Does Brushing After Sweets Help Prevent Cavities?

Surprisingly, the answer to that is no! To have a cavity one requires a tooth, some of the right kind of bacteria concentrated in an area where they can create and harbor acid on the tooth, sugar that the bacteria will eat and convert to acid, and some time for the acids to dissolve calcium out of the tooth enamel to make a hole.

So you see, if sometime during the day you cleaned all the bacteria off your teeth so they are not there to create any acid, then the sugar has no affect on the teeth. Also note: If bacteria have been successfully cleaned off the teeth, then it will take 24 hours for those bacteria to multiply and aggregate adequately to create and concentrate acid in a sheltered place on the tooth. In other words, your teeth are safe for 24 hours.

So THE TRICK here is to know how to effectively clean your teeth once each day to make them safe. Check our web site regarding disclosing solution as a tool to teach yourself effective tooth cleaning, and as a tool to monitor yourself periodically to verify you are still keeping your teeth safe.

Now here is an interesting taboo. DO NOT brush your teeth immediately after drinking any beverages (other than water or milk). Check in with us next week to learn why brushing your teeth immediately after drinking nearly all prepared beverages can do serious harm to your teeth.

In the mean time teach yourself to be a superb once a day effective tooth cleaner. And it makes absolutely no difference when during the day you do this cleaning.

Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons

Will a Clean Tooth Decay?

A Clean Tooth Will Not Decay.

The reality that a clean tooth will not decay was demonstrated in multiple experiments in the 1950s and 60s. Since then scientific research has not only re-demonstrated it countless times, we have advanced the science to allowing patients to stop decay after is has started ... and ... if the decay has not progressed too far the patient can reverse the decay (that would be heal the cavity).

And yet! ... People clean their teeth daily, they visit their dentist regularly, and they still get cavities. Why? The answer lies in the reality that most people's attempts to clean their teeth are not effective. The teeth don't get clean. And so they get cavities in those places, ... repeatedly.

When was the last time your dentist and/or hygienist helped you learn how to effectively (the key is effectively) clean your teeth ... AND ... showed you how to evaluate your own effectiveness at home? In other words, be able to check any day, in your own home, whether you actually get your teeth clean. A CLEAN TOOTH WILL NOT DECAY!

And those of you who have cavities already that need filling, how about creating an environment in your mouth that will prevent new decay from destroying that rather expensive investment called "dental restorations."

For more information or just to discuss your child's oral health, feel free to give me a call -

Dr. Scott Thompson - Pediatric Dentistry

Measuring Effective Tooth Brushing

Standard questions I ask my patients at their routine check-ups go like this:  When did you last brush your teeth?  Did you get them clean?  How do you know?  That elicits a wide variety of responses which, as you might imagine, are fun to explore with the patient.

My follow-up questions are often like:  If you were a tasty bug hiding in the grass so a bird couldn't find you, what color would you like to be?  If you are hiding on a tooth, what color would you be?  If the germs are white, how do you know if you got them off?  Most adults remember some time in their past when a dentist or dental hygienist gave them a red pill that turned the germs pink or purple.  That stuff is still around.  It is called disclosing tablets or disclosing solution.  If you color the germs pink and show yourself how to brush those places clean, you would learn the feel of brushing effectively.  If you re-test once a week, it would only take about 4 times to be very efficient with your toothbrush.  You will probably find tooth cleaning can be done very well in less time than you used to take.

There are also disclosing mouthwashes in the super market.  I have found, however, the color in so subtle it is hard to see unless the germs on your teeth are really gross.  If you can't find tablets or solution at your dentist or pharmacy, go to our website and look at our Clean Teeth Kit.  Learn how to effectively clean your teeth in less than 2 minutes a day and:

1) stop getting new cavities

2) prolong the life of your fillings by double or triple

3) Eliminate those embarrassing bleeding gums.

4) Next week read this blog with a brighter smile.

Next week:  Chew Gum for Fewer Cavities