Why Am I Getting Cavities Now? (Final Entry of a Four-Part Series)

Seniors and Decay, and REAL Solutions for Everyone!

Last week we addressed why adults taking multiple medications are more prone to decay; today we complete our four-part series as we shift the focus to our senior citizens.

Today’s seniors are living longer, and lead very active lives.  In fact, my parents (at 94 and 86 years old) still live on their own!  Sure, they may have a few aches and pains, but they seem to go about their daily lives fairly easily.  And the last thing they want would be more trips to see their dentist (unless I was still their dentist, but they live in Michigan)!

As we all continue to age, our normal salivary flow naturally decreases, setting up that “dry mouth” feeling of xerostomia.  Let’s remember again that saliva acts as our natural ‘friend’ to help keep our mouths at a neutral pH, but xerostomia significantly increases the mouth’s acidic environment, allowing bacteria to attack the enamel surfaces and create new cavities

And although my parents absolutely LOVE seeing their favorite dentist, not everyone feels that way!  So for the rest of you, here are some recommendations:

1. Drink lots of water throughout the day.
2. Sugar-free lemon drops are great to keep the saliva flowing.
3. Any candy, gum or mints with Xylitol (a natural sugar) are great to keep the mouth healthy.
4. And check out products from www.carifree.com that can help to prevent new cavities.

And please visit our office in the San Francisco Financial District for a personal tour and more tips!

Next week’s read will be of interest to those of us who grind or clench (could it be stress?), and that should cover most of us!

Financial District Dental
(415) 433-1970
311 California Street, Suite 450
San Francisco, CA 94104

Why Am I Getting Cavities Now? (Part 1 of 4)

Today: College Students and Decay

In the last few years, I've seen an increasing number of adult patients in my practice getting new cavities, and the question I always get is: “Why now?”

In my four-part series, we'll explore what’s happening with different adult age groups: college students, working adults, adults taking multiple medications, and senior citizens.

Let’s first address the mouth as an environment, with saliva acting as our natural ‘friend’ that helps to buffer (or neutralize) the saliva after eating and drinking.

College students lead busy lives, having to squeeze classwork, homework, athletics, and new social situations into each week. Sports and energy drinks are prevalent on college campuses, but have the worst effect on oral health. Gatorade and Red Bull (and most other sports and energy drinks) contain large amounts of citric and phosphoric acid. Students who sip such drinks throughout the day set up a very acidic mouth environment that the saliva struggles to neutralize. The acid-loving bacteria opportunistically attack the enamel surfaces, creating new cavities.

My recommendation: Drink water instead! And (of course), see your dentist regularly!

And next week: Working Adults and Decay

Financial District Dental
(415) 433-1970
311 California Street, Suite 450
San Francisco, CA 94104