What every parent likely worries about is what will be the result of his/her child's dental check-up. Well, what I thought was going to be a simple event in my 19-year-old daughter's life has become a time of taking out a $2K loan to afford the damage done by her soda-pop sipping habit (I don't have dental insurance...and boy do I regret that!). (Picture at right from: http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1836189&nav=168XMnyS)
She had not told the dentist about her consumption rate of Mountain Dew...but he described it to her with accurate illustrations as he reviewed her teeth x-rays with us. She has Mountain Dew Mouth, which dentists' have named the syndrome that results in numerous cavities in the teeth of sodapop drinkers - specifically those addicted to "The Dew". How many did he find in my daughter's mouth? 14....and possibly a few more in her front teeth that were not initially x-rayed! Luckily...(or maybe not) these were not extremely advanced. (This is likely because she was taught to brush her teeth daily - sometimes more than once - because of dental work she had before her permanent teeth came in. Thank goodness she was committed in carrying out daily brushing!) However, the damage was done and no treatment would mean more problems and expenses later. It was the pay now or pay later dilemma.
If you don't believe that this is a "real thing", here are some websites that discuss this problem that is becoming chronic for teens and 20 somethings:
* Watch What You Dew:
http://www.post-gazette.com/healthscience/20010904hsoda0904p4.asp
*Dental News (this one has pictures....ick):
http://www.ms-flossy.com/softdrinks.html
*Moutain Dew Mouth Make-over: http://www.bocaratoncosmeticdentist.com/enlarge_mountaindew_makeover.html
Since my daughter is headed off to college in a week or so, she did a marathon dental treatment plan. Three days of long dental appointments to fix 14 cavities. She also has sworn off "The Dew" as a habit. It will be a big adjustment.
As a past teacher, I've watched lots and lots of teenagers depend on "the breakfast of highschoolers" which many parents may not realize is a can of sodapop and a candy bar and/or bag of chips. A teen will buy a can of sodapop, open it, and keep it in his/her locker where it is sipped on inbetween classes. I once tried offering free alternatives in my classroom...note the word FREE...and had no takers. I remember one day when a teen couldn't panhandle change from friends and only because of being hungry and penniless, he partook on the fruit I had available.
So...today was the last day of the series of dental appointments. I guess my money is now all spent. I wonder if my daughter spent as much money on all the Mountain Dew she consumed in the past several years as I spent on her mouth this week?
1 comment:
I completely agree about what sodas can do to your teeth. But what still bothers me is no one's looking at these kids bones. Teeth are bone, not only does soda destroy the enamel of teeth, but it also takes the calcium out of the bones. So not only do we have a epidemic of Mountain Dew Mouth, but we will also be having an epidemic of osteoperosis. Meaning a toothless, hunched over generation and it will only get worse without any education to the public. Keep that in mind. Gracelyn, CA, 17
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