How Brushing Your Teeth Is Like Playing Little League
Jan 22nd 2021
A good friend of mine is a longtime little league coach.
If you ask him, he’ll tell you that the best way to teach kids how to play sports is to start with the fundamentals. Running, catching, throwing, all the really basic stuff.
If they decide to stick with it, the kids will pick up the fancy plays and techniques later on. You’ve got to start with the basics, because anything more complicated is just out of their league.
Taking good care of your teeth is a lot like that.
No, really.
When we’re young, we have the basics of good oral health drilled into us at every dental appointment and every night before bed. Brush. Floss. See you in 6 months.
However, brushing and flossing are kind of like your little league strategies - important and foundational, but you’re gonna need to step up your game if you want to win in the big leagues.
Because we were never told that more advanced strategies were out there, we inevitably find ourselves running the same basic plays over and over again, wondering why we keep getting outplayed and losing to cavities.
Fortunately, we’re here to teach you the pro plays of oral health that most folks never learn.
Moving Beyond the Brush & Floss Fundamentals
You may have noticed that here at Epic, we’re occasionally a little harsh on the “brush, floss, and forget” approach to oral health.
That’s because while brushing and flossing are great at getting rid of dental plaque, they are, at best, an incomplete solution. Dental health experts now understand that the primary cause of cavities isn’t sugar or lack of brushing or anything else that you’ve probably heard, but exposure to tooth-dissolving acid and the nasty oral bacteria that create it.
That’s why you need a strategy that will actually beat cavities at their source.
Stepping Up Your Game: Know Your Opponent
Most people have never heard that acid is what’s beating their anti-cavity playbook.
Cavities are nothing more than points of erosion or damage in your teeth. Over time, these small amounts of damage stack up, and need to be filled in and replaced.
This damage to your teeth is caused by acid, which is introduced to your smile in two different ways: from the acidic foods and drinks you consume, and harmful bacteria that reside in your mouth.
By thinking strategically about acid attacks, you can dramatically reduce the damage they deal to your teeth, saving you the effort of having to meet the business end of the dental drill.
It can take as long as 30 minutes after acid is introduced into your mouth for it to be neutralized. Those 30-minute intervals after meals, snacks, and sodas each day stack up.
The first play in your playbook against acid attacks is to consider how often you’re introducing acid into your mouth. The guy who sips slowly on a diet soda throughout the day is dealing a lot more damage to his teeth than the guy who gulps down a sugary soda in under an hour, so keep that in mind as you eat and drink throughout the day.
However, you also need a strategy to buffer against acid attacks immediately after eating and drinking. Rinsing your mouth out with water can work pretty well, but we have an even more effective solution to recommend - keep reading!
Acid-Producing Bacteria Threaten Your Smile
Even if you’re diligently rinsing and spitting after external exposures, acid can be slowly slathered all over your teeth while you’re not watching.
That’s because many people have harmful, acid-producing bacteria lurking behind their smiles. These icky little guys chow down on tiny food particles you eat throughout the day and convert them into acid.
If you want to kick cavities to the curb, you’re gonna need an offensive strategy to take on these bacterial baddies.
Xylitol - The Curveball Cavity-Causing Bacteria Won’t See Coming
Xylitol has been making huge waves in the oral health world as a powerful tool to buffer against acid attacks and fight back against cavity-causing bacteria. It’s an all-natural, plant-produced sweetener that’s proven to target and remove the specific strain of bacteria that’s most responsible for cavities.
How does it work? I won’t bore you with all the complicated scientific details, but the short version is that cavity-causing bacteria think xylitol looks delicious, but they can’t actually digest it. These bacteria gobble down xylitol instead of their normal sources of food, and then starve to death, leaving you with a smile free from cavity-causing bacterial baddies.
When put to work in the form of a xylitol-sweetened chewing gum and mints (like Epic), this play is also even better at buffering against external acid threats than water. That’s because Epic Gum & Mints help you to amp up your body’s natural acid-eliminating solution, saliva, in the moments you’re most vulnerable to damage. What’s more, healthy saliva can actually promote remineralization of your teeth, repairing damage that’s already been done!
Without them, you’re at the mercy of whatever bacterial strains or acid attacks come your way. But with Epic Gum & Mints in hand, you’re well-equipped to tackle even the most formidable of oral health opponents.
We’ve had thousands of customers who have stepped up their oral health game with help from Epic. Here’s what they have to say:
“Lots of patients have gingivitis (bleeding gums). I have recommended many different products, but Epic changed everything. The benefits of xylitol is definitely epic! I personally have seen my patient’ gums improve, not only one person, many people! It’s easy, delicious and so beneficial. So much so, I’m also using it as well.” - Pam W., dental hygienist“Epic Xylitol products really made a difference. I started using Epic Xylitol Toothpaste and Spearmint Mouthwash a few years ago at the suggestion of my dental hygienist. I have always had problem gums and teeth in spite of practicing good dental hygiene and going to the dentist regularly. After using Epic products, my gums are in good condition, and I have had few cavities. I'm very grateful.” -Julie R.
“My teeth have never been healthier since using Xylitol. My dentist is impressed as well.” -David D.
“I use Epic Dental's mints nearly everyday as a tooth decay prevention. As a dentist, I recommend it to my patients everyday (with a sample).” Helen A.