Once people reach adulthood, it is often thought that cavities are a thing of the past. You outgrow cavities, right? Yes and no. While it is true that a person’s oral hygiene habits may improve in adulthood (e.g. regular daily flossing habits, better brushing techniques), for many adults, their dietary habits are often worse without realizing it. It even seems to be an increasing trend that we see more adult tooth decay, or people who have never had a cavity growing up suddenly get a whole slew of them. Let’s talk about what may be behind this trend.
To start with the basics, cavities are a very diet dependent disease, meaning what you eat and drink on a daily basis has a direct effect . But you don’t eat candy or soda, you say? Well, to the cavity bugs, sugar is sugar, whether it’s added or not, processed or natural, organic or non-organic. Yes, there’s the obvious candies and sodas you’ve known since childhood, but there’s also the sneaky ones, such as:
◊ juice (even organic, or the ones without added sugar)
◊ fresh or dried fruits (even the ones without added sugar)
◊ milk
◊ crackers
◊ vitamin drinks
◊ most coffee drinks such as lattes, cappucinos, or coffee (with milk and/or sweetener)
You get the idea. Again, as in my previous post on acidic drinks, I say anything in moderation. Yes, milk and fresh fruits are good for your health, but I wouldn’t eat them all day long. The worst thing you can do is sip or munch on these items frequently during the day. For many working adults nowadays, that equates to long hours at the desk with coffee with milk and sweetener. That provides the bad bugs a constant, frequent supply of nutrition to grow and cause damage. If you must, such as people who need to eat frequent small meals, I’d suggest drinking/rinsing with water afterwards, chewing some Trident gum with xylitol for 15 minutes, or trying to brush and floss during the day. See your dentist regularly for professional exams, cleanings, preventive fluoride treatments, as well as recommendations on home treatments.
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Happy holiday eating!
Vivian Tang, D.D.S.