Part 2: Circle the Wagons

Dentistry over the years has attacked the problem from all three circles.  Historically, we first extracted problem teeth and eventually gave the patient dentures.  Not a very good solution (think George Washington).  Once we figured out bugs were the problem we worked on getting rid of them with flossing and brushing.  A better answer, but still needed work.  Then we learned that the bugs needed refined carbohydrates (sugar) to make the acid that causes the problems.  That's when we started nutritional counseling and advertising the evils of too much sugar in our diets - more on this later.

More recently we have helped the teeth be more resistant to decay by applying fluoride to them. We also found the optimal amount needed to help forming teeth  be stronger and worked to get laws passed to put it in the drinking water.  That made a dramatic change that I saw personally in the late 60's. It's rare to see a child now with rampant decay.  Now we are using fluoride varnish to paint on the teeth.  It is a lot more effective than the old solutions we used to use.  Next time- recent advances!