There are many myths surrounding the cause of cavities, and maybe you have heard a few. “Maybe you just have soft teeth.” “Sugar causes cavities.” “Just brushing and flossing twice a day will prevent cavities.” “Fillings will stop the decay process.” “You can’t ‘catch a cavity’ from someone else.” “Fluoride is a conspiracy, and it doesn’t actually help prevent cavities.”

While some of these sayings are partially based on facts, and some are simply not true, actual research exists and reveals the truth. Cavities, also known as dental caries, are caused by a bacterial imbalance on the teeth. This imbalance occurs based on each individual’s oral environment, dietary habits, and hygiene habits. By understanding what causes an imbalance in the oral environment, and by making adjustments, the bacterial imbalance can be controlled and a patient’s cavity rate can be either reduced or eliminated.

Howard Dental Center wants to address the causes of our patients disease and help them get healthy. How are we going to do that? We will use our Caries Management By Risk Assessment(CAMBRA) program as a tool to diagnose and treat the causes of decay in your mouth. It consists of a questionnaire as well as a chair side test to access the level of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth. Once we know the specific causes of dental decay for you, we can target those causes through diet, homecare routine and products. Please contact our office for further information about this program.