Cavities (“holes in teeth”) are caused by a complex disease process called Dental Caries, which involves diet, hygiene, and genetic/biological factors unique to each individual. For example, did you know that some medications dry out the mouth and increase the risk for cavities? At Bend Children’s Dentistry, your dental team will ask questions to evaluate your child’s risk for cavities (Caries Risk Assessment), and provide recommendations based on those factors. Some recommendations may include:

• Nutritional counseling
• Oral hygiene instructions
• Improve saliva quantity (more fluid intake)
• Improve saliva quality (vitamin supplementation)
• Stop the “bad bacteria” (Fluoride, Xylitol, Povidone Iodine)
• Make the tooth mineral stronger (Fluoride, Nano-Hydroxyapatite)
• Make the mouth less acidic (toothpastes, mouth rinses)

Some of our cavity prevention brand partners include: Colgate®, CariFree®, Elevate Oral Care®