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 is a situation (usually medical or medication-based) that decides the fate of their teeth.
Most cavities are preventable. Most are due to lifestyle choices that create an acidic mouth. The mouth has a balance that needs to be sustained for teeth to survive. If people eat, drink, smoke, or use things that upset that balance often enough, teeth start to rot. Bacteria cause cavities, but that’s not what starts the problem. It’s having a change in the pH of the mouth that starts the tooth decay train a-rollin’.
But some things can’t be under everyone’s control when it comes to cavities. There is a gene that makes people more susceptible to decay. And medical conditions make it harder to keep a mouth in balance. And medications dry out a mouth or change that balance significantly.
However, both of those reasons have to be addressed. It’s complicated, but I can help sort out the complexities. I have a system that allows people to stop getting cavities and reduce their risk of a root canal, tooth extraction, getting dentures; whatever the case may be, I can give people the therapy they need.
For further information about dental decay, refer to Dental Decay: a Medical Disease.
Chris Rafoth is the owner of Lyons Creek Dental Care, providing medical dentistry, dental implants, and facial esthetics since 1998 for Shoreline and greater Seattle areas, as well as communities in King and Snohomish counties. Any questions or comments? Contact him at chris@lyonscreekdentalcare.com today!
