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Title: What causes the brown staining of some childrens teeth? Written by: duddy on Mar 17, 2013 (https://biology-forums.com/gallery/47/4_17_03_13_3_11_43.jpeg) (https://biology-forums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=11464) The brownish staining of a child's tooth enamel is due to excessive ingestion of fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral compound that is useful in preventing dental caries. It is thought to work by strengthening the mineral composition of tooth enamel making it more resistant to acid attacks. It may also reduce the acid-producing ability of microorganisms in dental plaque. The water supply may naturally provide fluoride, or it may be added. Mild fluorosis causes white mottling of the teeth; severe cases show brown staining and usually occur in areas where the level of fluoride in the water is many times greater than the recommended level of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million. Comments: The reason honey is on the do-not-serve list for babies younger than twelve months old is because it contains botulinum toxin spores. These spores (the same stuff used in botox shots) don't affect adults or older kids, but can cause botulism food poisoning when exposed to the immature digestive tract. In a recent study, botulinum spores were found in 5-10% of honey samples. The spores are not reliably killed by cooking or even pasteurization, so honey in any form is not recommended. Botulinum can also be found in maple syrup and corn syrup, as well as undercooked foods. The chance of spores is lower in these other foods — no botulism cases from corn syrup have ever been reported, so it's only a theoretical risk. Doctors still suggest that you not feed your baby corn syrup unless it's been pasteurized or says specifically that it's "spore-free." Yum. Botulism is a serious illness, but it usually treatable if it's caught in time. Babies with botulism first become constipated, and then may act listless and lose muscle strength, including the ability to suck. Almost all babies will recover from botulism if it is diagnosed and treated effectively, but a serious case will require a hospital stay ranging from days to months. Once your baby is over a year old, the botulism risk goes way down, which means that you and your relatives can dip and drip freely next year. But while you're explaining this all to grandma, you might want to add, too, that apples are a choking hazard. Written by: savio on Aug 2, 2013 Why aren't babies allowed to eat honey? Written by: bio_man on Aug 2, 2013 |