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| Early tooth decay prevention
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Chewable toothpaste tablets being researched
Did you know that tooth decay our most common disease affecting over 11 million Australians - about half of the population? Children average two fillings by the age of 12 and with increased consumption of sweets and high carbohydrate foods, processed foods (with hidden sugars) and fast foods, our kids' teeth are in more danger than ever before.
Tooth decay or "Caries" as it's officially known, is caused by a bacteria that leads to demineralization and destruction of the hard tissues of the teeth. And its incidence in Australia has been much the same for over 20 years, even after the benefits of fluoride.
It's the most common global disease affecting half the population of nations with a high carbohydrate diet, where acid demineralisation exceeds saliva and fluoride or other remineralisation of tooth, particularly where brushing cannot reach indicating a need for a review to improve oral health promotion and tooth care aids.
According to SupertoothNDK an organisation pioneering a new decay prevention product and program, almost all cavities occur where chewing forces the first bite of a meal or snack to be trapped between teeth and inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces. The resident plaque bacteria then change any carbohydrate, such a sugar or starch to acid, which brushing, saliva and fluoride cannot access to clean and neutralise.
Most plaque is easy to see at gum margins with red, blue or green food dye, but few cavities occur there where brushing, saliva and fluoride have easy access. They occur in the hard to reach places.
Things like chewing calcium tablets or fluoride-enriched toothpaste tablets before eating can stop the food and bacteria build up in those inaccessible places.
Also flossing or removing food from between teeth after eating to improves saliva and fluoride access will help dilute and carbohydrate, neutralise acid and remineralise the teeth. It also provides better access for fluoride when brushing.
Chewing fibre like celery and carrots after eating forces saliva into trapped food to dilute carbohydrate, neutralise acid and help remineralise teeth.
Research organisation SupertoothNDK is looking into the development of chewable toothpaste cubes and also into the development of a database to monitor pre-school decay and gain baby molar teeth to examine with the Australian Synchrotron to see why some teeth don't develop cavities and the difference between teeth from fluoride and non-fluoride areas.
They are also piloting the development of toothpaste tablets to chew before eating to prevent meals and snacks being trapped and changed to acid.
Also motivate Confectioners and others to provide carbohydrate free calcium rich products to chew before eating and for fast food outlets like McDonald's to provide a stick of celery to chew after eating to force saliva into trapped food and dilute carbohydrate, neutralise acid and help remineralise tooth.
Prevention & Education is Key
Dental treatment is costly. Dental problems can be difficult, painful and affect self-confidence. It seems obvious, but we really need to instil a good dental care routine into our kids a early as possible. Dental decay is a process that is largely preventable by getting into good habits, so use the following key points as a guide:
- Brush teeth at least twice daily, in the morning and last thing at night using toothpaste containing at least 1000 ppm (parts per million) fluoride
- Brushing should last around 2 minutes. Use a song or some music while you brush your kid teeth so they know they can stop when they get to the end or to a certain part in the song.
- Get your child to chew on something like celery, capsicum, apple or carrot after eating to promote saliva being forced up in between the teeth
- Supervise tooth brushing until the age of seven
- Foods and drinks containing sugar, that includes fruit juices, should be kept to a minimum and are best given at mealtimes
- Limit fizzy drinks. All carbonated drinks are bad for teeth – not just the sugary ones – even carbonated water.
- Register with a dentist and visit regularly – every 6 months
- Spit out toothpaste, don't rinse after brushing (to give the fluoride time to work)
- Kids shouldn't really floss, but you can teach them how to use soft interdental sticks to get them into practise.
To find out more about SupertoothNDK's work go to: www.supertooth.org |
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