6 ways to keep the cavities away
Now you may be reading this for your younger child, which is great, or a slightly older child, who is old enough to read and is constantly sitting on the internet anyway and so can find this stuff out themselves, but that’s okay, slightly obsessive but in a sort of cute way.
If you’re reading this on your own, you’re old enough to make an appointment with your dentist so you should probably do that, since most of the upcoming info is helpful in itself, but some of it will need you to see your dentist.
Following are some of the traditional ways that we can try to prevent cavities (aka in the dental world as ‘caries’. Always cool when a patient knows the lingo.) along with some methods that are still under research.
- Taking care of your oral hygiene:
Make sure you’re brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing too. All this effort to make sure the thin layer of bacteria in your mouth stays too disturbed to plot new caries (we now know what that means, yes!). The correct brushing techniques can be taught to you by your dentist, or you could check them out on YouTube.
- Fluoride application:
There are different ways to get the fluoride you need for the health of your teeth. It strengthens the crystal-like structures that make up the teeth. Some of the ways are; drinking fluoridated water, fluoridated toothpastes, dietary supplements, fluoride containing mouth rinses, or professionally applied gels or varnishes. Varnishes, for example, have proven to be effective in the decrease of incidence of caries in children (2).
- Pit or fissure sealants:
The anatomy of the teeth sometimes causes more accumulation of factors that would easily cause caries. The irregularities can be filled up with a sealant, especially in young children who have a high chance of getting caries easily.
- Xylitol:
This is a sugar substitute that doesn’t just decrease the formation of new cavities but acts against the formation of new ones too. This anti-caries effect is more dependent on frequency of use rather than the amount used (3).
- Vaccinations:
Here’s some of that new technology for you. Considering that caries is considered an infectious disease, there are attempts at developing a vaccination against it. Some were experimented to attack the bacteria that’s is majorly responsible for the caries (called Streptococcus Mutans if you’re a real wiz), and some aimed at the bodies immune system against these bacteria. None of them have appeared on the market so far, though, we’ll try to keep you updated on that though.
- Spread from primary caregiver in children:
As mentioned, caries is an infectious disease that can be and very commonly is transmitted from the caregiver, mostly the mother, down to the young children. This takes place, for instance, when the same utensil is used to check the food’s temperature or taste in preparation for the child. There is a positive relationship between the bacteria’s presence in the parents’ mouth and the child’s (4). The best way to prevent this method of infection is to make sure you, as a parent, get yourself checked and all cleaned up in preparation for the coming of the little one.
Keeping these in mind, and remembering to visit your friendly neighborhood dentist should keep your oral health in check, and those pearly whites shining, grinding, and smiling.
References:
- Lee, Y. (2013, September). Diagnosis and Prevention Strategies for Dental Caries. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4390741/
- Mohammadi, T. M., Hajizamani, A., Hajizamani, H. R., & Abolghasemi, B. (2015, January). Fluoride varnish effect on preventing dental caries in a sample of 3-6 years old children. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4336657/
- Nayak, P. A., Nayak, U. A., & Khandelwal, V. (2014, November 10). The effect of xylitol on dental caries and oral flora. Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4232036/
- Douglass JM, Li Y, Tinanoff N. Association of mutans streptococci between caregivers and their children. Pediatr Dent. 2008;30:375–87
