Caries (tooth decay) is the technical term for the bacterial infection that causes cavities. Our office is now certified in CAMBRA (Caries Management By Risk Assessment), a completely preventive approach to minimize decay in your mouth. We can perform a risk assessment that includes the use of equipment that evaluates your particular dental plaque for decay causing potential. We can now measure and quantify your particular level of decay-producing organisms! This test takes only 15 seconds to perform.
Extensive research has now shown that dental caries is a “biofilm disease”. A biofilm is a diverse community of bacteria attached to a surface interacting as a self-contained ecosystem. Dental plaque is a biofilm. Biofilm bacteria are 1000 times harder to kill than free-floating bacteria. Therefore, dental caries is much more complicated than previously thought.
If you are at high or moderate risk, we now have many preventive strategies that can be used to minimize the decay process instead of waiting to repair holes in your teeth. The use of prescription fluoride toothpaste, the application of fluoride varnishes, pH-altering rinse systems, xylitol products, and the use of a calcium phosphate paste to provide your saliva and biofilm with the necessary ingredients to reverse and repair decay naturally are some of our available treatments. Please speak to the doctors and hygienist about how we can help prevent decay!
Meet Your Upper East Side Dentists
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We always welcome new patients at NYC Smile Spa, and we pride ourselves on building lasting relationships. Our goal is to help you achieve a lifetime of excellent oral health!