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New Dental Treatment Takes Aim at Cavities
By Larry Staples
DDS
You work hard at taking your dentist’s advice on brushing and flossing, only to find that at your next dental appointment you have a new cavity.
In the past, all your dentist could do to fix a cavity was to fill it and encourage you to have better nutrition and be even more consistent with brushing and flossing. Now, new research from the Center For Disease Control and dental schools in California, published in the 2003-04 California Dental Association journals (www.cda.org), will change the way dentists approach cavities.
Everyone’s mouth has billions of bacteria. Specific types of bacteria cause dental decay. Some people have a lot more of the cavity causing bacteria than others. Those with low counts have a less-than-likely risk for dental decay.
Young and old alike with a moderate to high count of bacteria are at a much greater risk for new and recurring cavities. Not only can cavities be painful, but for most dental patients, they are a continual problem -- that eventually leads to larger problems if not treated right away. If not treated, decay can lead to toothache, root canals, and eventual tooth loss. 
New testing procedures are now available to dentists to make it possible to determine if you and your family are at risk. Just like knowing your cholesterol levels to prevent heart disease, knowing your bacterial count in your mouth can prevent needless cavities.
It is painless and inexpensive to be tested. The test is performed by a swab in your mouth, and your bacteria count is calculated immediately by the dentist.
The latest in technology and science in preventative dentistry is the new CariFree System. It involves a three- to four-week program of prescribed mouth rinses, sprays, and a special sugar free gum containing the right amount of xylitol that has been shown to drastically reduce the bacteria that cause the decay. Many sugar free gums now contain xylitol, but not in a therapeutic dose. The dentist can get you the gum or lead you to the right sources that carry it. The cost of the test and the home care treatment is far less than having a filling done in the dental office. 
Studies show that pregnant women who chew the prescribed gum have children that will have far fewer cavities in the first three years of life.
Seniors and diabetics who suffer from dry mouth usually test high and will benefit from these new products. In fact, there are over 500 prescription medications that cause dry mouth. This proves to be a problem for people as they are unable to use their body’s natural saliva to buffer daily acid attacks in the mouth. In turn, a dry mouth can lead to severe dental cavities in a patient who otherwise has been cavity free.
Dental disease is still one of the most costly and prevalent causes of discomfort and destruction in health care today. The new testing and preventative CariFree System can start changing that.

Larry Staples is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and practices in St. George.

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