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11 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,A ugust 4,2022 insidehalton.com By Dr. Vineet Bhandari Dental decay, otherwise known as cavities are caused by oral bacteria. There are a few specific types of oral bacteria that cause cavities, and these can be transmitted from person to person. The oral bacteria of a parent can also be transmitted from parent to infant. It iswell knownwhen an infant comes into the world, the oral cavity is sterile but soon after arriving the mouth becomes colonized with bacteria. Some of these bacteria may put the child at increased risk of dental decay when the baby teeth start to erupt into the mouth. As with adult teeth, it is important to keep the baby teeth clean and free of food/liquids to prevent decay of the tooth structure. Baby teeth are crucial for jaw and bite development. If a tooth becomes decayed in a young child, it is important to have it fixed because the baby tooth holds the spot where the adult tooth will one day erupt. If a tooth is lost prematurely the empty space may be impeded on by adjacent teeth and the teeth may become misaligned or crowded possibly causing jaw or bite problems in the future. Also, if a cavity is left in a baby tooth it may travel down the interior portionwhere the nerve is to the tip of the root and infect or damage the adult tooth underneath. Cavities can also cause pain for the child when eating or drinking. Babies and young children with teeth are just as prone to decay as adults if they are consuming liquids and solids. Oral bacteria which causes decay need carbohydrates in order to survive. If a child drinks milk, juice or eats teething biscuits, cereals or even fruits the bacteria will consume it and this will drop the oral pH which increases the chance of a cavity. Keep your baby's teeth healthy and clean by brushing two to three times day after they erupt. You can use an infant toothbrush or even a damp washcloth to clean and remove food from the teeth. Keep baby teeth safe from cavities 2525 Old Bronte Rd. Ste. 470 Oakville 289-813-8239 www.bhandaridental.com Dr. Vineet Bhandari dentist -- ADVERTORIAL -- A GoFundMe account has been established to sup- port an Oakville man who remains in hospital after, it's alleged, he was inten- tionally struck by a vehicle in front of his home. Jeff De Luca has been at Oakville Trafalgar Memori- al Hospital since July 9 when he stepped onto the street of his Oxford Avenue neighbourhood in an effort to get a speeding vehicle to slow down. It's alleged the vehicle stopped, then backed up and ran De Luca over. A 19-year-old man from Brampton faces multiple charges in connection with the incident. De Luca received exten- sive injuries when he was struck, leaving him unable to work. His partner, Leah, who witnessed the incident, says she has also been unable to work due to stress and be- cause she wants to support De Luca in hospital. In an effort to make things easier for De Luca and his family, Oakville Ward 5 Coun. Jeff Knoll cre- ated a GoFundMe account on Saturday, July 23. As of Tuesday, July 26, the account had already raised $8,525 of its $10,000 goal. "We're trying to raise money for Jeff and Leah to make ends meet during this exhausting time where nei- ther of them is able to work right now," wrote Knoll on the GoFundMe page. In an update, Knoll noted that for De Luca to be able to return to his home in four weeks, his house will need to be upgraded to accommo- date the wheelchair he will require. "I am urging everyone to donate what you can and please share this story far and wide," wrote Knoll. "Help me get this way over the top to both help support this family and make it possible for Jeff to come home to a safe and ac- cessible home to continue his recovery." In a post on the Go- FundMe account, De Luca said he has been worried about the future and how he will support his family go- ing forward but noted the generosity of strangers ap- pears to be giving him some breathing room to heal. "I have never really known social media very well, and it has never been much of a part of my life ... when Leah showed me what these generous people have done, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and I still am," wrote De Luca. "The fact that strangers care about me, giving me words of encouragement and wishing me well and healing, has left me com- pletely awestruck." De Luca said he has a long road ahead of him, not- ing his injuries include a fractured spine, a broken arm, broken ribs and a shat- tered pelvis. He recently reported he has been moved to the hos- pital's rehabilitation ward, where he says he will start to learn to walk again. "They (hospital staff) as- sure me that I will walk again, but I worry about to what degree," said De Luca. For more information, visit GoFundMe.com. HELP POURING IN FOR MAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com A GoFundMe page has been set up for Jeff De Luca, who was seriously injured when struck by a vehicle. De Luca family photo NEWS JEFF DE LUCA HAS BEEN AT OAKVILLE TRAFALGAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SINCE JULY 9 "The fact that strangers care about me, giving me words of encouragement and wishing me well and healing, has left me completely awestruck." - Jeff De Luca