What your dentist used to say to you about getting cavities was misleading. What your mother used to say to you about staying away from the cookie jar was true. I’ll fill you in on what I mean. Long ago, the theory of how patients contracted tooth decay went something like this: You had bacteria swimming around your teeth and gums. You ate some candy, and it fueled the growth of bacteria. The bacteria used this fuel to create acids that corroded your teeth. And that corrosion was, in fact, a cavity—a hole in your tooth from the bacteria and… [ Read More ]

Tooth decay has reached epidemic proportions around the world, and notably where I practice, it’s never been clearer. I know it’s my livelihood to fix people who have tooth decay, but that’s not the job I signed up for. I signed up to help people eliminate the disease as best as possible.  So take a minute or two to consider what is at stake when you think about your mouth and your risk for tooth decay. You may not like what I have to say, but here goes. People get cavities for 2 main reasons: they decide to, or there… [ Read More ]