Craig S. Karriker, DMD, P.A.- 400 South Granard Street, Gaffney, SC 29341, (864) 487-0710

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By Craig S. Karriker, DMD, PA
January 16, 2021
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health   nutrition  
YourFoodsMicronutrientsMakeaDifferenceinYourDentalHealth

When you were a kid, a plate of green beans or carrots probably seemed less appealing than a handful of cookies or a bowl of ice cream. Mom or dad telling you to “eat your vegetables” was the last thing you wanted to hear.

Hopefully, you've made friends with fresh fruits and vegetables as you've grown up. But even if you're just acquaintances, these foods are nonetheless essential to good health, particularly your teeth and gums. Among other things, they're packed with vitamins and minerals that help prevent tooth decay, gum disease or even oral cancer.

Here's a sampling of dental health-boosting micronutrients and the foods you'll find them in.

Vitamin C. Found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, vitamin C boosts the immune system to fight infections like tooth decay or gum disease. It's also an antioxidant that lowers your risk of cancer.

Calcium. This mineral obtained through dairy products, bony fish, greens and legumes, strengthens teeth and bones. It can also improve nerve and muscle function.

Vitamin D. This vitamin helps teeth absorb calcium to make them less prone to decay. You can find this essential vitamin in dairy foods, eggs, fatty fish or sunlight.

Phosphorus. Like calcium, phosphorus also strengthens teeth and bones. You'll find it plentiful in dairy and meats, especially seafood and poultry.

Magnesium. This mineral helps teeth and bones absorb other minerals and can also help with enzyme function needed to avoid disease. You'll find it in nuts, legumes, whole grains, dark leafy greens, seafood and chocolate.

If you don't think you're getting enough of these and other nutrients, you can obtain them through dietary supplements. But do be careful: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can remove harmful supplements from the market, but only after consumer use has provided evidence that they're unsafe. And, you won't be getting fiber or other elements found in regular foods that your body needs to be healthy and function properly.

Still, if you think you need to supplement a nutritional deficiency, speak first with your doctor or dentist about it and what you should take. If at all possible, though, eat your veggies—your teeth and gums, as well as the rest of your body, will be the healthier for it.

If you would like more information on nutrition's role in dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Vitamins & Dietary Supplements.”

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By Craig S. Karriker, DMD, PA
May 26, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral cancer   nutrition  
DietandLifestyleChangesCouldLowerYourRiskofOralCancer

Oral cancer is one of the more dangerous malignancies people face. But there are ways you can reduce your risk of this deadly disease through changes in lifestyle habits and behaviors.

Two of the better known behaviors for increased oral cancer risk are immoderate consumption of alcohol and the use of tobacco, particularly chewing tobacco and snuff. Eliminating these, especially the latter, can vastly improve your odds of avoiding cancer. Another factor is a strain of the human papilloma virus (HPV 16) that's transmitted sexually, which you can avoid through safe sex practices.

In addition to these lifestyle changes, there's one more you should make to lower your oral cancer risk: adjustments to your diet. Research over the last half century has provided ample evidence of a link between the foods we eat and our risk of all types of cancers, including oral.

The biggest concern is over certain elements in some foods that can damage DNA, the molecular “operating instructions” that regulate the formation and function of our bodies' cells. These elements are collectively known as carcinogens because of their role in cancer formation.

An example of a carcinogen is a group of chemicals called nitrosamines. These form during preservation processes using nitrites in meats like bacon or ham. They're also found in beer or certain preserved fish. To limit your consumption of nitrosamines, you should reduce these and other processed products and replace them with fresh fruits and vegetables, or organic meats and dairy products.

Our DNA can also be damaged by unstable molecules called free radicals that arise during normal cellular function. But there are also substances known as antioxidants that help protect the cells from free radical damage. Many plant-based foods contain nutrients like vitamins C and E that have antioxidant properties, so including them in your diet could help reduce your oral cancer risk.

Several clinical studies over the years have been consistent in their findings that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of oral or throat cancers, as well as other forms of cancer. Making changes to your diet in that direction, plus other lifestyle changes, could help you avoid this devastating oral disease.

If you would like more information on preventing oral cancer, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Diet and Prevention of Oral Cancer.”

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By Craig S. Karriker, DMD, PA
October 04, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: gum disease   nutrition  
EattheRightKindofCarbstoProtectYourselffromGumDisease

In the quest for the ideal diet, people often stress over one particular food group: carbohydrates. And for good reason—some carbohydrates have been linked to chronic inflammation, a contributing factor in many diseases. One such condition in particular, periodontal (gum) disease, could permanently damage your dental health.

But before you throw all the carbs out of your diet, let’s take a closer look at them. Not all carbs are the same or contribute to inflammation to the same degree.

Carbohydrates are organic compounds existing in living tissues. In foods, the most prevalent of these are sugars and starches that break down during digestion into the simple sugar glucose, which the cells in an organism use for energy.

But not all carb-based foods digest at the same rate, measured along a scale called the glycemic index. High glycemic foods like sugar, baked goods or potatoes digest quickly and can rapidly increase the glucose levels in the blood (blood sugar). This sudden glucose spike then triggers an insulin surge from the pancreas to restore the level to normal. This process in turn can cause inflammation.

On the other end of the glycemic index are complex or unrefined carbohydrates that digest much more slowly, and don’t quickly elevate blood sugar like simple carbs. In fact, nutritional studies consistently show carbohydrates in most vegetables, greens, beans or whole grains may actually decrease inflammation.

Inflammation is also a primary factor in gum disease, caused by a bacterial infection in the gums. Chronic inflammation damages the gums’ attachment with the teeth and can contribute to eventual tooth loss. And if your body already has an overactive inflammatory response due to your diet, you could be even more susceptible to gum disease.

A change in your diet in relation to carbs could help reduce this risk. Eat less sugar, white flour, rice and potatoes and more complex carbs like fresh vegetables and fruits. For even more protection include foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (like certain fish and nuts) and less Omega 6 foods (fried food or pastries, or chips, for example). And don’t forget your antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Eating fewer simple carbs and more complex carbs will help reduce inflammation in the body. And that’s a good thing for your gums.

If you would like more information on how diet affects dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Carbohydrates Linked to Gum Disease.”

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By Craig S. Karriker, DMD, PA
July 11, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health   nutrition  
ThinkWaterFirstforSummerThirst

It’s easy to work up a thirst in the summer. You might be shooting hoops in the park, riding on a trail or playing volleyball on the beach. No matter what your favorite summertime activity is, outdoor fun can leave you dry—and then it’s time to reach for a cold one. But when your body craves hydration, what’s the best thing to drink?

The answer’s simple: water!

Sure, we’ve all seen those ads for so-called “energy” and “sports” drinks. But do you know what’s really in them? Sports drinks (all of those different “…ades”) are mostly water with some sugars, salts and acids. “Energy” drinks (often promoted as “dietary supplements” to avoid labeling requirements) also contain plenty of acids and sugars—and sometimes extremely high levels of caffeine!

Studies have shown the acid in both sports and energy drinks has the potential to erode the hard enamel coating of your teeth, making them more susceptible to decay and damage. And the sugar they contain feeds the harmful oral bacteria that cause tooth decay. So you could say that the ingredients in these beverages are a one-two punch aimed right at your smile.

It’s a similar story for sodas and other soft drinks, which often have high levels of sugar. In fact, some popular iced teas have 23 grams (almost 6 teaspoons) of sugar per 8-ounce serving—and a single 24-ounce can holds 3 servings! Many diet sodas (and some fruit juices) are acidic, and may damage your tooth enamel.

Water, on the other hand, has no acid and no sugar. It has no calories and no caffeine. Simple and refreshing, water gives your body the hydration it craves, with no unnecessary ingredients that can harm it. In fact, if you fill a reusable bottle from your own tap, you may not only benefit from cavity-fighting fluoride that’s added to most municipal tap water…you’ll also be helping the environment by cutting down on unnecessary packaging.

It’s best to drink water all of the time—but if you don’t, here are a few tips: If you want to enjoy the occasional soda or soft drink, try to limit it to around mealtimes so your mouth isn’t constantly bathed in sugar and acid. Swish some water around your mouth afterward to help neutralize the acidity of the drinks. And wait at least an hour before brushing your teeth; otherwise you might remove tooth enamel that has been softened by acids.

What you drink can have a big effect on your oral health—and your overall health. So when thirst strikes, reach for a cold glass of water. It can help keep you healthy this summer…and all year long.

If you would like more information about nutrition and oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Think Before You Drink” and “Nutrition & Oral Health.”

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By Craig S. Karriker, DMD, PA
March 10, 2018
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health   nutrition  
WhytheBottledVarietyMightnotbeYourBestChoiceforCleanDrinkingWater

In recent decades civilization's millennia-long search for clean, safe drinking water has become much easier with modern purification methods. Today, there are few places in the United States without adequate access to potable water. And about three-fourths of the nation's tap water systems add fluoride, credited with helping to reduce tooth decay over the past half century.

But in recent years some have voiced concerns about the safety of tap water and popularizing an alternative: bottled water. Manufacturers of bottled water routinely market their products as safer and healthier than what comes out of your faucet.

But is that true? A few years ago a non-profit consumer organization called the Environmental Working Group (EWG) performed a detailed, comprehensive study of bottled water. Here's some of what they found.

Lack of transparency. It's not always easy to uncover bottled water sources (in some cases, it might actually begin as tap water), how it's processed, or what's in it. That's because unlike water utilities, which are rigorously monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees bottled water production with less strenuous guidelines on labeling. Eight out of the top 10 selling brands were less than forthcoming about their water's contents in EWG's investigation.

Higher cost. According to the EPA, the average consumer cost in the last decade for tap water was $2.00 per 1,000 gallons (0.2 cents per gallon). The retail cost for even bulk bottled water is exponentially higher. It can be a costly expenditure for a family to obtain most of their potable water by way of bottled—while still paying for tap water for bathing and other necessities.

Environmental impact. Bottled water is often marketed as the better environmental choice. But bottled water production, packaging and distribution can pose a significant environmental impact. EWG estimated the total production and distribution of bottled water consumes more than 30 million barrels of oil each year. And disposable plastic water bottles have become one of the fastest growing solid waste items at about 4 billion pounds annually.

While there are credible concerns about tap water contaminants, consumers can usually take matters into their own hands with an affordable and effective household filtering system.  EWG therefore recommends filtered tap water instead of bottled water for household use.

If you would like more information on drinking water options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Bottled Water: Health or Hype?”

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