Why You Should Ask Your Dentist About Your Specific Risk for Decay
Did you know that you may be at more risk of developing tooth decay during your lifetime than any other given person and that dentists are now able to determine your specific risk for developing dental caries? What factors come into play in determining your exposure?
Being Proactive
A generation or so ago, dentists would routinely drill out the decay and install fillings, before moving onto the next patient. It now appears that you have a specific profile that outlines your risk of developing tooth decay during your lifetime. Armed with this information, it's possible to come up with a plan to help you avoid some of the issues going forward.
Achieving Balance
There is a constant battle within your mouth between these factors. In an ideal world everything would be equally in balance, but the trick is to determine why that balance tips in the favour of decay.
Your Risk
Looking forward, dentists can determine your degree of risk based on specific disease indicators. These can include existing cavities or x-ray results that show that decay is in its early stages. They can also use microscopic detection and refer to particular indicators such as white lesions that can appear at the points where opposing teeth contact each other.
Risk factors come into the equation, including how much plaque is in existence, how much natural saliva is produced in the mouth, whether or not you take medications that can contribute to dryness or have a propensity to eat "bad" or acidic foods. Each person has a different configuration when it comes to the makeup of their teeth. The crevices and pits on the surface can be more prone to attack by bacteria, depending on their shape and presentation.
Taking Samples
It is now also possible to check for bacteria that produces the acid by sampling some of the plaque and determining the risk. Given this information it is possible to create a plan to change the pH balance of the mouth, in order to reduce the risk element.
What Can Be Done
A dentist may suggest that a specific rinse is taken to balance the pH levels and even to reduce the individual bacteria counts. Toothpaste that has a higher fluoride content may be another possibility in your case.
Taking Action
Have a word with your dentist to see if they can assess your individual risk for decay and come up with a plan to attack it.
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