{"id":27556,"date":"2025-05-12T09:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T09:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=27556"},"modified":"2025-05-12T09:23:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T09:23:02","slug":"can-you-reverse-tooth-decay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=27556","title":{"rendered":"Can You Reverse Tooth Decay?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"article-summary\" class=\"css-79rysd e1wiw3jv0\">Advertisements for special toothpastes, powders and gums suggest that it\u2019s possible. Here\u2019s what dental experts say.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"sizeMedium css-1d5j3k5\" aria-label=\"media\" role=\"group\" data-testid=\"VideoBlock\">\n<div class=\"css-1xb94ky\">\n<div class=\"css-11kuxu4\" style=\"width:100%;padding-bottom:100%;overflow:hidden\">\n<div class=\"css-122y91a\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"css-ktho12 e3rygrp0\"><span class=\"css-cch8ym\"><span class=\"css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90\"><span>By Sean Dong<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<section class=\"meteredContent css-1r7ky0e\">\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-0\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Most of us know that the best defense against tooth decay \u2014 or damage to the surface, or enamel, of your teeth \u2014 is to limit sugary foods and to brush and floss regularly. But once that damage has begun, or even progressed into a cavity, can you reverse it?<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Online advertisements for products like cavity-undoing <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tryunderbrush.com\/product-page\/underbrush-gum-mastic-mint-remineralizing-chewing-gum\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">chewing gums<\/a> and enamel-rebuilding <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boka.com\/collections\/nano-hydroxyapatite_n-ha_toothpaste?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A21471092798%3A164205602305%3A705975609515&amp;nb_adtype=&amp;nb_kwd=remineralizing%20toothpaste&amp;nb_ti=kwd-2195001017716&amp;nb_mi=&amp;nb_pc=&amp;nb_pi=&amp;nb_ppi=&amp;nb_placement=&amp;nb_li_ms=&amp;nb_lp_ms=&amp;nb_fii=&amp;nb_ap=&amp;nb_mt=e&amp;tw_source=google&amp;tw_adid=705975609515&amp;tw_campaign=21471092798&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21471092798&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADde6wWh4V4cmXalTRIAlqPV5uxlk&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjww-HABhCGARIsALLO6XwLi3WabaQXMf2Ji28Tz-DUbRQpL3SWY6XMB9FPpBlqJ2e8wxNzhYIaAt6dEALw_wcB\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">toothpastes<\/a> and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whisperwillowfarmllc.com\/product-page\/remineralizing-hydroxyapatite-tooth-powder-spearmint\" title rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">tooth powders<\/a> suggest that you can.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">We asked experts if they work, and if it\u2019s possible to backtrack on tooth decay in the first place.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-1u37br4 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-1b16d60b\">How does tooth decay happen?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Your mouth is home to both good and bad bacteria, which adhere to your teeth in a sticky layer called plaque.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The bad bacteria love to snack on sugary, starchy foods \u2014 like sweetened sodas, gummy candies, pastries and fruit juices \u2014 and then turn them into acids that, over time, may pull important minerals from your teeth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"Dropzone-1\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" data-testid=\"companionColumn-1\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The more these bad bacteria eat, the more acids they produce that dissolve essential minerals like calcium and phosphate, said John Featherstone, a professor emeritus of preventive and restorative dental sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">This dissolution is called demineralization, Dr. Featherstone said, and it can weaken your enamel over months to years until it eventually caves in and forms a cavity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-kbghgg\">\n<div class=\"css-121kum4\">\n<div class=\"css-171quhb\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"css-asuuk5\">\n<div class=\"css-7axq9l\" data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-noscript-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">We are having trouble retrieving the article content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1dv1kvn\" id=\"optimistic-truncator-a11y\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F05%2F12%2Fwell%2Fprevent-tooth-decay-cavities-gum-toothpaste-tooth-powder.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">log into<\/a>\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F05%2F12%2Fwell%2Fprevent-tooth-decay-cavities-gum-toothpaste-tooth-powder.html\">subscribe<\/a>\u00a0for all of The Times.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-1g71tqy\">\n<div data-testid=\"optimistic-truncator-message\" class=\"css-6yo1no\">\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Thank you for your patience while we verify access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Already a subscriber?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"log-in-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&amp;client_id=vi&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F05%2F12%2Fwell%2Fprevent-tooth-decay-cavities-gum-toothpaste-tooth-powder.html&amp;asset=opttrunc\">Log in<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-3kpklk\">Want all of The Times?\u00a0<a data-testid=\"subscribe-link\" class=\"css-z5ryv4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F05%2F12%2Fwell%2Fprevent-tooth-decay-cavities-gum-toothpaste-tooth-powder.html\">Subscribe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertisements for special toothpastes, powders and gums suggest that it\u2019s possible. Here\u2019s what dental experts say.By Sean DongMost of us know that the best defense against tooth decay \u2014 or damage to the surface, or enamel, of your teeth \u2014 is to limit sugary foods and to brush and floss regularly. But once that damage has begun, or even progressed into a cavity, can you reverse it?Online advertisements for products like cavity-undoing chewing gums and enamel-rebuilding toothpastes and tooth powders suggest that you can.We asked experts if they work, and if it\u2019s possible to backtrack on tooth decay in the first place.How does tooth decay happen?Your mouth is home to both good and bad bacteria, which adhere to your teeth in a sticky layer called plaque.The bad bacteria love to snack on sugary, starchy foods \u2014 like sweetened sodas, gummy candies, pastries and fruit juices \u2014 and then turn them into acids that, over time, may pull important minerals from your teeth.The more these bad bacteria eat, the more acids they produce that dissolve essential minerals like calcium and phosphate, said John Featherstone, a professor emeritus of preventive and restorative dental sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry.This dissolution is called demineralization, Dr. Featherstone said, and it can weaken your enamel over months to years until it eventually caves in and forms a cavity.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and\u00a0log into\u00a0your Times account, or\u00a0subscribe\u00a0for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?\u00a0Log in.Want all of The Times?\u00a0Subscribe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27558,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27556"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27556\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27559,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27556\/revisions\/27559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}