Doctor Oz did a segment on how to prevent and even reverse cavities. Do you have a cavity? Or do you get cavities often? Dr Oz even gave us a great little test that you can do at home to help check if you have a cavity. 
Dr Oz: Cavity Test
Dr Oz’s Cavity Test can help determine if you have a cavity. Take a metal spoon and use the metal spoon handle to GENTLY tap the back of your teeth. If you feel pain or discomfort, it could be a cavity or a spot where a cavity is forming, but it may not be a full blown cavity yet.
Dr Oz also showed a new dental instrument that can test for decay and cavities in teeth. He did a demonstration on a volunteer who currently had a cavity in her mouth, and the device picked up on a cavity, but not in the same place that her dentist told her it was. So either her dentist is a crook and is just trying to get some extra business by filling a tooth without a cavity… or perhaps more likely, the device does not work perfectly…. but that’s just my two cents.
Dr Oz said that in between your teeth, food can accumulate and harbor bacteria. Then bacteria can begin chewing through your teeth, and if they reach to your nerve, that is when you need a Root Canal. Dr Oz said that if the bacteria are left alone for long enough, they can even erode away the bone and go right through your jaw – yikes!
Dr Oz: How to Brush Your Teeth
So it sounds straight forward – we all know how to brush our teeth, right? Wrong. I have seen so many people (including my husband when I first met him!) who brush their teeth incorrectly, which is a pet peeve of mine since my mom had dental hygiene training. Here are some tips:
- Brush and floss – both are crucial
- Brush your teeth for two minutes – Dr Oz gave a great tip which is to listen to a song on the radio while you brush, because most are a couple minutes long
- When you brush your teeth, turn the brush 45 degrees to your gum and work your way around the front and back of your teeth
- Electric toothbrushes are great!
Dr Oz also gave a list of foods that are good for you and can maybe even reverse cavities, plus a list of foods to avoid.
Cavity Preventing Foods
Carrots – they act like a natural toothbrush and help to clean your teeth
Cheesecake – the cheese makes you salivate more and neutralizes plaque
Filtered Tap Water – contains fluorine, similar to fluoride, that helps strengthen your teeth
Raisins – can help stop bacteria from growing in your mouth and from sticking to your teeth
Bottled Water – this is neither helpful or harmful, but since it does not have fluorine, it is actually better to drink filtered tap water than to drink bottled water
Cavity Causing Foods
Grapefruit
Pretzels – the starch in pretzels acts like gasoline and fuels bacteria
Dr Oz said that he sees his dentist twice a year, so we should all make a schedule that makes sense for us (based on our dental health) with our dentist! Which remind me, it is about time for a visit to my dentist’s office!
Related Posts:
- Dr Oz: When is the Best Time to Brush Your Teeth?
- Dr Oz: Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan & Memory Test
- Dr Oz: September 29, 2010: In Case You Missed It
- Dr Oz: Cancer Prevention Clinic – Oral Cancer Prevention & Tips
- Dr Oz: Kiwi, Celery & Raisins Clean Your Teeth
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The percussion test described as a test for a cavity is used to test the tooth to see if the ligament is inflamed, not to detect cavities. The ligament can become inflamed by over-compression as in the case of grinding or clenching or a diseased/necrotic dental pulp which requires removal either by extraction or root canal therapy.