath while fasting are brush and floss after Iftar and Suhoor, during the fasting hours, use a tonguescraper, miswak sticks and rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash, use an oral probiotic to replenish healthy bacteria that may be lost through using too much mouthwash and when breaking your fast, avoid onions, garlic, smoking and other common causes of bad breath.

Dental care

On a separate note, most mothers of young children and new parents often ask, “How often and when should my child first see a dentist?”

 Dr Shifa Saleem, Dental Surgeon, Corniche Gate Medical Center, Abu Dhabi, told Gulf Today, “Many children get cavities as early as age two. But cavities aren’t the only problems parents need to learn about their child’s dental health.”

 “By two years of age primary teeth – milk teeth eruption is completed. Tooth eruption times may vary from child to child. It is always advisable to get a dental checkup for toddlers to prevent or control early childhood caries.

Dr Saleem explained, “Children in the age group of six to twelve years are in their ‘ugly duckling stage’ when their milk teeth fall off and new teeth, the permanent teeth, start to appear. The problems that children may face during this period may include delayed or early exfoliation of primary teeth, delayed eruption of permanent teeth, crowding of permanent teeth, impacted canines, missing permanent tooth, improper oral hygiene etc.”

 Moreover, milk teeth start to fall out by the age of six or seven and by the age of twelve, all the milk teeth will have exfoliated.

“Tooth eruption and exfoliation times may vary from child to child. In cases of retained milk teeth, we may need to extract those to help with the proper eruption of permanent teeth,’ she quipped.

She advises that they also learn how to manage diet, hygiene and fluoride to prevent problems. She also urges them to avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar, especially sticky, sweet foods like chocolates and raisins. “The longer sugar stays in contact with your teeth, the more damage the sugar will do.

“Mozzarella and other cheeses, peanuts, yoghurt, milk, and sugar-free chewing gum (especially gum that contains xylitol) are good for your teeth. They help clear your mouth of harmful sugars and protect against plaque. These make great after-meal snacks,” she adds.

Dr Saleem warns not to snack before bedtime, because food left on the teeth is more likely to cause cavities at night. “Saliva production decreases while you sleep, so saliva does not clean the mouth well during sleeping hours,” she noted.

Children need the following recommended calcium intake: Ages one to three years: 700mg a day, Ages four to eight: 1,000mg a day, Ages nine to 18: 1,300mg a day. Milk, yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products are good sources of calcium. Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen bones and teeth. It’s found in small amounts naturally in many vegetables including cucumber, spinach, carrots etc.