Changing Your Caries Risk
Cavities don’t have to be a pattern. Understanding what is contributing to your risk gives us an opportunity to change it.
If we shared this page with you after a visit, chances are we saw something worth talking about. Our goal isn’t simply to fix a cavity and move on. We want to help you understand why decay may be happening and what we can do together to reduce your risk moving forward.
What Actually Causes a Cavity?
Cavity-causing bacteria like carbohydrates and sugars just like we do. And it isn’t only candy and soda. Foods like chips, pretzels, crackers and dried fruit can also contribute to the decay process.
One of the biggest factors is how often your teeth are exposed. Every time you snack, sip something other than water, or eat foods that stick to your teeth, bacteria have another opportunity to feed and produce acid that begins breaking down the tooth.
That’s why someone who snacks or sips throughout the day may have a very different cavity risk than someone eating the same amount of sugar less frequently.
The good news? Your risk isn’t fixed. There are things we can look at together and habits you can change moving forward. Changing Caries Risk
It’s About More Than Brushing
We look at your mouth as part of the rest of your body, so when we see recurring decay, we don’t want to look at your toothbrush alone.
How you breathe, the amount of saliva in your mouth, what and how often you eat, how effectively you’re cleaning between your teeth, and other health factors can all be part of the conversation.
For example, mouth breathing can dry the tissues of the mouth and reduce one of your body’s natural defenses: saliva. We may also talk with you about other factors, including sleep-disordered breathing or Type 2 diabetes, when they may be contributing.
It’s all connected, and it’s rarely just one thing. Changing Caries Risk
Ways We May Help You Lower Your Risk
Depending on what we see and what makes sense for you, we may talk about:
Breathing through your nose
Keeping the lips closed and breathing through the nose helps prevent the dry-mouth environment that can develop with frequent mouth breathing.
Improving your home care
We don’t assume anyone was ever properly taught how to brush or clean between their teeth. We’ll actually work with you during your well-visits to find techniques and tools that work for your mouth.
Changing your toothpaste
In some cases, we may recommend prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste or a nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste.
Adding xylitol
Xylitol products may help reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. We’ll help you determine whether and how to incorporate them appropriately. Please remember that xylitol can be deadly to dogs and should always be kept away from them.
Paying attention to hidden sugar
Nutrition labels can be surprising. As a quick reference, 4 grams of sugar is approximately 1 teaspoon.
Considering Silver Diamine Fluoride
For some patients and some areas of decay, Silver Diamine Fluoride may be an option to help slow the decay process. Changing Caries Risk
We’re Here to Partner With You
Finding cavities can be frustrating, especially when you feel like you’re already doing the right things. We don’t want this conversation to be about blame. We want it to be about figuring out what is driving your risk and giving you practical ways to change it.
Bring your questions to your next visit. We’re happy to keep the conversation going.