So I’ve always had problems with my teeth. My mom had calcium deficiency when she was pregnant with me, and I was pretty much born with it. My teeth always get cavities easily (even though I keep good oral hygiene). The doctor told me I seem to have mineral deficiency and my teeth will be prone to damage. I used to take mineral supplements a while back but I don’t anymore… i didn’t notice any change. All this is quite frustrating, since I need to get my cavities filled and my mother can’t really afford it with all the money problems we’ve had lately… Seeing how both of my parents have had problems with their teeth all of their lives, I’m scared that by 30, I’ll have to get dentures… I’m only 18.
- Anna-Maria from Romania
Anna-Maria
I can’t examine you, so I can’t tell what role this calcium deficiency has in the number of cavities you get. But I can offer some helpful advice.
You can always reduce the number of cavities you get by reducing your frequency of eating.
Few people understand, and dentists often don’t explain well this principle – that your saliva has defenses against decay. There are bacteria in your mouth that break down food particles and secrete acids that cause decay. But, at the same time, there are enzymes, antibodies, and minerals in your saliva that work to combat this attack and also work to repair the damage they cause. When you get cavities, it is because your saliva doesn’t have enough time to repair the damage between attacks.
So the trick is to let your saliva have more time to repair before the next attack. And you do this by limiting your frequency of eating. So if you snack between meals, just quit doing that, and you will dramatically reduce the number of cavities you get.
People think they can stop tooth decay by just brushing better. Now toothbrushing helps prevent decay, but there are too many spots on your teeth that toothbrushing can’t reach. For example, right where the teeth touch each other, brushing doesn’t reach that. Also, there are often deep pits on the chewing surfaces of your teeth that the brush can’t reach. And even where the toothbrush CAN reach, you have to brush that within about ten minutes after every time you get food in your mouth to prevent any damage, which is impractical. So the best way to limit the number of cavities is to stick to three meals a day, and then brush your two times a day and floss once a day.
I hope this is helpful.
This blog sponsored by Cleveland dentist Dr. Brad Hylan
Links: read more about teeth cleaning and oral hygiene.