During a dental exam, I have my patients walk me through their daily dietary habits. Many people are unaware that when you eat, your mouth becomes acidic. It takes 2 hours for a healthy mouth to re-neutralize itself. If you snack or drink within 2 hours your acid attack phase is reset. Some people are in acid attack ALL DAY LONG! Here are tips to counterbalance acid attack and prevent future cavities.
Therapeutic recommendations:
1. Baking soda rinses after each ingestion of food or acidic drinks. The mouth becomes naturally acidic when ingesting food/drink and demineralizes the enamel. Baking soda pH is 14 which is basic so will counterbalance the acid attack on your teeth. *Dilute baking soda into a bottle of water (so it’s diluted, not clumpy) and swish for at least 30 seconds and spit.
2. Fluoride products remineralize the enamel to protect from further acid attack.
– Fluoride varnish placed at every cleaning appointment or more frequently if high caries rate.
– SDF, Silver Diamine Fluroide. Paint on caries lesion for 1 minute. This stops the cavity and hardens the affected tooth. Better than a filling!
– Use ACT fluoride mouth rinse throughout the day and at night.
– Clinpro 5000 RX toothpaste. Floss then brush with this toothpaste at night. Spit excess and do not rinse with water after brushing.
– MI Paste. If you have bleaching trays or a nightguard; place this in the trays overnight.
3. Xylitol stops the bad bacteria in the mouth from converting carbohydrates into acid.
– Xylitol ingredient found in gum, mints or Mouth spray. Spry is one company that makes this. Find on Amazon, Whole foods, Staff of Life, or New Leaf market.
NOTE: Saliva is a natural cleanser of your mouth. Saliva production shuts down while you’re sleeping. FLOSSING and BRUSHING before bed is very important because of this.
