Tooth Decay

How do you minimize tooth decay or dental caries?  This subject is a lot more complicated than what it appears to be..
  First you need to understand where tooth decay starts.
There are three places it can begin:

1. On the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
2. Between the teeth.
3. At the gumline of the teeth.  These areas are affected by brushing and flossing your teeth that can aid in eliminating tooth decay.
   

Between the teeth are called the interproximal areas of the tooth, which are the hardest areas to brush.  Therefore you will need to floss these areas everyday to remove the bacteria.  It is best to floss after every meal, but minimally each night before bedtime.

Your body has natural defenses against tooth decay.  Bacteria is plaque(the sticky film that adheres to your teeth).  The food you eat converts to acids that attack the surfaces of your teeth.  You may notice that after eating certain foods, such as sweets, you may have a sour aftertaste.  The acid that is being produced by the bacteria, tastes sour.  This acid works on the susceptible parts of your teeth to cause tooth decay or dental caries. 
Your saliva had minerals in it that your body uses to repair the spots attacked by the plaque acid.  It is when the rate of attack exceeds the rate of repair that you actually get tooth decay.
 Tooth decay can be prevented by:

1. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day,  preferably after every meal.  If you remove the plaque from the surfaces of your teeth right after eating, you prevent the acid attack.
2. Flossing after each meal will remove the bacteria in between the teeth and prevent cavities.
3. Fluoride in your toothpaste and at DESERTSMILES, Phoenix Cosmetic Dentistry, where we can use fluoride treatments at your regular six month checkups. Fluoride help strengthen the teeth to resist the tooth decay and it increases the repair rate.
4. Things that help stimulate saliva will help combat cavities.  Saliva helps dilute the acids that attack your teeth and help wash away the food before the bacteria can digest them.  Believe or not, chewing sugarless gum can help in preventing cavities.  It stimulates the saliva.  If you are at a restaurant,  and you cant brush your teeth, chew a piece of sugarless gum and it will help clean your teeth.  

 Sweets can cause decay, but any carbohydrate can promote it.  Foods that stick to your teeth such a raisins,  crackers,  pretzels,  caramels.   Hard candies that you keep in your mouth for awhile are not good, because you bath your teeth in sugar for an extended amount of time.  Make sure if you eat things that stick to your teeth, you brush as soon as you can. The longer you leave it on your teeth, the more time the acid and bacteria have time to work on the surfaces of your teeth.

If you have braces,  the braces will collect food particles and you become very susceptible to tooth decay around the braces.  If you don’t get a full-fledged cavity, you may get the white spots around the braces, which can turn brown.  When the braces are removed, these spots will be unsightly and will need to be repaired by Dr. Wilcox.

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