Cavities are awful. They create ugly holes in teeth, resulting in fillings, in severe cases root canals, crowns, or even extraction. There is no guaranteed way to ensure a natural tooth never gets a cavity, but there are a certain things that can make it far less likely to happen. The factors involved are: the presence of bacteria, the sugars in your diet, and Fluoride.

To start, bacteria are the cause of tooth decay. Many different types of bacteria are found in plaque (biofilm) build-up. There are certain types that cause cavities between the teeth, and they feed on carbohydrates. Their digestive process creates acid, which breaks down the tooth surface. This is, in short, how a cavity is formed between the teeth.

Hence, it is important to remove these bacteria by flossing regularly. Flossing physically removes the plaque, reducing the number of harmful bacteria between the teeth. Plaque has a unique and effective way of sticking to your teeth, and cannot be removed by rinsing. Brushing your teeth is very important as well, it removes a large portion of the plaque, but it does not remove anything between the teeth.

I mentioned that bacteria feed from carbohydrates, and create acid as a result. This does not mean you must give up carbs or sweets, it simply means that you may want to re-evaluate how often you have them, and the quality of the nutrients that are involved. Take for example, a soda, which has no nutritional value but a lot of sugar, it will result in uninhibited acid production, the entire time you are sipping it. Compare it to a whole grain piece of bread with peanut butter, which is a carb that does have nutritional value, and also fats that help balance and reduce acid.

A major factor in decay prevention is Fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found everywhere, water, soil, and vegetation. However, the amount we found in nature is rarely enough to make any difference. Minerals are vital to our health and are often added to products we buy, like Calcium in milk and Folate in cereals, because they have been proven to benefit our health, because we do not get enough from our regular diets without the enrichment. Fluoride is often added to toothpaste, mouth rinses, and even some cities have a controlled amount in their water supply. Fluoride binds to your enamel and strengthens it against the effects of acid. Some people benefit from extra Fluoride, much like some people benefit from extra Calcium. We suggest that all of our patients are able to get enough to help prevent decay, and can even give a prescription if it is needed.

These are just the basics for preventing tooth decay. So tell us where you are in all of this, ask questions, and voice your concerns. To be effective, it is necessary to create a plan to address your individual needs. Let us help find what will work for you.