FlashKeepers

Dental Hygiene · Allied Health

Dental Hygiene: Nutrition and Oral Health

Diet and nutrition counseling concepts related to caries risk and periodontal health for dental hygienists.

29 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.

Study this set free Look inside first Get FlashKeepers for iPhone
What term describes tooth decay in infants or toddlers caused by prolonged exposure to sugary liquids in a bottle, often overnight?
Baby bottle (nursing) caries
For caries risk, which matters more: how often sugar is consumed, or the total amount consumed per day?
How often sugar is consumed (frequency of exposure)
The Stephan curve shows that plaque pH drops sharply within minutes after eating ____.
fermentable carbohydrates
What plaque pH level is considered the critical pH at which enamel begins to demineralize?
About 5.5
Name a sugar alcohol sweetener that does not feed cariogenic bacteria and may reduce levels of decay-causing bacteria.
Xylitol
What term describes foods that cling to tooth surfaces and extend the time sugar stays in contact with teeth?
Retentive (sticky) foods
Which oral fluid neutralizes plaque acids and supplies minerals for enamel remineralization?
Saliva
How does fluoride help protect teeth against decay?
It promotes remineralization and forms acid-resistant fluorapatite in enamel
A deficiency in which vitamin classically causes swollen, bleeding gums, as seen in scurvy?
Vitamin C
Which vitamin works with calcium to support the bone that anchors teeth?
Vitamin D
Which macronutrient is essential for healing and repair of periodontal tissue?
Protein
Why does slowly sipping a sugary drink over an hour increase caries risk more than drinking it quickly?
It multiplies the number of acid attacks on enamel
Why is cheese considered a cariostatic, or tooth-protective, food?
It raises plaque pH and stimulates saliva flow
What condition of reduced salivary flow increases both caries and erosion risk?
Xerostomia (dry mouth)
Frequent vomiting associated with which eating disorder commonly causes dental erosion?
Bulimia nervosa

14 more cards in the app