May 16, 2007 6:59 pm US/Central
Prevent Drilling, New Way To Fight Cavities
by Dennis Douda
(WCCO)
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The system, called CariFree, can help patients fight cavities, by fighting the bacteria that thrives in the acidic environment that's in a person's mouth.
CBS
Drilling and filling, crowns and dentures are part of life for most adults. Ninety percent of adults over the age of 40 battle tooth decay. So what if there was a way to launch a pre-emptive strike to defeat the cause of cavities?
A meter can measure the coating everyone has on their teeth called bio-film.
"That bio-film is this coating of the bacteria and it's there whether you like it our not," said Steve Boger, DDS.
That film can become overpopulated with sugar-crazed acid factories.
"Actually what happens is you have bacteria in your mouth that digest the sugars and give off an acid by-product," said Maureen Trapp, a dental hygienist.
A new system can now tell dentists in minutes if the patient has so many bacteria that they are at a high risk for excessive decay.
The system, called CariFree, can help patients fight cavities, by fighting the bacteria that thrives in the acidic environment that's in a person's mouth.
A patient is given a rinse to neutralize the acid, which kills most of the bacteria. They are also given a daily mouthwash to keep the PH level in the mouth neutral so that bacteria won't come back.
CariFree is also available in a portable spray, so with a quick spray after a can of pop or a candy bar can help bring acid levels in the mouth back under control.
A year's treatment is less than $200, which is cheaper than filling a single cavity and people are able to avoid the drill.
CariFree is approved for children ages six and up and the company is working on a version for younger kids.
Boger said imagine what the therapy could mean to low-income communities or third world countries where regular dental care is rare.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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