Alaska dentist sees an end to cavities
A Juneau dentist has claimed that the children of today could avoid developing cavities for life.
Dr Thomas Bornstein, South East Alaska Regional Health Consortium’s director of Dental Services, said that only seven types of bacteria that are found in a human’s mouth can cause tooth decay.
He claimed that dentists can easily remove this harmful bacteria with antimicrobial rinses, fluoride varnishes and protective sealants and by telling patients to chew sugar free gums and eat healthy diets.
Dr Bornstein believes that knowing the cause of tooth decay can make it easier to fight. He said dentists can now easily asses individual patients risk levels and administer bespoke treatments.
Harmful bacteria can be passed to children by their carers or peers – they aren’t necessarily born with it. But Dr Bornstein said that this could be prevented by not allowing your child to share drinks, cutlery or toothbrushes.
He recommended that pregnant women should have regular dental check-ups to ensure that there is no bacterium in their mouth that may spread to their unborn baby.
Youngsters should begin receiving regular dental check-ups when their first teeth begin to emerge.
Before this happens you should clean a baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth after feeding.
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