Preventing Cavities - 10 Things You Can Do No Matter What Your Age

by Andrea L. Algar

Many people mistakenly believe that cavities only occur when you're young. The truth is that cavities can occur at any age. But,  knowing what causes cavities and what you can do to prevent them can save you the need for a tooth filling.

Prevent a visit to treat a cavity

Cavity is just another word for tooth decay. And tooth decay doesn't discriminate. Anyone can get a cavity at any time in their life, but everyone has the ability to prevent them.

Tooth decay happens when plaque on your teeth combines with the sugars or starches in the foods we eat, producing acids that can eat through tooth enamel, causing bacteria and tooth decay. Staying on top of this interaction is key to cavity prevention.

Here is a list of things you can do right now to help prevent future cavities for yourself and other family members:

• Brush your teeth
• Floss between your teeth
• Visit your dentist for oral check ups
• Get your teeth cleaned at your dentist's office
• Use mouthwash or rinse
• Get tooth sealants from your dentist
• Eat healthy foods
• Chew sugarless gum
• Drink water
• Don't share glassware or utensils

Think you've heard it all before? Maybe you have. But did you know that incorporating these into your daily life is much easier than it sounds! Here's how:

1) Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes isn't as difficult if you make it part of a routine which is performed at the same time each morning and each night before bed. Some find that the use of a sonic toothbrush helps regulate time and isn't as tiresome. They can also help you from "scrubbing" too hard which can cause damage to your gums. Once you get the hang of how long two minutes is, the time begins to go by quite fast. The difference you'll notice will amaze you.

2) Flossing is something that many people dread because it is seen as very time-consuming. However, there are great flossing tools available now that will help keep your fingers from turning purple (due to winding floss too tightly around your fingers), and the unpleasantness of getting drool all over your hands! Some come in the form of picks with floss at one end, others look like a tuning fork with floss stretched between the forks, allowing you to access all of your teeth in a fraction of the time and without any mess. Some are angled to provide extremely easy use. You don't have to put up with hard-to-use floss anymore.

3) A visit at least twice a year to your dentist is one of the best ways to prevent cavities. Your dentist is able to watch for early signs of tooth decay and stop them before they require a lot of drilling and a large filling. Your checkups can also detect other problems such as disease and oral cancers early when they are much easier to treat.

4) As part of your yearly visits, you'll want to see the hygienist at your dental office for a thorough tooth cleaning. These cleanings take care of areas that even the best brushing and flossing can miss, and visits are usually quick and painless. In truth, there's nothing like the feeling of spotlessly clean teeth following a professional tooth cleaning at the dentist office. I can't be the only one who loves to run their tongue over my teeth after they've polished up!

5) Often overlooked, and something that takes only a few extra seconds is the mouthwash. Available in a variety of flavors, colors, dental washes and rinses can target specific problems such as dental plaque, whitening and fluoride to help strengthen teeth.

6) Tooth sealants are sometimes recommended by your dentist following a checkup or a dental cleaning. Sealants help shield your teeth from plaque and bacteria. Application is painless and usually fast, and contrary to what some believe, it's not just for kids anymore.

7) It's funny to think that eating healthy can actually help prevent cavities, but decades of dental research has shown that it is true. Since eating healthy not only improves your dental health, but the health of your entire body, it is well worth making changes. Change doesn't have to happen overnight to be beneficial. Many begin by replacing one meal at a time so they can learn new habits, try out new foods or preparation methods, and finding a balance that works for them. Sugary sodas is high on the list of things to cut back on. My personal rule: drink one soda, follow with one full glass of water - no exceptions. But, this isn't to say that an occasional snack is forever forbidden. By following the best practices in brushing, flossing and dental visits, even a calorie ridden sugary dessert won't set you back as long as the practice of moderation is observed.

8) Yes, chew sugarless gum! Studies have suggested that chewing sugarless gum can actually serve to remove food particles from your teeth between brushing and flossing. This is ideal when you're at the office and don't have a toothbrush handy following lunch. Easy to incorporate this one into your daily routine!

9) Water is good for your dental health. We all know that drinking water is good for us, but let's face it, tap water doesn't always taste good and we've been conditioned to question "what's in our water". Bottled water gets expensive and doesn't contain fluoride. Not only will a water filter save you money, but water filters can remove minerals and deposits that make drinking tap water taste unpleasant for many. Water filters can be simple screw on your tap to elaborate whole-home filtering systems. Even a good filtered pitcher will deliver water you'll love to drink. Invest in a water filter for better dental health.

10) Don't share glasses and utensils. Bacteria can easily be passed from mouth to mouth by using the same drinking glass, spoon, fork or other utensils. Many people don't think about this when sharing with a loved one or family member, but for the best oral hygiene don't pass contagious bacteria that can cause tooth decay and lead to cavities.

To sum it up, see if you can add these simple things to your daily life:  brush, floss, drink water, eat as healthy as possible, chew sugarless gum (between brushing and/or following sugary snacks),  and use your own cups and utensils! Follow with a visit to your dentist twice a year. That's not too hard to take is it?

Dental Fallacies Keep Us Fearful and Avoiding the Dentist

by Andrea L. Algar

Let's face it, dental fears go back to the days when dentistry was pretty barbaric and yet, they are still prevalent even in today's era of modern dentistry and outstanding technologies that make dental procedures easier than ever before. So what are we hearing that keeps us stuck with unrealistic dental fears?

Credit: mimiandeunice.com

I've done some research into the matter, and what I've found is that information that is passed from person to person is sometimes based on absolute falsehoods.

Some of the information I uncovered is blatantly out there on the Internet, spoken as if gospel. Others are from stories that people have passed on to me first-hand. Like the story which was presented as "fact" by the young man who insisted that it was FAR better to go without brushing your teeth or having a cleaning at the dentist because once you disrupted the natural state of things in your mouth, you were BOUND to get a cavity!!!  (Hmmm....wonder how many he has by now without his dental visit!) He was actually convinced that going to a dentist would make him get a cavity.

Here, I've compiled a list of what "facts" (actually false) that I saw the most. See which ones you've heard, then follow with the facts:

1) Root canals hurt like hell.
2) Pregnant women should not have dental care during pregnancy.
3) Fluoride in our drinking water is dangerous.
4) You shouldn't use toothpaste with fluoride because it's already in our water.
5) If you lose a tooth, it's okay to just leave it alone.
6) Smoking doesn't affect your teeth.
7) Tooth extraction is necessary when you crack your tooth.
8) Wisdom teeth always need to be removed.
9) It's okay to delay dental treatment if you're not in severe pain.
10) If it doesn't hurt, it's okay.
11) Nutrition isn't important to teeth.
12) If I haven't been to regular visits, my dentist may take it out on me.

Here's the facts:

1) Root canals don't have to hurt. Modern dentistry has blessed us with many options to reduce and/or eliminate pain during procedures. Modern equipment is better than ever. Even the dreaded dentist's drill is far less scary than forty or fifty years ago. The plain truth is that the root canal procedure is designed to help save your tooth/teeth.

2) There is no evidence that dental procedures cause harm to mother or baby. In fact, the opposite may be true. Women who maintain their dental health during pregnancy have less risk of passing infection to their unborn baby.

3) Despite some scrutiny on the use of fluoride in public drinking water, the Centers for Disease Control and American Dental Association stand by the practice. Facts seem to back them up.

• Since 1960, total tooth loss in adults has dropped 60%. 
• Cavities among adolescents has decreased from 90% to 60% 
• The number of teeth with cavities dropped from 6.2 to 2.6 
• When factoring in all age groups, the cavity rate drops to just 40%.

4) The amounts of fluoride used in drinking water and toothpaste combined are not considered dangerous levels.

5) If you lose a tooth due to decay, gum disease or an injury, it's important to see the dentist to have some type of replacement made. The options generally are denture, implant or bridge. The primary reason is to prevent jaw problems, pressure on other teeth, change in your bite, help with speech and chewing, as well as aesthetic reasons.

6) We've heard of the dangers of smoking for decades, but there is now far more evidence on the extent. Smoking can affect your teeth, gums, tongue, mouth and throat as well as other parts of your body. In addition to causing smoker's breath, it can cause oral ulcers and cancers. Luckily, twice-yearly dental exams can help identify these early when treatments are more effective.

7) This may have been commonplace fifty or a hundred years ago, but today, a cracked tooth can be fitted with a crown to restore the tooth to full function. Modern equipment is now available that delivers same-day crowns in a single visit.

8) Wisdom teeth don't always need to be removed. If there is sufficient space in your mouth, and they are not problematic (such as impaction) they can stay forever. Many people do need to have wisdom teeth removed, however, and can be helped greatly with sedation options if they are nervous or fearful of the procedure.

9) Some patients delay visits because they can't afford treatment right now, are fearful, or feel they don't have the time. Whatever the reason, it's usually not a good idea as delaying can only make your existing problem worse, cause more pain, and may even end up costing you more money.

10) Even though pain is sometimes a good indicator that there is a problem that needs attention, not all dental problems cause pain. People have different pain tolerances. Different dental problems cause different amounts of pain. And, pain can be intermittent. If something has changed in your mouth, you'll want to discuss it with your dentist just to be sure.

11) There is overwhelming evidence that nutrition is very important to oral health. And it's not just milk that creates strong teeth! In addition to what you eat, there is now some evidence that shows it may be equally important how you eat! (We'll take a look at this in more detail in a future article.)

12) I actually had a friend who believed this! Yet, I have never encountered a dentist who didn't realize that going to a dentist can be difficult for many people. Don't let it prevent you from starting a new routine and instead of avoidance, you ask your dentist for help in forming new healthy habits!

What I've concluded from my unscientific research into this is that fearful people generally like information that gives them the excuse not to have to go to the dentist. Unfortunately, there is a lot of bad information that is abundant on the Internet and is often passed along from person to person unchecked for fact. If in doubt, check out the facts by visiting websites that are reputable. The American Dental Society and WebMD. have sites which are based on fact.

There are more dental fallacies, I'm sure. Stories I didn't uncover, or haven't heard before. I hope it does get you to take a look at the information being given and to do your own research into it if something sounds suspect. Of course, what makes a lot of sense is to get a visit with your favorite dentist and ask him or her! I find that a good dentist loves to give the right information.

Got a story you'd like to share?

RESOURCES:
ADA - American Dental Association
WebMD - WebMD