Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dentistry, like all of life, begins with anticipating what might happen and then making choices that will result in positive outcomes. To prevent the oral infections that contribute to cardiovascular and orthopedic disease, we must prevent tooth decay and gum infection. In concept, preventive dentistry is simple: Eat healthy and keep your teeth clean! In practice, well, together let’s design simple ways to help you be your healthiest.
So, prevention begins with diagnosis of potential problems. Come see us. Let’s create your unique lifetime prevention plan — one you can responsibly and confidently follow for life.
Diet
The beasts (streptococci, amoebas, spirochetes, etc.) that cause tooth and gum infections typically feed on carbohydrates, particularly during the 20 minutes after ingesting them. That’s why we suggest minimizing the number of daily exposures to carbohydrates. Then, meet your carbohydrate needs with healthier complex carbohydrates. That means fewer white foods (dyed foods are really white at heart), and more whole foods. Finally, rinse with clear liquid after eating any carb.
Clean
Yes, a brush and floss often work ideally. With braces, aging, the re-contouring of life, more is usually needed. Your team at Masters of Dentistry can help.
A small, soft brush with minimal tufts is best for cleaning teeth because it’s both gentle to tissues, and reaches well between teeth and below gums. The old-fashioned tooth brush is still the most important tool. Use it dry, or use it with a healthy toothpaste, essential oils or powder. Just carry it with you and use it. Yes, we love Sonicare brushes, but they aren’t mobile and they do die. So the classic POH soft toothbrush is still our mainstay.
Far more effective below the gum than floss is an irrigator: A WaterPic or Hydrofloss will reach many areas floss and brushes cannot.
We recommend a variety of options to increase effectiveness of both toolsets:
Industry Standard of Care: Chlorhexidine
Pros: It kills bad bugs for hours.
Cons: It inhibits healing, stains teeth, is expensive, and has multiple flavorings, colorings, etc., added.
Summation: We have better choices:
Dr.’s Favorite: Essential/aromatic oils, especially Dental Herb Co’s “Under the Gum”
Pros: This product proves at least as effective as Chlorhexidine in independent studies. It contains nothing unhealthy and nothing artificial. It’s also great for most skin lesions, it’s non-staining, it’s effective against bad breath, and cleans teeth well with brushing. Read the ingredients list: we urge DIY purists to concoct their own mix.
Cons: It ties purchases to dental office (or to healthfood store purchase of dilute
clones), and has a strong flavor.
Summation: This doctor’s standard of care.
Iodine, as Lugol’s Iodine
Pros: Iodine is very effective — some research shows that it prevents tooth decay better than fluoride. It deeply disinfects, it’s inexpensive, and most of us are iodine deficient anyway.
Cons: It tastes yucky, stains teeth but cleans readily, and is difficult to “dose.”
Summation: Iodine is very effective at a reasonable cost.
Salt & Soda: As a 50-percent saturated solution.
Pros: Salt & soda is deeply researched and effective, it is the least expensive, and is chemically simple.
Cons: Bulky reservoir, requires a bit of DIY effort (we can show you how simple), travels poorly.
Summation: Salt soda is best for the chemically sensitive, it’s the simplest, inexpensive and indisputably sound.
Prevention always begins with understanding what is happening, reviewing the options, and making a wise choice. Beyond diet and hygiene, a small filling can prevent a root canal or extraction. And a timely implant prevents bone loss while provideing a replacement tooth. Come see us. We want to help catch problems while they are small, or sooner.