Q & A - Preventive Dental Care in Monterey and Watsonville, California

What are the Best Solutions to Good Dental Care?

Teeth cleaning is the removal of dental plaque and tartar from teeth to prevent cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Severe gum disease causes at least one-third of adult tooth loss. Generally, dentists recommend that teeth be cleaned professionally at least twice per year. Professional cleaning includes tooth scaling, tooth polishing, and, if too much tartar has built up, debridement. This is usually followed by a fluoride treatment for children and adults. Between cleanings by a dental hygienist, good oral hygiene is essential for preventing tartar build-up which causes the problems mentioned above. This is done by carefully and frequently brushing with a toothbrush and the use of dental floss to prevent accumulation of plaque on the teeth.

How Does a Sealant Work?

To prevent decay, a plastic-like coating called a sealant should be painted on the chewing surfaces of all the back teeth. Studies have shown that sealants can reduce tooth decay by as much as 90 to 100%. Sealants should be applied as soon as the first adult back teeth come in at age 6 or 7. Sealants should continue to be used as each adult back tooth comes into the mouth. All back teeth that need to be sealed are present by age 13. Sealant application is simple, fast, and painless.

What Foods are Beneficial to Good Dental Care?

Foods that help muscles and bones also help teeth and gums. Breads and cereals are rich in vitamin B while fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, both of which contribute to healthy gum tissue. Lean meat, fish, and poultry provide magnesium and zinc for teeth. It is recommend that teeth be brushed after every meal, and flossed at least once per day, preferably at night before sleep. For some people, flossing might be recommended after every meal.

Some foods like fruit and sugar confection are acid forming. Chewing obviously forces food between teeth, so flossing helps tremendously. However, over 80% of cavities occur inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces of back teeth. So it is clear that acid forming foods cause these cavities and sealants are places over these surfaces to block food being trapped inside pits and fissures, acid demineralization and tooth decay cannot progress. Sugars are commonly associated with dental cavities. Other carbohydrates, especially cooked starches, e.g. crisps/potato chips, may also damage teeth, although to a lesser degree since starch has to be converted by enzymes in saliva first. Sucrose (table sugar) is most commonly associated with cavities. Limiting sugar-containing foods and drinks at meal time is one way to reduce the incidence of cavities.