I spent last week in Boston for the annual meeting of an organization I belong to called the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). It was a great meeting. In the four days I was there I took eight classes, went to a Red Sox game, did a Duck Boat tour, and had dinner in the North End. It was great to be a “tourist” in Boston. I learned more about the history of Boston and a great deal of information to be able to provide better care.
There are a wide variety of courses to take at a meeting like this. Most of them are obviously related to cosmetic-based dentistry, but there are other courses offered. Of the eight classes I took, this one particular course struck me the most. It was on current research of dental decay. I know what you are thinking, booooooring; I did too before I took the class. I learned so much and want to share some of the material I learned with you.
Dental caries (decay) is on the rise. It is the #1 disease in children; it has a genetic component and has systemic effects. There are over 19,000 different bacteria that have been found in mouths and every person has about 1,000 different types. Not all of them cause decay and many of them have also been found to grow on artery walls.
Why the increase in decay? Most of it has to do with dietary trends. If you haven’t noticed, our society is getting fat. We snack more, eat more sugar/carbs, drink more soda, have more gastric reflux, take more mouth-drying medications, etc. Dental caries is a pH specific disease. The right bacteria, plus sugar, create acid which breaks down the enamel of the teeth. Add an already acidic environment and it is even worse. It is a 100% preventable disease. The problem is that changing behavior can be very hard to do.
It is time for the dental professional to take a different approach when treating this disease. More focus needs to be shifted to prevention of decay rather just treating it. Filling teeth is treating the result of the disease but does nothing to prevent it. The dentist needs to take a more active role in assessing individual’s risk factors. In the dental world this is referred to as CAMBRA, which stands for Caries Management By Risk Assessment.
Based on assessing an individual’s risk factors such as quality of home care, quality of salivary flow, medication issues, and dietary issues, a caries-preventive strategy can be established. There are many new products on the horizon to help combat and virtually eliminate this disease. However, dentists must take some responsibility and be open to a different management of this disease. They must also be able to motivate people to change habits, which is difficult. The bottom line is that if you want to be decay-free you can be.
For those at higher risk, there are some great products currently available and others to come. Everything from new toothpastes and gels with ions in them to rebuild tooth structure, sprays to neutralize pH and probiotics are on their way. Right now you can use things like sweetener replacement Xylitol, which by itself is cavity-fighting, but also works synergistically with fluoride. Prescription level toothpastes are also available and there is strong research for the topical application of fluoride varnish, the same stuff the kids get, for adults.
The evidence is very clear – this is a 100% preventable disease. Next time you go to the dentist and find out you have a new cavity, stop blaming the dentist or yourself, and ask to get a specific protocol for prevention of this disease based on your specific risk factors.