I brush every day but why I still have cavities?

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“I brush every day but still have a lot of cavities. Why?” This is the most heard question in my clinic. I have seen world's most innocent faces while listening to this question. Answering this question would have been very easy if patients try to be true to themselves rather more than to me. This is a very unfortunate reality that dental hygiene has never been high on the priority list for many patients. Years of bad habits accumulated as a child, which then also get carried over into their adult life. I am not saying that patients lie but in my opinion they never knew the right way to keep up their oral health.

All the patients say that they had been trying all the different toothpastes and toothbrushes available in the market, but they get no better results. This is the bitter truth that all of us should know that toothbrush and toothpaste were never enough for complete oral hygiene.

For good oral hygiene one must visit their dentist regularly for professional teeth cleaning and complete dental check-up. This would be helpful in avoiding any forthcoming dental problem. One must visit to their dentist at least once in every six months even if there is no sign or symptom of any dental problem. Most of the times, patients try to avoid visiting dentist even if they are in colossal pain. Rather they just go to a chemist and have a painkiller and some antibiotic. This is the time where they are committing something wrong to their teeth. This was the right time to visit to your dentist but you avoided.

For maintaining proper oral hygiene at home patients need to take care of following few things:

  • Right selection of toothbrush: Remember to ask your dentist which toothbrush you require. This depends upon your present oral health status.
  • Regular replacement of your toothbrush: Ideally, if regularly used, a toothbrush needs to be replaced once in three months. If the bristles are flaring out, it would not properly clean your teeth.
  • Give it a while when you brush your teeth: Just rubbing your teeth quickly with toothbrush won't help. Brush at least for 2-3 minutes. Brush your teeth in two stages, first brush only with wet toothbrush and when all the plaque and debris has been removed then brush with toothpaste. Details of how to brush will be explained in my other blog.
  • Keep your teeth clean when you're not going to eat anything: Bacterial degradation of food debris in your mouth is at peek when you are not going to eat anything after a meal. At this point food left over in the mouth degrades to produce acid and hence triggers tooth degradation. It sounds weird but you need to keep your teeth clean every time when you're not going to eat anything for a while.
  • Toothpaste: Ask your dentist which toothpaste suits you. But a simpler way is to regularly change your toothpaste.
  • Sticky and non sticky food: Sticky food always enhances bacterial degradation of tooth which leads to cavities.
  • Flossing: For all patients who have crowns, bridges, dental implants, braces, crowded teeth, and any such condition where cleaning is very difficult, flossing is very good option. Water flossing is better than conventional string floss.
  • Mouth rinsing: Use of mouthwashes as recommended by your dentist and regular use of warm saline water is always beneficial for overall good oral health.
To conclude, I would only say that regular visit to your dentist, proper patient education, patient’s right attitude towards dental health, and professional intervention at the right time will always prevent those sudden pain and accidently discovered cavities. Hence, it will lead to better oral health.

Dr. Arun Bhatia
5J/19, NIT Faridabad
Phone: 9899907997
Email: drarunbhbatia@gmail.com
Facebook page: @arundentalclinic.in