Last month’s “Secrets to a Healthy Smile” article focused on tooth decay as a common contributor to tooth damage and tooth loss. Oral acids from various sources have the potential to lower oral PH (acidity), resulting in the loss of precious minerals from enamel and tooth roots. According to a National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) study, since 1970, tooth decay has been on the decline in all subgroups of the population. However, the NIDCR also reported that 92 percent of all adults ages 20-64 have untreated decay in their permanent teeth. Teeth left untreated with decay will inevitably result in pain and eventual tooth loss.
Today, we are fortunate that we understand tooth decay causes. Unfortunately, how to avoid and prevent tooth decay is less clear. Having focused on tooth decay causes last month, I am sharing important tooth decay facts, as well as tips to avoid and prevent issues of tooth decay. At the office of Jason C Campbell DDS Cosmetic and Family Dentistry and the Advanced Prosthetics Institute (API), our goal is to empower people with the knowledge to help their teeth last longer and stay healthier.
Not So Sweet Facts
- Certain oral bacteria utilize various types of sugars in their diet. The resulting metabolic byproduct is enamel eating acids.
- Dietary acids from acidic foods and drinks such as sodas, coffee, teas and sports/energy drinks have the potential to dissolve minerals from teeth, resulting in tooth decay.
- Sugary foods, as well as carbohydrates, starches and milk sugars are converted to acids by sugar loving bacteria living in the mouth, promoting tooth decay.
- Digestive acids from the stomach can tremendously increase risks for tooth decay in instances of heart burn, acid reflux, digestive track disorders and eating disorders. Even mild conditions of stomach acid issues can result in oral acids or acidified saliva, resulting in tooth decay and damage to dental restorations.
Tips and Tricks
- Minimize sugary beverages and foods, including carbohydrates, starches and milk sugars.
- There is no substitute for the benefits provided by brushing and flossing regularly, if done right! First, as certain bacteria in the mouth can promote cavities, it only makes sense that bacteria must be scrubbed from the surfaces of the teeth and flossed from between them on a regular basis. Since bacteria want to live, as much as you want them gone, they hide out in areas where they can be least disturbed. Secondly, toothpaste should be used when brushing. Toothpaste is a surfactant like soap. It has the ability to reduce surface tension on the teeth, allowing toothbrushes to scrub bacteria and debris from the teeth more easily. We also use toothpaste as well as other oral heath promoting products and whiteners as a medicine carrier, or vehicle to get fluoride on the teeth.
Tip: Be careful not to rinse all of the toothpaste from teeth too soon. Because many toothpastes are foamy, the inherent response is to thoroughly rinse immediately after brushing. This common mistake robs you of the benefits of the fluorides and medicines designed to promote oral health. I recommend to patients that expectorating the foam after brushing is wise but to wait 10-15 minutes prior to rinsing to avoid losing the opportunity for these products to actually work against harmful, acid forming bacteria.
- Choose oral care products containing fluoride. While fluoride use can be a controversial topic, its beneficial effects in reducing tooth decay are undeniable as a public health measure. Fluoride promotes optimal dental health. First, it has the ability to inhibit acid forming bacteria from metabolizing the sugars that are being converted to acid. In this way, fluoride is used to kill bacteria and control oral bacteria populations. Secondly, it can be re-mineralized and harden the surfaces of teeth, making them more decay resistant.
- Don’t forget that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is your friend in fighting tooth decay. When used in conjunction with fluoride, oral acids can be neutralized by using a dentifrice product containing baking soda. The key to success in fighting tooth decay is keeping the PH of your mouth neutral, or alkaline. What better way to help the mouth rebound than to use a product that can quickly neutralize acids. However, remember, like fluoride, baking soda needs time to work, so don’t be in a hurry to rinse its effects away before you receive its benefits. Most major product lines have a toothpaste product available containing baking soda and fluoride.
Tip: Oral acids created by digestive acids from heart burn, acid reflux, GERD, and other digestive or eating disorders can be neutralized by regular use of acid neutralizing baking soda products. Individuals with histories of such ailments are at greatly increased risk for routinely occurring tooth decay. Using baking soda products should NOT be considered a solution to leaving gastric issues untreated. At API, we highly recommend that our patients with gastric and nutritional disorders work with medical specialists, such as, a gastroenterologist or nutritionist, in treating acid issues pertaining to digestion.
- Be smart with acidic drinks. Don’t be a sipper! Highly acidic drinks consumed with regularity overexpose teeth to harmful effects of acid. Coffee, tea, soda pop, citrus fruit drinks, sport and energy drinks are common culprits to promoting rampant cavity problems. Resulting tooth decay due to abusive habits of sipping acidic drinks over long periods is a problem of time exposure. It is better to drink it in five minutes rather than an hour and five minutes. Acids from beverages lower the PH of the mouth causing important minerals to dissolve. Simply shortening the exposure duration, then brushing or rinsing oral acids, will greatly reduce cavity risks.
In summary, a recipe of avoiding sugars, properly scrubbing bacteria regularly from teeth, using fluoride to kill acid forming bacteria, neutralizing acids with baking soda and minimizing the length of exposure to acidic products are the key ingredients to preventing tooth decay and minimizing the harmful consequences of lost teeth. From our staff at API and Jason C Campbell DDS Cosmetic & Family Dentistry to you, best wishes in fighting the battle in preventing tooth decay! QCBN
Written by Dr. Campbell
To learn more, please visit our websites at www.MyPrescottDentist.com and www.APIDentalRehab.com. Call 776-1208 to schedule your new patient consultation.