Dental Blog

Most of us will admit that flossing is one of the least favorite things to do. It takes patience, concentration and a lot of awkward hand movement. Sometimes we wrap the floss around our fingers so tight that the fingertips turn blue. The truth is that many patients consistently floss 1 to 2x per week. There are also patients who don’t floss at all.

Philips Sonicare recently came to the rescue with the Airfloss. It is a device about the size of a electric toothbrush that is supposed make it more convenient to floss and replace the need for the string floss. I recently received mine and have been using it for about a week. The unit works by gently sending a puff of air and water between the teeth which in theory is supposed to disrupt the film of plaque collected on the surface of the teeth. This is repeated between all the teeth and both inside and outside surface.

Initially, I was skeptical of the device, however after using it for a week I became a fan. The process of flossing with this device is comfortable, quick, and simple. The unit has to be held upright to work properly therefore flossing between the lower anterior teeth around the tongue can be awkward. I must admit that the unit is not perfect. After flossing with the unit and then flossing with conventional string floss, certain areas had a small amount of remaining plaque. However, if used everyday I feel comfortable with the plaque control obtained with this device. At the same time my technique might not be perfected yet. As quick as the process takes you could floss the teeth twice with this unit in less time than using conventional string floss once.

This unit should not be confused with a water pick. A water pick sends a stream of water between the teeth which in not very effective at plaque removal. The Airfloss uses a concentrated burst of air and water droplets that forces the plaque and bacteria of the teeth. I would recommend it to my patients.

Click here to watch a demonstration video.

You can also download the clinical study here.

Buy the Airfloss here:

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Often patients feel disappointed when they find out that they have a cavity during their periodic dental visit. This occurs despite what they claim as good oral hygiene practice.

So is it possible to get a cavity even if someone practices excellent oral hygiene?

The answer is yes and no. Let’s go over some basics before we explore the answers.
A cavity forms when bacteria present on the surface of a tooth consumes sugar and produces acid as a byproduct. The acid erodes the tooth surface creating a cavitation. This in turn allows more colonization and more acid production and eventual growth of the cavity. Let’s examine in more detail why a cavity develops.

For a cavity to develop we need three things. The host site which in this case would be a tooth, bacteria, and sugar. If we eliminate one of these a cavity will not develop. Realistically, it is impossible to eliminate even a single one of these. We would like to keep our teeth for life which provides a host site for the bacteria. Our mouth cannot be sterilized, and even if you could sterilize them, constant consumption of food and exposure to the environment will reintroduce microorganisms. The third factor is the presence of sugar. In this case, sugar means any form of simple carbohydrate that are easily digested by bacteria. This includes a wide range of products available at the supermarket today. Bacteria like simple sugars because they are easier to digest. These are commonly found in soda drinks, cereal, baked goods, and anything else we to which we add sugar.

To reduce the number of cavities that we get we need to reduce one or more of the three factors needed for a cavitation to develop. This translates to good oral hygiene (to reduce the number of bacteria present), and reduced sugar intake. Consumption of less processed foods can also be of benefit. Complex carbohydrates take more energy and time to digest, which means less exposure to simple sugars in the oral cavity.

Sometimes even with excellent oral hygiene we can still get cavities. This can be due to the anatomy of teeth. Deep grooves, irregularities in the structure of teeth, large gaps between teeth that collect food, and microscopic cracks in the surface of a tooth can lead to collection of bacteria and formation of a cavitation. This is why regular dental visits are very important. Usually these small cavities can be monitored for further growth and dealt with when necessary.

To summarize, cavities can occur in different situations. There are certain steps we can take to reduce the chances of getting cavitations. These include regular dental prophylaxis (cleaning), regular checkups, good oral hygiene,
reduced sugar intake and any other aids that will protect teeth.

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Tags: caries, cavities, decay, prevention of cavities, tooth decay, why we get cavities
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