By Dr. Brian Nový, DDS, FADI
We
talk a lot about what you can do to reduce your risk for dental disease, like
brushing and flossing, eating
sugar-free candy, and scheduling regular dental check-ups. Now
we thought we’d tell you what your dentist will do to identify your potential
risk for dental disease. At DentaQuest, we support a specific risk assessment model
called Caries Management By Risk Assessment (CAMBRA). The idea behind this
assessment model is to treat each patient with the type ofcare that is best for
that patient as opposed to a one-size-fits-all preventive plan. Each
patient is unique. The risk assessment allows your dentist (and the whole oral
health team) to customize your “at home” self-care to your individual needs. For
example, your dentist will determine if your oral health (or oral disease) is
attributed to your saliva, certain bacteria, your diet, your tooth brushing
technique, or any of the other factors that play a role in your specific health
and/or disease.
As
part of this, your dentist should be asking you about how you take care of your
mouth. Be prepared to discuss the specific type of products you use at
home, and don’t be afraid to bring your toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and
floss to an appointment - your dentist can help you determine if these are
appropriate products for you. If you seem to repeatedly get cavities, you
probably need a more customized plan and possibly different products. Sometimes
it may mean you can simplify what you are doing at home.
A
question that every dentist should be asking is, “What is your beverage of
choice?” Your dentist can tell a lot about the physiology of your mouth
based on what you like to drink. Patients who drink water usually are at
lower risk of dental disease, while patients who drink coffee with cream and
sugar all day are at an increased risk. Patients who drink energy
drinks or soda throughout the day are at an increased risk too.
[Dr Nový is the Director of Practice Improvement at
DentaQuest Institute, and an international thought leader in the science of
dental caries management and evidence-based dentistry.]