|
 Tooth decay
There are three principal places: on the smooth
surfaces of the teeth, between the teeth, and in
the pits. Of these three types, only smooth
surface is significantly affected by tooth
brushing. Most people brush their teeth
adequately, and so few people have problems with
smooth surfaces.
Interproximal decay is out of the reach of the
toothbrush and toothpaste. The bristles of the
brush aren't long enough or fine enough to reach
these areas. So you could brush twenty times a
day and still get cavity in these places.
The third area is in the pits of the teeth.
These pits are created by deep grooves that
occur naturally as your tooth is formed after
birth. Pits attract microscopic food particles
and bacteria and are very prone to cavities. It
isn't possible for tooth brushing to clean out
the pits of the teeth.
There is also something else about the nature of
tooth decay that helps in understanding its
prevention. Your body has natural defenses
against cavities. Bacteria in plaque (the sticky
film that adheres to your teeth) take the food
you eat and convert it to acids that attack the
surface of your teeth. You may notice that after
certain foods, particularly sweet foods, you can
have a sour aftertaste in your mouth. The acid
that is being produced by the bacteria tastes
sour. This acid works on the susceptible parts
of your teeth to cause dental caries. However,
your saliva has minerals in it that your body
uses to repair the spots attacked by the plaque
acid. It is only when the rate of attack exceeds
the rate of repairing that you actually getting
tooth decay.
 So, how can you prevent
cavities?
1. Brushing helps prevent smooth surface tooth
decay. If you remove the plaque from smooth
surfaces right after eating, it halts the acid
attack.
2. Flossing similarly helps prevent cavities
between the teeth.
3. Fluoride strengthens the teeth to better
resist smooth surface tooth decay and also
between the teeth and it increases the repair
rate.
4. Anything that helps stimulate saliva flow
also helps combat cavities. Since saliva has the
repair agents, more saliva means better repair.
Also, saliva helps dilute the acids that attack
your teeth and helps wash away the food
particles before the bacteria can digest them.
Surprising to some people is that chewing gum
(without sugar) is good for your teeth. It helps
clean your teeth and fight decay. Part of its
preventive action comes from the saliva flow it
stimulates.
 5. But the most powerful weapon you have to
limit decay is to limit the frequency of eating.
None of the preventive techniques above act on
the pits and fissures. Also, it is not possible
to clean the teeth fast enough and frequently
enough and thoroughly enough to totally overcome
every acid attack you have after every bite of
food. The key is to give your natural mouth
chemistry time to repair your teeth after an
attack. If you limit yourself to your three
meals and maybe a couple of snacks during the
day, and practice basic oral hygiene, you can
pretty well eliminate most dental caries.
There is also a misconception about the kinds of
foods that cause decay. Yes, sweets cause decay,
but any carbohydrates promote it - especially
any that stick to your teeth, such as crackers
or pretzels. Raisins cause food particles to
stick in the pits of your teeth and will cause
decay. Candies, caramels are the worst, because
they stick. Also, hard candies that you suck for
a long time are very bad. Chocolate actually has
a decay inhibitor, as does anything with peanuts
in it or cheese. Sugared drinks aren't too bad,
either, but if you sip them all day they're
terrible because your saliva doesn't have time
between sips to do any repairs. Any sweets that
you eat during a meal have practically no effect
on tooth decay because they're all part of one
acid attack that hopefully your body will have
time to fully repair before the next snack or
meal.
|
