Sunday, May 16, 2010

As I get older I get more cavities. Why?

When I was young I could eat sweets and drink soda all day long and sometimes go asleep without brushing and not develop cavities. Now I'm in my early 30's and if I drink coffee with sugar or a few donuts, next thing I know my teeth hurts in a few places and my dentist tells me I have cavities. I just had a tooth removed that had a giant black hole in it and looked badly discolored (last tooth on the left of my upper jaw). I am drinking milk regularly. Is this increase in cavities a natural result of aging?

As I get older I get more cavities. Why?
Tooth decay results from prolonged exposure to foods that encourage germ growth, and failure to clean those germ accumulations (soft plaque and hard tartar) off your teeth on a timely/regular basis. The accumulation of the germs on your teeth, given an uninterrupted period of time, will rot through your enamel and dentin and cause a cavity.





Things you can do to stack the cards in your favor:





1) Ensure you have no existing cavities. If you have cavities, get them treated. Open cavities serve as reservoirs for the germs.





2) Modify your diet so you eat/drink less sugary and acidic foods. Sugary foods promote germ growth, acidic foods/drinks attack your enamel.





3) Use fluoride toothpaste. They make your enamel more resistant to breakdown by germs and acids.





4) 6-month regular checkups and cleanings to pick off any tartar hiding in places you can't get at, and to catch cavities before they become major problems.





5) MOST IMPORTANTLY: Develop an effective home-care regimen. You need to make sure you don't have all the germs stuck on your teeth for prolonged periods of time, and that means developing good brushing and flossing techniques (ask your dentist or hygienist to show you how), and brush at the right times-- AFTER EACH MEAL, AND RIGHT BEFORE BED.





With proper care, it's not unusual these days to reach old age without any cavities.
Reply:cavities are normally the results of improper dental care. age has nothing to do with the increase in the no. of cavities. your teeth may loosen as you grow old
Reply:drink more milk,rinse your month every nite before you go to bed if you don't want to brush
Reply:you have to brush better, it's simple as that. Your best bet is to get a root canal which permantely protects your teeth from braces instead going to the dentist every month to get your teeth filled
Reply:Hey,





first thing I suggest is get a siliva test (spit test)





your spit may have something to do with it, like me.....





they put me on a mouthwash and everything was better...








also try getting your teeth cleaned and get all the plaque of when you go home and brush.





ps. when you drink any soda try gargloing water so the soda doesnt stay in your mouth all day.
Reply:Brush your teeth after every meal and before bedtime as already mentioned. The bacteria in your mouth that cause cavities are feed by you when you eat sugary foods and the result is that they excrete (their form of peeing) acid as a result and that acid demineralizes (weakens the enamel that covers your teeth) and then decay sets in. To lessen the number of bacteria and their poop stay away from sugary foods. When you do have them and you can't brush right away then at LEAST rinse with water (swish vigorously). Since you have a problem you need to stay on top of it. Also, ask your hygienist or dentist to recommend a a HIGHER fluoride content toothpaste than the ones normally bought in stores. ( I don't know if I can name products here on the forum, so I will have to check on this for future answering) Also, rinse with a Fluoride rinse. Fluoride REmineralizes the enamel so that the microscopic holes are made smaller ...in general the tooth is made stronger. If your cavities are arising between your teeth, have your hygienist show you the proper flossing technique and if necessary have her watch you floss to determine if you are actually doing it correctly. I have come across so many people that think they are being effective when they floss, but are missing a major area, the sides of the teeth. Hope some of this helps.





FOUND OUT I can mention a product by name. So get PreviDent 5000 plus which is a prescription grade fluoride toothpaste.
Reply:Well, home care is essential....flossing is also key....As we age we tend to get cavities in different areas....usually root surfaces due to poor brushing habits causing tooth brush abrasion....Also our saliva changes becoming thicker and less plentiful...however...you are only in your 30's..which is pretty young for these changes...You need to be sure to see the dentist on a regular basis so that they can catch these cavitites before they get to the size in which they need to be removed... Someone else mentioned Prevident 5000 ...there is another brand called Flouridex which is the same thing only for the same price you get twice as much...Good luck to you


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