Fixing Incipient Cavities At Home

An incipient cavity is a cavity that’s just starting to form between teeth and is still in the enamel (or outermost) layer of the tooth. Often you can try to remineralize (or fix) these cavities at home.  

What we need to do is help more mineral go into the tooth than is being taken out from the acid that the bacteria in the mouth produce. Any time we eat or drink anything that’s not water, our mouths are acidic for up to 2 hours.

How do we remineralize incipient cavities?

1. 2+ times per day: Floss, brush, then use ACT rinse or Clinpro.(for ACT swish for 30-60 seconds then spit, or apply with a Q-tip. Do not eat or drink for 30 minutes, Clinpro apply to incipient areas and leave to help remineralize.)



2. Drink only water between meals.



3. Try to eat no more than 2 low to no carb snacks a day, in addition to regular meals. (Remember that drinks other than water count as snacks!)



4. Avoid “naughty” snacks (ex: dried fruit, candy). If unavoidable, make sure to take care of the teeth right after eating a naughty snack.

We will take new bitewing radiographs at your child’s next check-up visit to see if you have been able to remineralize the cavity or at least keep it from growing.  


Thank you for trusting us with your child’s dental health!