Let's talk teeth

[julienc]

I've been reading more and more about how people with HFI tend to have excellent teeth. That seems to be true in our case - both my brother and I have never had a cavity.

Just thought I'd test the waters and see if you all are in the same boat.

It's always made me curious, though, since you'd think all those Sweetarts and Smarties would do something to them over time. Strange, no?

[sarahk]

Mike here--that is strange--and you and your brother are both lucky-cavities are sometimes a genetic thing-some get them so don't.

Sarah's dad (and uncle) are both dentists. Having HFI should have a negative impact on your teeth.

Here's why: Sarah has basically worn the tooth enamel off her teeth. There are two good reasons for this: 1) years of throwing-up--the acidity deteriorates the tooth enamel. This is also seen in people with bulimia.

2) SweetTarts, Smarties, pixie sticks--lemons....all destroy tooth enamel. Sarah uncle is a children's' dentist and has noticed that kids who eat those candies have worn their enamel.

[colormist]

I was told I had excellent teeth, too. Well, that is until college when I just started eating candy for breakfast every morning. Up until that year of candy, I only had one cavity. Now-a-days, the only problem is that I grind my teeth.

I also didn't throw up much as a kid and brushed my teeth religiously (I bought into ALL those PSAs). My brother had many-more cavities than I did, but then again he never was one for tooth-brushing.

I always thought the lack of cavities (as a kid) was due to my insatiable cure for milk. For some odd reason I thought drinking milky calcium strengthened my bones AND teeth.

[sarahk]

Mike: Colormist-how did you not throw up as a kid?--sarah throw up weekly growing up-she doesn't like the taste of sweets, but it breads she couldn't tell-in her teens (when we met) she throw up monthly-give or take. Usually about 3 hours after a meal with sugar

Now, maybe every other month--you must have a higher tolerance. Do I remember reading that you use to eat berries? Sarah will eat ONE raspberry.

Interesting theory on the milk-Sarah drinks tons of it too.

[Tammy]

Regina also has very good teeth. She's never had a cavity, and she doesn't get this from me. She's also terrible at brushing them. We have to tell her every day, and then most times she only does a so-so job.

She's never thrown up a lot. Don't take this wrong, If she eats anything wrong at all, she does, but we are so careful in the diet that she doesn't get anything. And she hates being sick much more than she misses any food.

As for the sweet tarts and such, she's never really ate that many of them. She prefers the SF chocolates, which she eats daily. And she also drinks a TON of milk. Probably an average of about 1 1/2 - 2 Qts a day.

The only work the dentist has ever had to do for her (other than cleaning) is put 4 caps on her 4 front lower teeth when she tripped over the dog and broke them off. Ouch.

[sarahk]

Mike: Looks like I was slightly wrong, though Sarah still still wore off most of her tooth enamel, she has never had a cavity. Maybe that milk theory is right.

[colormist]

The only time I really remember throwing up was because I got carsick. I remember having really bad tummy aches that lasted for long periods of time. I would also eat LOTS of potatoes, milk, and dextrose candy. I always have this need/craving to eat certain foods after I eat something that I shouldn't be eating. I would call them a "base" because they balanced out the sugar-pukey feeling.

After a while, I guess I just got used to having a perpetual nauseated feeling. I didn't started REALLY throwing up until recently. I guess I was just pushing myself too much (I think Fred said he did a similar thing--trying wines and whatnot) and then when I found out I had HFI, I restricted my diet. Now I really can tell when I eat something even remotely bad. I still hold back on the puking though. I really have to screw up bad to have to puke.

Back on topic: Here's an article about calcium/milk & teeth: findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_11_65/ai_109025922
I always presumed it was the lack of sweetened beverages and the constant source of calcium that kept our teeth so pretty.

[julienc]

Hmm, this is interesting. I also drink milk like crazy. Looks like we all have that in common.

I've never thrown up much - just a handful of times when I ate large doses of sugar. I would get the queasy feeling often, but it would rarely lead to actually throwing up.

However, I've always been plagued with problems on the other half of my digestive system, but I won't go into details on that.

[guest]

www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=551029

[sarahk]

Interesting study-I wonder who the 3 HFIers from the US were-since the study was published in 1980--Sarah, Colormist, Regina, Julie, were all probably just getting their baby teeth----Fred, was it you? Sarah was the first case in the San Francisco area when she was diagnosed around 1990-the study was by the dental school in SF. hhmm

[colormist]

Very interesting... So I can walk around saying, "my hereditary fructose intolerance diet restricts the amount of cariogenic organisms living in my dental plaque--in short, I don't use Orbit because my mouth isn't as dirty as yours."

On a side note, I like to think of the "guest" entries as little gnome-like bearers of wisdom. You don't know who they are and they never say their name...


EDIT: Forgot to add, I only ate unripened fruit--tart black raspberries and blackberries or apples. I wonder if there's less fructose in unripened fruit?

[Tammy]

You're right, Definately wasn't Regina in the study either. She was born in 82, and diagnosed in late 84. At that time, her Doctor said there was 8 confirmed cases in North America and most of them were in Canada. I don't know if that's a fact, just what I was told back then.

[millan]

I have good teeth with two very small fillings at the back teeth - but those are absolutely due to bad brushing as a child. I got them when I was around 8 years old and have never had a hint of a cavity since.

I have some small problems with my gums and when I asked a denist about the subject he said that one reason (of many) is what the pH-level of an individual's saliva is.
Now, I don't remember which is which so this could be the other way around:
On one end you get people with a high pH-level and they are prone to have cavities but normally have excellent gum. On the other end are those with low pH-level who with excellent teeth but are prone to have bleeding gum.

I threw up a lot before I was diagnosed, but that was when I was 3, so only my milk teeth suffered.

I also drink a lot of milk - and eat a lot of cheese.

[millan]

Oh, an addition to my previous post:
Those SweetTarts, Smarties and pixie sticks that many of you are talking about.
I don't know what they are, but I'm guessing some kind of sweets with artificial sweetener. Since I don't like any sweet taste, I don't eat any type of candy etc even those that I might tolerate.
So, my enamel's just fine. Well, apart from not being the whitest enamel around due to excessive tea-drinking...

[colormist]

Pixie stix are HFI crack (at least for me, I might be somewhat addicted...) They're made from dextrose with a tart flavoring. My favorite is purple and orange and red... Okay, so I just don't like blue. It tastes too blue-y for me.

Smarties, Runts, Sweettarts (I have my suspicions about Sweettarts, I think they changed their ingredients as I can no longer down a whole tube of 'em without getting sick), and, I think, Gobstoppers are all made from Dextrose.

They are fantastic, especially when you find yourself hypoglycemic and without an immediate food source.

[julienc]

Yes, Pixie stix are very addicting. I go between purple and red as my favorite - right now it's red. They definitely have a sour taste to them. Most "normal" people I know don't care much for them and say they are too tart.

colormist said:

I have my suspicions about Sweettarts, I think they changed their ingredients as I can no longer down a whole tube of 'em without getting sick.

It's funny you said this Laura. I haven't been into the Sweettarts lately, either. I bought some not too long ago, but it took me forever to finish the roll. Normally I gobble them up. I didn't notice getting sick, but maybe I was subconsciously limiting my intake.

[sarahk]

Mike: so funny you said that about blue pixie sticks-sarah doesn't like them either, or blue sweettarts-luckily, blue is my favorite flavor. Sarah hasn't been sick from sweettarts.
I'm not sure about Gobstoppers-I keep finding Sarah's hidden boxes in the car, but I'm pretty sure they have sugar-which is why she hides them-so I don't catch her eating them.

She loves the Fundip dipping stick-anyone else?

She makes frozen yogurt with pixie sticks and yogurt and freezing it--I tried to make BubbleGum flavored yogurt for her by throwing broken pieces of sweettarts in the mix--tasted gross.

Too blue-y, sarah complains that sometimes chicken is too chicken-y, I've even heard too steak-y

[julienc]

sarahk said:

She loves the Fundip dipping stick-anyone else?

I LOVE the fundip stick. That's my favorite part!!! I laughed at one of Sarah's comments in another thread - we need to find a way to buy those all by themselves, just like banana runts.

I also don't care for the blue pixie's. I'll eat them in a pinch, but right now I have a whole bag of them. I feel bad throwing them out.

I think gobstoppers are okay. I eat a lot of those and seem to do fine.

[colormist]

LMAO, I have a cup on my desk right now FILLED with blue pixies. I refuse to eat them unless I'm really sick. It's that fruit punch flavor. I feel really bad about the monster-size blue pixies at home. I know I won't eat those. Maybe I can find some kids to give them away to.

Mmmmmmm... fundip sticks. Lik'em-aid. ^_^

"She makes frozen yogurt with pixie sticks and yogurt and freezing it--I tried to make BubbleGum flavored yogurt for her by throwing broken pieces of sweettarts in the mix--tasted gross."

I am not that brave. I stopped at making my own pixie-stix gatoraide.

[sarahk]

I have been getting sick from sweettarts lately - I don't even crave them anymore. Mike was wrong on this issue. If we are all getting ill they must have changed what is in them. It didn't take lon gat all for me to get sick I ate them during a movie and had to leave to hurl.

We are like the 4400 with promyisen inhibitor.