They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and it is especially true when it comes to the health of your teeth and gums. Dental prevention is so important to having a beautiful and healthy smile. Our own Dr. Cindy Brayer recently appeared on Bloom to discuss the importance of dental prevention:
“Most of our patients come to our office because they want to keep their teeth and they know that, you know, dental prevention is the key in maintaining good oral health. And so they’re seeking ways to try to prevent future dental problems so that they can maintain their teeth for a lifetime,” Dr. Brayer explained, adding:
“Think of our mouths as a battleground between the good bacteria and the bad bacteria that reside in there. So we are talking about a few dental products that will help us to maintain really good oral health and fight and kill the bacteria that causes all the dental issues.”
There are so many dental products out there that claim to help you have better oral health, but how can you know which ones really work? Here are three dental prevention products that Dr. Brayer has seen firsthand that work for her patients.
ProBioraPro Oral Probiotic
Most people are familiar with probiotics that are used for your digestive health. Similarly, there are billions of bacteria in our mouths with over 700 different bacterial species. Some are good and some are bad, and the bad bacteria can cause dental issues such as gum disease, tooth decay, which contributes to tooth loss. ProBioraPro is an oral probiotic that alters the oral flora by introducing more healthy good bacteria into the mouth to crowd out and replace the bad bacteria.
This results in reduced plaque on the teeth lessens acidity of the mouth leading to less tooth decay and reduces gingivitis. ProBiora also helps with reduction in bad breath, which may be due to dry mouth, plaque buildup and lack of flossing and brushing properly, and even eating certain foods like garlic and onions. And it can result in whitening effects of teeth on average two to three shades lighter and four weeks since the bacteria releases low doses of hydrogen peroxide which patients love. ProBiora tablets dissolve easily in the mouth and, when used daily, will result in maintaining a healthy oral environment.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute that looks and tastes like real sugar. When sugar is consumed, it feeds the bacteria in your mouth and acid is produced which weakens the enamel on your teeth and increases your chances of getting tooth decay. Xylitol is not a sugar so the mouth bacteria that causes cavities cannot metabolize xylitol to use that as an energy source and it dies off. No acids are produced and therefore you have a decrease in the amount of bad bacteria in your mouth, which decreases cavities.
You can buy xylitol in many forms like gums, mints, candies, toothpaste, and even mouth rinses. The brand that I like to use is called Spry, but there are many other brands to choose from, and it’s recommended that we use about six to 10 grams of solid holiday to maximize your dental benefits. Xylitol is proven safe so it can be beneficial for your dental health. But be careful not to give it to pets, especially dogs as it’s not pet friendly.
Clinpro
Clinpro toothpaste by 3M is a prescription strength toothpaste that has 1.1% sodium fluoride. We love this toothpaste because it contains tri calcium phosphate, which aids in the uptake of fluoride in the weakened areas of enamel. In this battle between the good and the bad bacteria, Clinpro will help make the enamel stronger and more resistant to the bad guys, and actually heal small cavities that are starting the enamel. So you don’t always have to have a filling. And our patients really appreciate this conservative approach. We recommend using this toothpaste for patients who have a moderate to high risk of cavities.
It is important to remember, though, that these – or any – dental prevention products don’t replace the need for regular dental visits and daily brushing and flossing.
Creating Smiles is one of Pinellas County’s leading providers of cosmetic and general dentistry services, including Invisalign, teeth whitening, dental implants, and oral cancer screenings. To schedule your in-office or virtual new patient consultation please call our St. Petersburg office (727-323-0377).
