As described in previous posts, there are many reasons why a person may get cavities, ranging from dry mouth to sugar intake.  Below is a list of, in my opinion, 5 of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy and strong:

1.) Brush regularly with Fluoride toothpaste.  Brushing keeps your teeth clean of bacteria.  Fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel, as well as stopping bacteria from producing their decay forming acid.  We recommend PearlinBrite Mint Fluoride Toothpaste with Aloe Vera.

2.) Visit your dentist regularly.  One of the best ways to catch cavities early and get them fixed, as well as keep your teeth free of plaque and calculus, is to visit your dentist.  Six months is the normal recall, but if you are at high risk for cavities, four or even three month recalls are preferable.

3.) Reduce your intake of fermentable carbohydrates.  That includes anything with added sugar, and foods that stick in your mouth.  For example raisins are one of the worst foods in terms of causing cavities because they stick in your mouth for a long time.

4.) When eating foods that do contain fermentable sugars, make sure to rinse with water soon after.  You don’t want to let the sugar sit on your teeth.  This is why children who sleep with there bottles in their mouths develop such bad cavities, the sugars sit on their teeth all night!

5.) Drink fluoridated water.  Yes, I know all the Internet lies that claim it is dangerous.  As a doctor to be, I can tell you there are mountains of scientific evidence showing the benefits of fluoride, and little to no scientific evidence showing any dangers when administered properly.  So stop living off bottled water and drink that good old fluoridated tap water to keep your teeth strong and healthy.

Ok, so you have had a mouth full of cavities since you were a kid, yet your friend, husband/wife, brother/sister, has never had a cavity in his/her life!  WHY!?!  Multiple factors go into forming cavities.

1.) A carious lesion (cavity) is formed by acid eating away at the tooth structure.  This acid is produced by oral bacteria, usually Streptococcus Mutans or Lactobacillus Casei.  These bacteria are in most, if not all mouths.  However their quantity differs by person. The amount of these bacteria in the mouth is thought to be transmitted from mother to child.  However this link is a bit shaky.  One way or another though, certain individuals have more of these bacteria in their mouths, and are thus more susceptible to cavities.

2.) Saliva! It serves multiple purposes.  Digestion of food, keeping the mouth moist, buffering the saliva, and others.  The ion concentration and buffering capacity of saliva are essential in the formation, or lack thereof, of cavities.  The basic properties of saliva can counteract the acid produced by the bacteria, which prevents cavities.  Some people’s saliva is more basic than others, and therefore more effective in preventing cavities.  In addition, the more basic the saliva, the more it is able to remineralize and keep tooth enamel strong.

3.) Genetics, as with most bodily problems, has an influence on oral health, including cavities.  Certain people are more susceptible, whether it be by weaker tooth structure, oral and tooth anatomy, or from other factors.  One way or another, genetics plays a role in the number of cavities a person has or will have.

4.) One last factor, and probably the most discussed, buy possibly the least important, is the amount of sugar in the diet.  Sugar, particularly sucrose, is the food the oral bacteria need to create the acid that causes cavities.  This is a commonly accepted idea, and most all dentists will tell you not to consume lots of sugar if you don’t want cavities; especially stick sugars (ie caramels).  However some studies have contradicted this idea and showed that sugar is certainly not the only factor. In the groundbreaking Vipeholm study from Sweden in 1948, they found that:

• Although all the patients consumed the very popular caramels, which were served between meals in 4 portions of 5 or 6 caramels each, 20% of them had not developed one single caries lesion after one year.
• About 20-30% of the patients did not develop any new caries lesions at all, although they had a frequent intake of between-meal sweets for long periods.

This is far from a detailed, or complete list of reasons why some people get more cavities than others.  But hopefully it will help you when understanding the caries process, and how they can somewhat be prevented.  Stay tuned for my next post, how to reduce your chances at getting cavities!

President Obama’s most recent push to reform healthcare in the USA is the talk of the country.  At dinner tables, casual encounters, and town-halls nationwide, Americans are discussion how this healthcare bill, if passed, would effect the country.

In terms of dental care, this bill could be tragic to the current system in this country.  Today, dental care is one of the last free market medical professions left.  In NYC for example, you can find dentists charging from $20 for a filling to $500 for a filling, and both of them have patients that are more than willing to pay the costs.  That is because people are willing to pay for the best service, and other people, who can’t afford it, can get a procedure done, but not the the same standards.

Buying a car is a fine example of the same system at play.  You can buy a $100,000 BMW, or you can buy a $15,000 Honda.  Both will get you around, but they have different standards.

Now if the government gets involved, they would take all of the free market influence away from the professionals, and give the control to the government.  Lawmakers would be setting dental fees, standards of care, etc.  Thus, all fillings would be, say $100.  Yes, everyone would have access, but all in all the quality of the work would decrease because THERE WOULD BE NO INCENTIVE!

Incentive is essential to the best care.  Doctors and dentist alike will provide the best service if they have incentive to do so.  Government run health care is not the way to go in America, not only because the cost would be prohibitive, but also because the quality of care would decrease drastically.

America has the best healthcare in the world, no matter what the politicians tell you.  People flock to America when they need the best medical and dental treatment.  LETS KEEP IT THAT WAY.

These views are solely those of Zachary Linhart and in no way reflect the views of Dr. Linhart, his staff, his office, or any of his affiliates.