Sunday, March 08, 2009

Factors eat away at area's dental health - The Herald Dispatch

Factors eat away at area dental health - The Herald Dispatch:

West Virginia and Kentucky are over 92% fluoridated: (and the soda bottled there probably is, also)

"From soda in sippy cups to Mountain Dew before dentist appointments, Huntington dentist Dr. Scott Edmonds has seen a lot in his five years of practice. Three years ago, he made a complete denture set for a 15-year-old boy.

'Experts say a lack of education, poor nutrition and widespread soda consumption contribute to bad dental health across the Tri-State'

Kentucky dentist Dr. Edwin Smith said he has seen the rampant tooth decay known as 'Mountain Dew mouth' for years.

He has treated some preschoolers who had decay in every tooth.

A lack of dental care knowledge is common across West Virginia, according to Dr. Richard Meckstroth...

'What goes in a baby bottle is atrocious sometimes. Pop and sugary juices -- they put them to bed with it. It just lays and pools in their teeth," Meckstroth said. "The teeth just don't have a chance.'

Muto said seeing an elementary-age child carrying a liter of soda is not uncommon.

Sixty-six percent of West Virginia children have cavities by age 8,and 42.9 percent of the population 65 or older have lost all of their teeth."