Your Health and Drinking Water

I received this in an email, thought it would be of interest to my patients.

A cardiac doctor was asked why do we and other people urinate (pee pee) so much at night time. The doctor explains that gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright. When you lie down and the lower body (legs and other things) seeks level with the kidneys it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier.

You need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body.

Correct time to drink water... very Important!

Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:

2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

Please pass this to the people you care about......and others-

The physician said that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

HALLOWEEN TIPS FOR PATIENTS

Halloween Tips for Orthodontic Patients

As Halloween and National Orthodontic Health Month approach, Dr. Monacell offers orthodontic patients and their parents some tooth-protecting tips.

We advise parents to have children brush as soon as possible after eating candy, minimizing the impact of the candy on the teeth. If brushing is not possible, we also recommend that children either consume the candy with a meal (so that the increased saliva produced while eating will help wash the candy off the teeth) or rinse the mouth with water.

Prior to Halloween, we recommend that children visit their dentist to have sealants put into their teeth grooves to protect tooth enamel against corrosion caused by excess sugar.

Also, its better to eat the candy in 1 or 2 periods a day, rather than nibble or snack on it throughout the day.

Information about Fluorosis and Prevident 5000 Booster

To help our patients protect their teeth while in treatment, Dr. Monacell prescribes Prevident 5000 Booster toothpaste to each patient. This toothpaste is higher in fluoride and helps fight plaque buildup which can occur easier when a person has braces. The extra fluoride also strengthens the enamel, making it more resistant to decay and decalcification. Research has also shown that it can help to re-mineralize enamel which has become decalcified. This toothpaste is to be used one time daily. Use your regular toothpaste the other times you brush. There has been a spike in children with a condition called Fluorosis and we want to eliminate any confusion there may be about what causes it, We ask that you please read the following information on Fluorosis and contact our office or your Dentist with any questions or concerns.

Dental Fluorosis is a health condition caused by a child receiving too much fluoride during tooth development. Having the proper amount of fluoride in your drinking water is very important to protect your teeth from decay. A common mistake that some parents make is only giving their young children bottled water, which contains no fluoride. The critical period of exposure to fluoride is between the ages of 1 and 4 years, when the enamel of the permanent teeth is forming. Children over age 8 are not at risk for Fluorosis. In its mild form, which is the most common, Fluorosis appears as tiny whit streaks or specks that are often unnoticeable in the enamel of the teeth. In its severest form, which is also called mottling of dental enamel, it is characterized by black and brown stains, as well as cracking and pitting of the teeth.

Fluorosis occurs when a child has ingested too much fluoride. The most likely source of too much fluoride is your well water. If you are concerned that your child may be at risk for Fluorosis, we recommend that you take the following steps to eliminate or prevent your child's risk:

• We recommend you visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dental_fluorosis to find out more information about Fluorosis, risk factors, and safe fluoride consumption levels.



• Check with your city/county water provider to see what the fluoride levels are in your water.



• If you use well water at your home, have the county test it to determine the amount of naturally occurring fluoride in the water.



• If your child is between the ages of 1-4 years, be sure that they are using a non-fluoride or low fluoride toothpaste when brushing because of the risk they may swallow it.



• Hold off on having your child use fluoride mouth rinses until you are sure that they will not swallow it and are able to spit it out after rinsing.



• Be sure to keep regular appointments for your child to see his/her dentist for cleanings and discuss any concerns you may have at each appointment.