Bacteria attached to the teeth (and found in the plaque in your mouth) feed on fermentable carbohydrates after you eat. The by product of this is an acid which dissolves some of the minerals found in your teeth. If the acid attacks are infrequent and of short duration, your saliva can help to repair the damage done by neutralizing the acids and supplying minerals and fluoride to replace the minerals lost from your teeth. If your mouth is dry, if you have too many bacteria or you snack frequently, the tooth mineral loss is too great and cannot be repaired. This is the start of decay which leads to cavity formation.
- DIET: Reduce the number of times you consume sugary and starchy foods, snacks drinks and candies. You can not eliminate them but a good rule is three meals and no more than three snacks a day.
- FLUORIDE: Fluorides help make teeth more resistant to being dissolved by bacterial acids. Fluorides are available from sources such as drinking water, toothpaste, over the counter rinses and products prescribed by the dentist. Daily use is very important to help protect against the acid attacks.
- PLAQUE REMOVAL: Removing the plaque from your teeth on a daily basis is helpful in controlling tooth decay.
- SALIVA: Saliva neutralizes acid and provides minerals and proteins that protect the teeth. If you can’t brush after a meal chewing sugarless gum will simulate the flow of saliva. (The best gum is either Carefree Koolerz or Arm & Hammer Chewing gum)
- ANTIBACTERIAL MOUTHRINSES: These are prescribed by the dentist and can reduce the number of bacteria that cause tooth decay and can be of help to someone at high risk.
- SEALANTS: These are plastic coatings bonded to the deep grooves on the biting surfaces of the back teeth to protect the grooves from getting decay. In some areas the grooves are so narrow and deep that they can not be cleaned properly. Sealants are an excellent preventive measure for children and adults ar risk for this type of decay.
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