The Truth about Tooth Decay

What a delicious, sweet, cold beverage I am about to enjoy…OUCH! Hey, did somebody just shove an ice pick straight into my tooth? No, that is a potential sign of advanced tooth decay. Did you know that tooth decay is preventable and is the most common chronic disease of children between the ages of 6 to 11 ( 25% of them have it ) and kids aged 12 to 19 are at 59% ! Tooth decay is four times more common than asthma among kids aged 14 to 17 years old! ( 59% compared to 15% ). ( Stats courtesy of the CDC.) Of course adults are not left out of the mix, 28 percent aged 35 to 44 have untreated tooth decay and 18 percent of those who are 65 or over have a rotten tooth or two. So, what the heck is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a bacterial disease and it rivals the common cold as the most prevalent human disorder we have. The bacteria in your mouth combines with saliva and mucus and food debris to create a little thing called plaque. Plaque is like glue and it sticks to your teeth and slowly erodes away the enamel of your tooth. This is achieved by the bacteria in the plaque feeding on the food material in your mouth and producing an acid that leeches away the calcium and phosphate from your teeth. It first eats away the enamel and then the dentin ( the body of your tooth ) and finally it reaches the pulp, which contains the nerve, which leads to OUCH! and a root canal.

A big problem with tooth decay is there really aren’t any symptoms until it is pretty far advanced, i.e.
you can feel it or see it. The main factors behind most tooth decay is poor nutrition and bad oral hygiene. Now, there are some folks who have naturally acidic saliva or abnormal amounts of bacteria in their mouths but for the most part, what I just mentioned above is the major cause of tooth decay.

Fortunately, there are some herbal remedies that can help you with toothache pain and inflammation:

Calendula, chamomile, peppermint and yarrow are all naturally inflammatory in nature.  (Caution: do not use chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed. Do not use if you are pregnant or nursing and it could interact with warfarin or cyclosporine.)  Essential oil of clove can help alleviate tooth pain. Just apply a couple of drops to the painful tooth. 

Thyme is a natural antiseptic and alcohol-free goldenseal extract can be used to destroy bacteria in your mouth.  If inflammation is present around a tooth, a couple of drops on a cotton ball placed between your cheek and gum left over night for three nights will kill bacteria and reduce the inflammation.  ( Be careful with goldenseal,  you don’t want to use it internally for more than a week at a time.  Also, don’t use if you are pregnant or breast feeding, allergic to ragweed, a history of cardio-vascular disease, diabetes or glaucoma.)  Sage tea is also very good because it has anti-inflammatory properties.  Make the tea but use it as a mouth wash, several times a day. Warm salt water gargles can also help ease pain.

Of course, the main objective is to not get tooth decay in the first place, so here are a few recommendations to follow:

*  First, eat plenty of raw fruits and veggies.  The minerals in them will help your saliva from becoming to acidic.

*  Put the soda pop can down and step away slowly!  Carbonated drinks are high in phosphates which encourage the loss of calcium from your tooth enamel.  ( I hope you know not to brush your teeth until 30 minutes after enjoying one of these tasty beverages.)

*  Stay away from refined sugars and do not smoke.  

*  Did you know that chewable vitamin C supplements erode tooth enamel?  They do.

*  This is SO important!  Brush your teeth and floss regularly. ( I personally like sonic care tooth brushes. )


A little bit about fluoride now:

Many dentists recommend fluoride treatments to prevent cavities.  Fluoride occurs naturally in some water supplies across the country and many public works departments even put it in your drinking water.  Fluoride is a chemical compound containing the element fluorine and fluorine is a deadly and highly reactive chemical.  In small amounts it is not believed to be dangerous.  However, there is a debate going on about whether or not it can cause cancer, particularly bone cancer, especially in children.   If this is a potential concern for you, I suggest you research the topic further and talk to your doctor about it.  I hope you will take care of your teeth and live a healthy life.

- MotherThumper