Tooth Decay — How To Assess Your Risk

Don't wait for cavities to occur and then have them fixed — Stop them before they start

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Testing

Testing meters can evaluate your mouth chemistry and determine its potential for causing tooth decay.

Why wait for disease to start with early white spots or cavities when today it is possible to test for the acid-producing bacteria by taking a sample of the biofilm and testing it for acid producing bacteria? For example, if an acid producing biofilm is detected early, you can avoid passing these germs to others as parents and caregivers do unintentionally to infants. Or why not try to eradicate these bacteria by changing the conditions (pH balance) of the mouth? Testing meters can now give estimates of acid producing bacteria in 15 seconds. A reading from 0 – 1500 correlates with low risk and a reading of 1501-9999 correlates with higher risk. This simple and inexpensive test can also be repeated after treatment and is a great motivational tool for both patient and dental professional alike as everyone likes to know if change is working!

Diagnosis And Prognosis

A diagnosis can now be made based on your individual risk from the facts collected on your caries risk assessment form. This is important for three basic reasons: firstly, it is based on identifiable evidence; secondly, the risk can be modified based on recommendations and actions; and thirdly, repeating the procedure can objectively measure change to reduce your risk and improve your health. This affects your prognosis or the ability to predict the probable course and positive outcome from taking action.

Prescribe

In addition to the traditional things you've always been told to do like brush, floss, pay attention to your diet, and see your dentist regularly, treatment and preventive strategies are now based on your individual risk rather than treating everybody with the same approach.

If your risk is high, your dental professional may prescribe a program to reduce it. Some of the newer and more specific agents include:

• Rinses containing a safe dilution of sodium hypochlorite solution that can kill bacteria and raise pH (lower acidity) in those individuals found to have high acid producing bacteria levels. Other products are available that are designed to balance an acidic mouth and keep the pH neutral and encourage more normal bacteria.
• Rinses containing chlorhexidine, an antibacterial agent that has been used for eons to reduce bacteria, to disrupt their influence, and to lower the counts of those causing disease.
• Fluoride containing rinses to strengthen enamel surfaces making them more resistant to decay while encouraging re-mineralization.
• Xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol used for years as a sweetener and alternative to sucrose (table sugar), is known to disrupt the ability of acid-producing bacteria to thrive and attach to teeth. Xylitol is available in a rinse, spray, chewing gum, as well a breath-mint.

Once your risk has been modified and reduced, the level of prevention and treatment can be matched to it. For example, you can move from a treatment strategy to more of a preventive one.

Partnership

Based on known science, a CAMBRA dental professional can quickly and easily assess your risk and recommend appropriate measures that you should try at home as part of your daily oral/dental health regimen. The old “drill it and fill it,” “one-size fits all” approach to the treatment of tooth decay is no longer appropriate. It does not change the conditions that lead to the disease in the first place nor does it change your risk of infection.

Finally, it's about partnership. Your relationship with your dental office team is based on both a scientific approach as well as caring health professionals who have your best interest at heart. Working together, they will ensure that dental decay is a disease of your past so that you can enjoy a lifetime of good oral and dental health.