MSDH wants to help you reduce the impact of soft drinks on your and your kids’ teeth and health. Carbonation, sugar and acids in soft drinks weaken tooth enamel and encourage the growth of bacteria that contribute to tooth decay. Those smiles are Smith's gifts to the mountains.Soft drink consumption is one of several leading causes of tooth decay. "It's causing the gums to be inflamed." But after his appointment, Anthony's smile was as good as new. "He wasn't able to brush up there around the gum because it was too painful," Smith said. One of Smith's patients, 11-year-old Anthony, hadn't been able to brush his teeth in several weeks because it hurt too much. So for the Appalachian families on Medicaid, they often have few options when or if they want to see a dentist. The dental dilemma in Kentucky is that nearly one out of every two of the state's children are enrolled in Medicaid, but barely a quarter of dentists accept the insurance. They said the company is "continually expanding our offerings of healthier, more nutritious products" and that they "offer a wide range of sugar-free and caffeine-free products." They also said they are working with schools, non-profits and the government to educate people about healthier lifestyles. They added that a balanced diet and proper dental hygiene like flossing and brushing teeth after meals and snacks should prevent decay.Īfter a report on the topic aired on "Good Morning America" Thursday, Pepsi sent an additional statement saying that their products "consumed in moderation, can be part of a healthy, balanced diet." Pepsi, the makers of Mountain Dew, told ABC News in an initial statement that it's preposterous to blame soft drinks for dental decay, saying that raisins and cookies stay in the mouth longer. Stacie Moore-Martin of the Mud Creek Clinic in Grethel, Ky. If you're taking a drink every 20 minutes, that's like bathing the teeth in it all day." "Other sodas, too," said Smith, "but Mountain Dew is unique because it has a lot of sugar and a lot of acid. Dentists speak about families who put soda in baby bottles. And drinking the sugary soda loaded with caffeine often starts early. Kids drink the soda in school, at football games and before going to bed at night. With 50 percent more caffeine than Coke or Pepsi, Mountain Dew seems to be used as a kind of anti-depressant for children in the hills. According to dentists, one of the main culprits is Mountain Dew soda. It's a stereotype rooted in a terrible fact. Teenagers have pulled their own teeth with pliers because of tooth pain, and he's treated 2-year-olds with up to 12 cavities in their baby teeth. I really believe we have to do a better job educating." Smith says he's seen firsthand the results of neglect among these children. "Grandma had dentures, mom had dentures, it's just inevitable that I'm going to end up with dentures, is the way some of these kids feel. "It's a generational thing, I think," said Smith. Watch the story tonight on "A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains" tonight at 10 p.m. For many, it's the first and only dental check-up they'll have for years. Most children dread the dentist, but those who line up outside Smith's van are often giddy with anticipation. Several days a week, he criss-crosses the curvy roads of 16 eastern Kentucky counties to offer free dental screenings and services to hundreds of students. Edwin Smith, of Barbourville, Ky., is on a mission to save the teeth of Eastern Kentucky's children.įour years ago, he invested $150,000 of his own money to build a mobile dental clinic, Kids First Dental Care, inside an 18-wheel truck. Dentist Gives Free Screenings, Services to Children Living in Poverty in Appalachiaĭr.
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