As we covered previously, cavity-causing and gum disease-causing bacteria "fight" with each other for space in your mouth. If any one bacteria army wins, it will control your mouth chemistry.
But you can control what bacteria percentage is in your mouth - if you pay attention.
Displacing Cavity-causing Bacteria
Step 1: Stop high-frequency oral exposure to carbohydrates by taking steps like these:
- Don't sip sugar-sweetened coffee for hours (use a sugar substitute).
- Don't munch on snacks like potato chips for extended periods.
- If you have been eating a carb-heavy food, rinse afterwards (even if soda pop is all you have) - the key is to prevent the starch (i.e. carb) from staying lodged in your teeth.
If this doesn't make sense, then read our article on oral exposure time.
Step 2: Brush your teeth well and floss. Brushing your teeth will remove large amounts of cavity-causing bacteria (acid-producing plaque) and take them out of the mouth chemistry war. With one toothbrush stroke, you can decimate billions of acid-producing bacteria soldiers and nurture new bacteria to take over the clean space in your mouth.
Step 3: Start nurturing bacteria that don't produce acid by avoiding high-frequency exposure to carbs. Remember, you can have a pound of chocolate cake a day if you want to - just eat it all in 10 minutes!
Step 4: Start "hardening" the surface of your teeth (enamel) by using a high-fluoride toothpaste. Avoid tartar-control toothpastes.
Step 5: See your dentist at least once a year (ideally every six months) until you feel your cavity problem is under control. Once your mouth chemistry is under control, you may not have to see your dentist so often. But that is something you and your dentist need to discuss. Feel free to ask your dentist directly: "How often do I really need to see you now that my mouth is pretty stable?"
Displacing Gum Disease-causing Bacteria
Step 1: Start using a tartar-control toothpaste and a soft toothbrush at least twice a day.
Step 2: Start pursuing a neutral mouth by replacing the base-producing bacteria with some acid-producing bacteria. Do this by incorporating carbs into your diet (if this is not the case already).
Step 3: Start using Listerine antiseptic (the only over-the-counter mouthwash containing mineral oil) twice a day.
Step 4: Start flossing every day.
Step 5: Get a water-pick, put Listerine into the reservoir and shoot it in between your teeth. Listerine is a potent controller of gum disease-causing bacteria.
Step 6: Buy a tooth scraper at your local drug store and lightly scrape any tartar (hardened plaque) off your teeth once a week. Do not be too vigorous about this. Just get the large chunks off.
Step 7: See a periodontist and have your gums and bone fully assessed for gum and bone damage. You may need to see your periodontist every three months for a while. Once your mouth chemistry is under control, you may not have to see your periodontist so often. But that is something you and your periodontist need to discuss. Feel free to ask your periodontist directly: "How often do I really need to see you now that my mouth is pretty stable?"