Bacteria living in your mouth get to work as soon as you take your first bite or sip of something sweet. Consuming your sugar more strategically can help keep cavities at bay.
Articles on Cavities
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Fluoride varnish, easily and quickly applied to a child’s teeth, is an affordable and effective way to help prevent cavities.
The debate over adding fluoride to drinking water is almost as old as the practice itself.
Although the health benefits of fluoride have been well-documented for decades, some say its use infringes on personal choice.
The durability and longevity of teeth lie in the complex interplay between six different tissues, all of which play an intricate role in tooth formation and health.
People once used tooth powders made from crushed bone or shells to whiten their teeth. Others rinsed their mouth out with pee. Yuck!
Appalachia has one of the highest rates of oral health problems per person in the US.
A dentist explains why this is a habit worth breaking – no matter the cause or the strength of your cravings to keep doing it.
Cavity-free teeth depend on many factors, and heredity may not be the most important.
Community water fluoridation is a cost-effective public health measure that can reduce cavities by approximately 25 per cent. Yet some communities are worried about it.
Do you really need a dental clean every six months? Most healthy people will probably be OK if they go anually. But some people are at higher risk of cavities or gum disease, and should go more often.
Top contributors
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Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Oral Biology, University of Florida
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Director, Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics; Professor of Oral Biology and of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh
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Research Assistant Professor in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
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Professor of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
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Professor, Department of History, University of Guelph
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Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry & Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh
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Eberly Distiniguished Professor Emeritus, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Dental Public Health & Professional Practice, West Virginia University
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Clinical Professor of Cariology, Prevention and Restorative Dentistry, Texas A&M University
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Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University
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Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Kennesaw State University
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Associate Professor of Oral Biology, University of Florida
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Associate Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University