Letter: Other Ways to Fight Tooth Decay To the Editor: Although
Bradford residents may have recently over-Googled “water
fluoridation,” why is it that we aren’t addressing the main
causes of dental cavities rather than focusing on a Band-Aid
that, even in the best light, may reduce only 20 to 40 percent
of cavities? There are three main factors needed for decay:
bacteria, sugars and time. Although thousands of different
bacteria happily live in our mouths, streptococcus mutans mostly
are responsible for decay. And we survive on sugars of all
types; what eats away at our teeth are mostly the sticky, sugary
foods. And the third factor, time, is not on our side. The more
time that the sugars linger in our mouths, the more our teeth
are demineralized. Let’s look at our habits and what is
important for our children’s health. Stop buying candy and
sugary drinks that lead to cavities. Instead, buy sweets that
rinse away quickly. Chocolate milk may be a good one. Put new,
attractively colored toothbrushes on Santa’s