Time, brushing, and cavities...

Have you ever wondered why it is that we brush our teeth every day and still get cavities? Is it because our teeth are just weak? Or is it some type of genetic flaw that makes us predetermined get cavities or lives? I often have parents tell me that the reason their child had a history of cavities was because the teeth are weak due to taking some medication like an antibiotic. Then there is the classic old wives tale that I lost calcium in my teeth each time that a child that was delivered. Thank goodness I haven't heard that one in a long time.

Actually, the reason cavities are formed it is really quite simple; in fact, I have even bolded down to a simple recipe that you may have heard me discuss with kids in the office. The recipe goes something like this: it takes four ingredients to make a cavity, first you have to have teeth, then you have to have germs, and throw in some carbohydrates or sugars for good measure and you're left with the one key ingredient that we have the most control over. And that ingredient is, quite simply, time!

Now there is one ingredient in this recipe that answers the question that I stated in the beginning of this blog, and that is time. You see, you don't have to give up sugar, or even carbohydrates for that matter, to avoid cavities from forming in your mouth. All you have to do is eliminate the time factor. And the way you do that is brush your teeth within thirty minutes of eating or drinking something that contain sugar; like sweet tea or sodas.

You see, whenever you eat or drink something that contain sugar, the germs in your mouth absorb sugar molecules, break them down to create acid which is released from the bacteria onto your teeth. This process takes approximately thirty minutes to occur and then the acid begins to damage your teeth. Now you notice that I didn't even mention the words plaque or floss. That’s because those are irrelevant if you brush your teeth within thirty minutes of eating or drinking something that contain sugar! And remember, I am not talking about periodontal disease, flossing is necessary to prevent periodontal disease. Here I'm primarily concerned about the formation of cavities and how to prevent that from occurring.

So the next time you're running around town and feel that craving for a mocha frappe, make sure that you will be able brush her teeth within thirty minutes of drinking it, otherwise, you may want to just grab a bottle of water instead. These small choices compounded over months, or even years, are the deciding factor in whether we will get a cavity or not! So remember the thirty minute rule, and share it with a colleague or friend and you'll never see a cavity again in your lifetime!