We all have bacteria living in our mouths These bacteria share the foods we eat and drink, and one by-product of the bacteria and food is ACID.

Normally, the acid produced is neutralized by your saliva within 30 minutes. If you never brush your teeth, and eat 3 meals a day, your teeth would be exposed to 3 times 30 minutes - 90 minutes of acid/day. , The acid production cycle will last even longer than 30 minutes per food exposure if you have less saliva flow than normal (see dry mouth).

If you aren't brushing well, the numbers of bacteria increase significantly so that YOUR mouth has more acid than in the mouth of someone who brushes well. If you aren't brushing often enough to disturb that acid/saliva/neutral cycle that the bacteria can use, the acid stays in the mouth longer. This is why I (and the American Dental Association) recommend that you brush after meals and limit between-meal snacks to non-sugar/non-starch items.

Speaking from a dental view only, it is much better for your teeth to have 12 cookies or 5 Snickers bars for dessert (which will result in about 30 minutes of acid production total, for the meal and the dessert) than to have a sip of pop every 10-30 minutes all day long (constant acid production all day).

Pop drinking is especially hard on the teeth because it is a "sip a little at a time" activity for so many. Most carbonated beverages not only are high in sugar, but also are high in acid.

This teenager drinks carbonated beverages(pop) throughout the day, and doesn't brush or floss effectively. The white areas are large bacteria colonies, and the enamel under these colonies is also white, because of decalcification (the dissolving of calcium from the enamel), the first stage of tooth decay. Also notice the red swollen gumline, from the toxins that the bacteria produce.

This is an example of what it looks like when a patient who previously had poor oral hygiene begins to do a really good job with the toothbrush and floss.

Notice the really healthy color and texture of the gingiva (gums). There is no active decay in this patient, and we can begin to rebuild the damaged teeth. Many of these teeth will need crowns due to the extent of the damage

This another example of what good oral hygiene can do. This case no longer looks hopeless. It is now more of a structutal problem. Now what is needed is to rebuild these teeth, and to do a "dental makeover" - fillings, root canal therapy, and crowns for an ideal cosmetic finish. I am so pleased to have made a difference in this patient's attitude.

Fluoride can help tremendously in keeping the teeth free from tooth decay. Make sure that the toothpaste that you use contains fluoride. If you have a problem with tooth decay, you might even want to consider a fluoride rinse, such as ACT or FLORIGARD.

So there are three different actions that we can do to keep cavities from becoming a problem.

• Good brushing and flossing to keep the numbers of bacteria down

• Use fluoride to strengthen the teeth - toothpaste and/or rinses

• Brush after meals and limit between-meal snacks to non-sugar items. This will keep the number of exposures to sugars and starches down - each exposure results in 30 minutes of acid!

  When we brush our teeth, the goal is to move the bacteria around often enough that they don't have time to get together in large numbers. So we need to brush and floss the areas that our lips, cheeks, and tongue can't get to - these are the areas under the gums and in-between our teeth. It takes bacteria about 24 hours to produce the sticky substance (dental plaque) that allows them to stick to our teeth and multiply. That is why daily (2-3 times a day) brushing and flossing is necessary.

  When you first start brushing and flossing correctly, you may notice that the gums may be sensitive, and may bleed. This is normal (for anyone who has not been brushing properly) because you are NOW getting deep enough under the gums that you are where the bacteria have lived for a long time, and these areas are inflamed and sensitive. The discomfort and bleeding should disappear within a week after you begin brushing properly.

  
  This patient, in her mid-60's, has brushed and flossed effectively throughout her life. Notice the healthy gum tissue.

  See also gum disease