When it comes to tooth decay prevention, details determine success or failure!

This is the 4444th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

As a common oral disease, tooth decay has always attracted much attention. However, many people's anti-caries results are not satisfactory. It is said that details determine success or failure, and tooth decay prevention is no exception. To successfully avoid tooth decay, these key issues must not be ignored!

Irregular tooth shape and complex surrounding environment

As we all know, the four major factors that determine whether tooth decay will occur are bacteria (cariogenic bacteria), food (fermentable carbohydrates), host (teeth) and time.

Irregular tooth shape and complex environment around teeth can cause bacteria and food debris to remain in specific parts of teeth, which can easily lead to tooth decay.

The specific manifestation of irregular tooth shape is that most tooth surfaces are curved, and the occlusal surface (which belongs to premolars and molars) is even more uneven.

The complexity of the environment around the teeth is reflected in the following: when the gaps between teeth are normal or tight, the adjacent surfaces of the teeth are relatively hidden, and there are even some areas - the contact areas that are completely closed; the teeth are surrounded by gums, and there is a winding shallow groove between the two - the gingival sulcus.

The green line indicates the location of the tooth contact area, and the blue line indicates the location of part of the gingival sulcus (Photo provided by the author)

The uneven biting surface of teeth, the relatively hidden adjacent surfaces of teeth and the gingival sulcus can all become habitats for bacteria and food debris, i.e., susceptible sites for tooth decay. These susceptible sites are often difficult to clean and require specific professional methods to be addressed.

These professional methods are the magic weapon to defeat the enemy

1 Occlusal surface of teeth

Although most areas of the occlusal surface of teeth can be cleaned with a toothbrush, some areas will still be missed. This is because the occlusal surface of some teeth not only has visible grooves, but also has cracks deep inside the teeth that are invisible to the naked eye. These cracks are not only out of reach of toothbrushes, but also other existing tooth cleaning tools. This may become the birthplace of pit and fissure caries, so people use pit and fissure sealing as a caries prevention measure for people of appropriate age to molar their teeth.

Image source: Endodontics

2 Adjacent surfaces of teeth

This part of the tooth surface is not only hidden, but also the contact area is also the area that the toothbrush cannot reach. This may become the birthplace of interproximal caries, so using dental floss becomes a remedial measure for brushing teeth. When the gaps between teeth are normal or tight, most teeth have contact areas. Therefore, using dental floss is a must for good tooth cleaning.

3 Gingival sulcus

This may be the birthplace of cervical caries. Brushing teeth can clean the gingival sulcus to a certain extent, but the premise is to use the horizontal vibration method, which is also one of the key actions of the "modified BASS method". The key point of the action is to insert part of the toothbrush bristles into the gingival sulcus and place part of it on the gums, and then make the toothbrush vibrate horizontally for a short distance. When using this method, be sure to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush; water flossing is also a very good gingival sulcus cleaning tool. Water flossing, also known as a water flosser, can not only remove dental plaque to a certain extent, but also improve the environment of the gingival sulcus through flushing, which is also helpful in preventing and alleviating gingivitis.

Image source: Preventive Oral Medicine

Now you know, right? These details are the most important thing to prevent tooth decay. Only by dealing with these issues well can successful tooth decay prevention be under control.

Author: Shanghai Health and Health Development Research Center

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