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what causes cavities

What causes tooth decay? - A Halloween refresher

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What causes tooth decay? - A Halloween refresher

thousandoaksfamilydentistry.com

With Halloween around the corner, we would like to take a moment to remind kids of all ages about the tooth decay process. While those sugary treats might make you happy now, they can cause a lot of problems if you aren't careful. Like many things in life, moderation is key to keeping your teeth protected from bacteria and cavities. 

The biggest point in understanding cavities is that duration, not amount, of sugar consumed is the main factor in the tooth decay process. Every time we eat or drink anything other than water, our mouth drops into an acidic state for the next hour. With this in mind, someone who snacks on candy all day will spend 24 hours bathing their teeth in acid and fueling bacteria with carbohydrates. If that same person ate the same amount of candy after a single meal, there would be a much less drastic effect on the teeth. 

Furthermore, it is important to remember that all carbohydrates can contribute to enamel demineralization and decay. Even foods that aren't necessarily sweet like goldfish crackers and pretzels are harmful to the teeth. Additionally, naturally sweetened or organic foods like fruits cause decay all the same as processed sugars. In fact, raisins are one of the most tooth-harmful snacks, due to their high sugar content, dryness and ability to stick to dental enamel. 

What can you do to prevent tooth decay? For starters, limit snacking and candy consumption to set times or pair them with scheduled meals. Do not let yourself graze on sweet food all day or take multiple hours to finish food. Additionally, rinsing your mouth out with water after eating sweets is an easy way to clear the carbohydrates from your teeth and limit their contact. Finally, brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily is the gold standard in preventing dental diseases. If you have other questions about tooth decay, candy or tooth healthy snacks, please give our office a call!

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The Benefits of Sugar Free Gum

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The Benefits of Sugar Free Gum

ThousandOaksFamilyDentistry.com

Are you a frequent gum-chewer? Men's Health Magazine recently published an article discussing how chewing sugar free gum can save you thousands of dollars in dental expenses. Find out why adding gum to your daily routine can help fight cavity causing bacteria!

Every time we eat or drink anything made with sugars or carbohydrates, our mouths turn acidic for a thirty minute period. This is caused by bacteria in our mouths processing sugars into their associated acids. Over time, the acid buildup weakens dental enamel and begins to form cavities in our teeth. These cavities tend to develop in areas that trap food, as bacteria have more fuel to turn into acid. This is one of the reasons why decay in common in between teeth and in the pits/grooves of posterior teeth. 

The Men's Health article correctly identifies that sugar free gum lacks the necessary ingredients to fuel bacterial acid production. In addition to this, gum helps loosen food that gets packed into our teeth after meals. Finally, chewing gum stimulates saliva flow which is a crucial factor in preventing tooth decay. Our saliva has incredible natural remineralizing properties and can have a tremendous effect on the progression of cavities.  

One topic the article does not address is the type of sweetener to look for in sugar free gum. Most brands use typical sugar substitutes like sorbitol and aspartame. However, chewing gum made with xylitol will add even more protective factors into your daily routineXylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that inhibits ability of bacteria to grow and stick to our teeth. While xylitol gum can be purchased at many stores, health food markets typically carry the best variety. You can also order it online from companies like Dr. John's Candies (our office's favorite!).

It is currently believed that Xylitol's maximum dental benefit comes from using it three to five times a day. However, it is not a substitute for flossing or brushing with a fluoride toothpaste. If you would like to know more about the protective factors of xylitol gum, how it is best used and what it does for our teeth, please give our office a call!

Link to Men's Health Article: www.menshealth.com/health/habit-save-money-dentist

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