My daughter is a dentist. I know. The dreaded dentist. I heard the gasps and groans from you, dear readers, when you read that sentence! I, too, share your pain.

My daughter loves to remind me that when she told me she wanted to be a dentist, my first statement to her was, “Listen, people hate the dentist.” She tells me now that this advice from someone who doesn’t like (read: hates) the dentist has helped her understand her patients better and made her a better dentist.

For my part, I have learned so much from her about how our oral health affects our overall health, along with different tips and tricks in general to maintain that health. So, I thought that for National Women’s Health Week I would dedicate this blog to sharing things that my daughter has shared with me over her years of practice. 

As African Americans, we learn a lot about the genetic risks we have for diseases for high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes, but the importance of oral health and its implications on overall health are often neglected. My daughter is particularly passionate about certain areas of oral health that she feels could change health outcomes for millions of people—if only they had more information about them.

First, did you know that during pregnancy, oral health can affect your baby in utero? Periodontal disease, if uncontrolled, can have an adverse effect on your baby and even lead to low birth weight. It’s so important that I recently learned that women can have dental treatment during pregnancy, and that dental treatment is safe and highly recommended by not only dentists, but obstetricians as well, during all trimesters of pregnancy. I remember once telling my daughter about a friend of mine who talked about how her pregnancy ruined her teeth, and boy did I get an earful about that! This is an old wives tale. The truth of the matter is that morning sickness may damage teeth, especially if you feel too sick to try and brush. Or maybe you already had a dental condition, but were unaware of the extent of it before you got pregnant! So, the idea that the baby is taking calcium out of your teeth…isn’t actually a thing. Don’t get mad at me! I’m the messenger here!  

Our second fact truly surprised me. For several years now, dentists have recommended that babies have their first dental visit by their first birthday. Can you imagine?! When my daughter told me that, I retorted that I thought it was by their third birthday (which was the standard when she was young), but she informed me that, at least 10 years ago, the American Dental Association updated the recommendation to their first birthday—and even at the eruption of their first tooth! As strange as it sounds, my daughter used to work for a pediatric dentist, and she has seen children as young as one year old needing to go to the operating room to have dental treatment under anesthesia because their teeth were so decayed!   

Next, if you have “bad” teeth, your children don’t have to have “bad” teeth. You can break this generational curse. First, take your baby to the dentist by their first birthday. In the meantime, learn good dental hygiene habits and, as they grow, get preventative treatment like regular cleanings. Think how that can change their dental future!  Personally, my husband and I both had a fair amount of dental work done before having our daughter, but she was cavity free—until she got to dental school! On my watch?  She had no cavities!

Finally, the last important thing I have learned is the importance of diet on your teeth. Everyone knows that sugar is bad for teeth, but what a lot of people don’t understand is what it is about the sugar that’s bad.  It is not the sugar in and of itself. There are certain bacteria in our mouth that feed on the sugar in our food. According to my daughter, those bacteria  “do the same thing people do… they go to the bathroom” and their waste is what erodes enamel and causes cavities! So, if you are snacking and sipping all day on things that break down into sugar (even pretzels), and you have those type of bacteria, you are much more likely to get cavities. Who knew?! And, you know how we all know someone who eats candy and junk all the time, but they have perfect teeth? They probably just don’t have a lot of that type of bacteria in their mouth. The bacteria are genetic—can you believe that?

Like I said at the beginning, I was and still am afraid of the dentist. Having one in the house, though, has taught me so much that I have become a strong advocate of oral health!  I knew that this was the perfect space to spread all the life-changing information that my daughter has shared with me all these years, so I hope it helps you too. 

What surprising things have you learned about your health and how have you applied them to your daily life?