SINCE ancient times, dentists have been imbued with trust and dignity. In Egyptian tombs, hieroglyphs have been uncovered showing an eye over a tusk. 

They date back to the fifth dynasty, indicating that even then, dentists were honored for their treatment of teeth. Today the profession continues to be made up of caring people who diligently follow the systems and teachings they learned at dental school. As their careers unfold, dentists expand their knowledge by attending seminars or courses and by reading books or professional journals.
The problem is that once a dentist graduates, he or she is usually too busy dealing with the daily workload of private practice to hunt for ideas that have not been presented at dental school, in journals, or during continuing education programmes. In the United States, the majority of dentists have been trained to believe that prevention is flossing, diet control, regular dental cleanings, fluoride in water, and oral examinations. Many dentists are unaware of other methods that effectively stop dental problems. Most believe it is impossible to halt dental disease.
In dental school, for example, we never discussed such variables as acidic saliva or mentioned tooth damage that occurs directly from acidic foods or drinks in the mouth. Not one of us ever thought to inquire whether foods or beverages like lemon juice or soda created acidic problems for teeth. We were never shown how to test the acidity of saliva or told about how it varies from person to person, from day to day, and even from situation to situation. Only one “fact” was hammered into our brains: Sugar causes cavities!
Dental training taught us to fear sugar and any food containing sugar or carbohydrates. Good dentists made patients worry about most of the foods in their home pantry: fruits (too many sugars); potatoes (too much starch); cereals, breads, potato chips, and crackers (too much of both); and of course candy, cookies, cakes, chocolates, and other desserts. Dr. R. M. Stephen’s graphs from the 1940s alerted us to the danger of snacking a colourful zigzag line that never reached a level of safety because there was no time for recovery between the “sugar attacks”. Few dental students have discussed food interactions, the benefits of tooth-protective ingredients in a meal, or how to reduce acidity with tooth-friendly foods.
The majority of dentists think that patients should control their sugar and starch intake and floss better if they wish to improve their oral health. Unfortunately, you can diligently follow these procedures and still experience dental disease. Consequently, dentists have become discouraged about prevention, and most are resigned to a career of fixing their patient’s ongoing dental problems.
The knowledge of how to prevent cavities and gum disease dates back to the 1960s, yet even today many people think it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to have healthy teeth. Children and adults with bad teeth often do not know reasons for their problems. Too many people subscribe to an antiquated notion that worn teeth, chipped enamel, sensitivity, or bleeding gums are inevitable, or at the very least is a part of the aging process. Some people blame their troubles on insufficient flossing or too few cleaning appointments.
Imagine that water is damaging a floor in your home. Before you can fix your floor, you must find out where the water is coming from. If you cannot find the cause, no matter how many floor repairs you make, more water damage will occur. The only way to fix you problem is to find the source of the water, stop it, and then repair the damage. It is the same with your teeth. Where is the damage coming from? Until you find the source of your tooth problems, repairs will need to be done over and over, and possibly getting more expensive and complicated each time. To put an end to soft, weak, brittle, or sensitive teeth, you must find out what is causing the damage.
Dentists have known for years that damaged enamel can be hardened back to total health with a simple repair process that occurs naturally in the mouth. Under certain conditions, minerals from saliva can flow into teeth to strengthen them and in this way can even repair a cavity and prevent need for a filling. In addition, other techniques which embody selective application of concentrated fluoride, sealants and xylitol make comprehensive repair to teeth unnecessary. In fact, in 1999 a small group of dentists founded the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry to focus on prevention of dental disease and to promote techniques that preserve teeth and limit treatments that cut or damage them. These dentists believe in preventing of tooth tissue possible. In 2000 an international review paper described how dentists can use a natural repair system to limit the need for dental fillings and as a result practice minimally invasive or “minimally intervention” dentistry.
Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART, DDS