Stop Cavities

There are definitely things to do and to avoid to keep your teeth.

Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks

There is help! Zero Sugar sodas are made to taste like the original but without sugar or calories. Diet sodas taste differently on purpose, but not the Zero Sugar ones. Carbohydrates in any form can be problematic, especially when consumed frequently, e.g. regular soda, sweet tea, mints, gum, lozenges, dried fruit, etc.

Safe Alternatives for Gum and Mints

Mints, gum with 100% xylitol (bacteria do not grow with xylitol and it stimulates saliva flow).

• Spry Mints / Gum, regularly available on Amazon and at the Vitamin Shoppe

Effective Plaque Removal

Removing the bacteria that cause cavities is extremely important.

• Glide Floss and Glide Floss Picks, work up to flossing every time you brush
  • manual flossing – floss on middle fingers 
• dry brushing once a day: manual toothbrush, not in the bathroom, no toothpaste, brush until completely smooth
  • time of day does not matter, leave / have a brush handy or nearby (if you have to go get it, inconvenient, doesn’t happen) 
• electric toothbrush (Sonicare or Oral-B)
  • brush only side to side, not up / down or circular 

Rx Toothpaste

Prescription toothpaste (5,000 ppm F). Toothpaste does little to actually clean teeth, but rather delivers chemistry (toothpaste 1,000 ppm F; office treatment about 10,000 ppm F). Not expensive, very benficial.

Killing Bacteria

More effective than any mouthwash is salt water, the same thing we have you employ after an extraction, a sore throat, etc. Commit to doing this for one week, don’t miss a day – you’ll definitely be able to tell a difference.

• salt water rinse: 4 teaspoons table salt / pint of water, swish one minute and spit out
  • premix in a sport top type of bottle, leave in the shower, time of day does not matter, just that it is done effectively every 24 hours