Prevention for patients with High Decay Risk
You are at high risk for decay if:
- You have had cavities in the last 12 months
- You have extensive enamel demineralization (white, chalky spots on teeth)
- decay on the radiographs
- Have several disease promoting factors (as per table)
Home Care
Dietary Tips
Professional Care
- Brush twice daily - using power-assisted toothbrush with a high-fluoride toothpaste -such as Colgate PreviDent 5000 toothpaste (5000 parts per million fluoride)
- Use a Power-assisted toothbrushes– See The Benefits of Electric Toothbrush vs. Manual
- Floss daily to clean between teeth- if you cannot floss use a Gum Soft-Pick instead.
- Link to Instructions on proper brushing and flossing: CDA brushing and Flossing
- Baking soda rinse (or similar neutralizing product)- Use four to six times daily during the day. You can make this yourself by shaking up two teaspoons of baking soda in an eight-ounce bottle of water.X-pur Opti-Rinse 0.05% or .2% sodium fluoride rinse- rinse with 10 ml (one cap full) once or twice daily after you have used your fluoride toothpaste.
- Peridex- Rinse for one minute, once a day with an antibacterial mouthrinse Peridex, which has an active ingredient called chlorhexidine gluconate at 0.12 percent. Use this once daily just before bed at night (10 ml for one minute), but only for one week each month. You must use this at least one hour after brushing with the 5,000 ppm fluoride toothpaste.
- Recaldent paste - contains calcium and phosphate (e.g., MI paste). Apply it several times daily to your teeth.
Dietary Tips
- Limit between-meal sweet snacks and sugary drinks. It's the duration of sugar exposure to your teeth that matters, not the quantity consumed.
- Avoid acidic foods and beverages between meals.
- End your breakfast, lunch, or dinner with cheese, nuts, seeds, or peanut butter to reduce mouth acidity.
- Do not brush your teeth immediately after eating. Brushing while acid is present can wear down tooth enamel. Waiting an hour allows saliva to neutralize the acid, making it safe to brush.
- To neutralize acids post-meal, rinse with a mixture of 1 tsp baking soda in a cup of water.
- Use Xylitol candies or gum four times daily. X-Pur or Pur..
Professional Care
- Please keep regular preventive maintenance visits at 3 to 4 month intervals:
- New bitewing radiographs (X-rays) should be taken every 6 to 18 months to check for cavities.
- Get a fluoride varnish treatment after your teeth cleanings.
- Allow us to review your use of chlorhexidine, Prevident and oral hygiene at that visit.
- Complete any necessary restorative dental work, such as fillings or crowns.
- If suitable, have sealants placed on the chewing surfaces of your molars to prevent bacterial infection and dental decay.
- If you think you grind and clench, consider a Bruxism Splint
- If you play contact sports protect your teeth with a sports guard
