Proper oral hygiene is essential to the success of any dental treatment. There is a common misconception that is often stated along the lines of “I saw the dentist and he fixed my teeth, so now I don’t need to worry about cavities anymore.” This notion can’t be further from the truth.
In most circumstances, the teeth you are born with will be the most resistant to cavities and problems in their natural state. After dentists remove carious tooth structure and replace it with man-made materials, teeth actually require more attention and care to ensure tooth disease does not reoccur.
When a dentist uses man-made materials to restore a tooth, a resultant microscopic junction between the natural tooth surface and the man-made material will always be present. This junction, no matter how small, is microscopically rough and very susceptible to the colonization of oral bacteria and may result in the recurrence of dental disease.
We strongly believe it is essential to educate our patients regarding the process of dental diseases and the best ways to prevent their occurrence and recurrence prior to any dental treatment. We have knowledgeable and competent doctors and hygienist to help you along the way, ensuring the best long term success of your dental treatment.
Dental caries (or cavities) are a destructive bacterial tooth infection. If not properly diagnosed and treated, dental caries will result in tooth destruction, tooth fracture, tooth pain, and eventually tooth loss.
In order for a cavity to form on a tooth’s surface, the following components must be present:
- A tooth
- An acidic environment for pathogenic dental bacteria
- Substrate (food source) for the bacteria – generally sugars
If one or more of the above mentioned components is eliminated, then cavities will not form. Most people like their teeth and most people need to eat; thus, the logical approach to cavity prevention is to eliminate the acidic environment required by pathogenic dental bacteria to destroy tooth structure as well as strive to make tooth structure more resistant to acidic erosion.
Healthy saliva is essential to cavity prevention and oral health. Saliva contains protective proteins, minerals, and buffers that all help prevent cavity formation. If your saliva becomes compromised, your mouth’s risk for tooth decay increases exponentially. By following a very strict home care regiment, it is possible to help prevent the rampant decay that is often seen in patients with compromised saliva. Some conditions that cause dry mouth include: chemo and radiation therapy, older age, Sjogrens disease, and many medication side effects.