 |
Keeping plaque off your teeth through cleaning
twice a day for two minutes or longer and flossing
|
|
Reducing your frequency of sugar intake, see Sugar
and Dental Health and avoid
sugar between meals in tea, coffee, pop, foods-just read the food label
to find out. It is not the quantity but the frequency that leads to
decay. Sugar with meals is ok.
|
|
Use mouth rinses with
fluoride
|
|
Starch
can take 9 times longer for the bacteria to ferment than
sucrose, glucose, or fructose but given enough time in
some hard to reach or hard to clear area it will
ferment if the right type of fermenters are present. |
|
If you take a medication that has sugar in
it, ask to be given this medicine in a sugar free form
|
| Chew sugar-free gum containing Xylitol, a
sugar substitute 3-5 times a day, (if you do not have TMD
problems) which helps to remineralize tooth structure. Gum chewing
increases saliva production. Saliva acts as a buffer and
remineralizing agent.
|
|
Because caries is a transmittable disease, toothbrushes
should never be shared
|
|
See your
dentist every
six months for checkups (to caught cavities while they are small) and
necessary cleanings
|
|
If you notice white spots, tooth
discoloration or cavities make an appointment
today.
|
|
Use special fluoride gels, varnish or
fluoride supplements |
|
Sealants...are for
all ages! They are a plastic "coat" placed on the surface of
a tooth to "seal" out decay. You must see your
dentist twice a year to check the sealants to make sure they have not chipped
or "leaked" We provide sealants with
fluoride sustained release. |
|
Provide you with oral hygiene instructions: tooth
brushing and flossing and careful review of dental
diet suggestions
|
| Have x-rays
taken to check for tooth decay in and between
teeth to stop them while they are small in order to save your tooth
structure
|
|
Chlorhexidine rinse for two weeks to kill the
bacteria that cause decay
|
|
Clean decay and fill
any cavities that exist because they are a good source of bacterial
infection!
|
|
Smooth edges and repair gaps in existing
fillings that could be areas for bacteria
to grow
|
|
Home
fluoride program such as Prevident 5000and home fluoride
trays. |
|
Recare appointments
more often. |
|
Fluoride
varnish
application on all suspect areas every 3 months. |
|
Trident
Gum with Xylitol 2 pieces for five minutes 3 times per day. |
|
For rapid decay-Treat
the decay...treat the strep mutans "infection" with
Chlorhexidine rinse for 3 weeks. Apply fluoride
varnish to all the teeth; three treatments within a
one-week period.
|
WDJ pg 24-33 1/04
Up
To Top
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE
New Research on Avoiding Decay
The German chemical company BASF
is developing chewing gum and toothpaste containing
decay-fighting bacteria. Streptococcus mutans which is not
related to the strep that causes strep throat) is a variety of
bacteria. S. Mutans cause tooth decay by clumping together and
sticking to the teeth, where they produce a potent acid which
aggressively breaks down tooth enamel.
A new strain of lactobacillus (a strain of bacteria found in
yogurt) may come to the rescue. It appears to prevent strep
mutans from clumping together and adhering to teeth. Tests
revealed that an experimental lactobacillus-containing chewing
gum reduced the level of strep mutans in the mouth by 50 times.
BASF hopes to introduce its chewing gum sometime in 2007.
One lollipop in the morning, one at night, and........no more
cavities! That may be true in the future if Dr. John’s Herbal
Candy lives up to early claims. A dentist traveled around China
and found 100 different herbs that possessed bioactivity. After
9600 experiments, a blend of herbs was discovered that had
anti-strep mutans properties. The Herbal Candy pops contain a
mixture of sugar alcohols like sorbitol and mannitol, citric
acid, orange flavor, acesulfame, and herbal ingredients
including Sophora flavescens and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Sucking
on the pops kills off the strep mutans in your mouth. Use the
pops four times a year.
Interesting question... with that bug virtually eliminated, what
bugs will grow to fill the void? The classic example of this is
when people take an antibiotic, killing lots of bacteria; then
yeast organisms overgrow to take the place of the bacteria.
Result---a candida (thrush) infection.
In the August 2006 Journal of the American Dental Association,
researchers revealed a new calcium phosphate cement. The cement
is strong and non-rigid, so it can flex under function. The
researchers are trying to use this cement to fix defects in the
bone often present in people with periodontal disease.
Up
To Top
Compounds In Liquorice Root May Help Fight Tooth Decay
Compounds isolated from liquorice root may help
prevent cavities, according to researchers at the University of
California, Los Angeles. In test tube studies, the scientists
showed that an extract from a plant root that is used to make
liquorice sweets and other products contains at least two
compounds that appear to be potent inhibitors of
Streptococcus mutans, a major cause of dental caries.
More studies are needed before it is proven that the compounds
effectively fight cavities in humans If further studies show
promise, the liquorice compounds could eventually be used as
cavity-fighting components in mouthwash or toothpaste. In
addition to being used as flavoring and sweetening agents in
sweets, tobaccos and
beverages, compounds derived from liquorice root have been shown
to help fight inflammation, viruses, ulcers and even cancer.
Feb. 24 print
version of the Journal of Natural Products, a monthly
peer-reviewed joint publication of the American Chemical Society
and the American
Society of Pharmacognosy.Tuesday
24th January 2006
Up
To Top
Sodium
Bicarbonate and Hydrogen
Peroxide: The Effect on the
Growth of Streptococcus mutans
This in vitro
experiment studied the effects
of sodium bicarbonate and
hydrogen peroxide on the
cariogenic bacteria
Streptococcus mutans through
analysis with a
spectrophotometer.:
The growth of S.
mutans was analyzed using seven
different environments.
Results showed bacterial growth
was prevented by sodium
bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide,
and the combination of sodium
bicarbonate and hydrogen
peroxide. There was no
significant difference among the
effects of hydrogen peroxide,
sodium bicarbonate, or the
sodium bicarbonate and hydrogen
peroxide combination, as
measured by optical density. The
hydrogen peroxide, sodium
bicarbonate, and the sodium
bicarbonate and hydrogen
peroxide combination prevented
bacterial growth of S. mutans.
The results show that
products containing these agents
have the ability to stop the
growth of S. mutans. Products
containing sodium bicarbonate
and/or hydrogen peroxide may be
useful to caries- prone
patients.
Author(s): Kelly J Silhacek RDH, BS ;
Kristin R Taake RDH, BS Source: Journal of Dental Hygiene
Volume: 79 Number: 4 Page: 7
Publisher: American Dental Hygienists' Association1/06
Professionally
applied topical fluorides for
caries prevention Professionally
applied topical fluorides
are indicated for children and
adults with one or more decayed
smooth surfaces and/or those who
are at high caries risk. Frequency
of administration depends on the
patient's caries risk, and is
usually every 6 months. The
effectiveness of fluoride
varnish and gel applications has
been well established in caries
prevention trials involving
permanent teeth. Although both
types are effective, varnish
may be preferred because it is
easier to apply, reduces the risk
of fluoride over-ingestion, and
has greater patient acceptance. A
cleaning, or prophylaxis, is not
necessary before the application
of topical fluoride for caries
prevention. These products are a
safe, effective means of reducing
caries risk among high-risk
populations. R.
Hawkins, D. Locker and J. Noble;
Series Editor E. J. Kay British
Dental Journal (2003); 195,
313-317
