Moms Hate Talking About Cavities - Here's Why

The news that one of your kids has a cavity always seems to come as a nasty shock.

What’s worse, it feels like an indictment of your parenting - after all, only neglected kids with irresponsible moms get cavities, right?

Here’s what one mom, Sarah, had to say about her shame and guilt about her kids’ cavities:

Today I’m going to share with you something that I’d rather not. If you thought I was a bad parent because my boys watch SpongeBob and ride their bikes in the street, wait until you read this:

Two of my children have cavities. The third one probably does, too, but so far, he hasn’t cooperated for X-rays.

There, I’ve said it.

Mothers don’t like to talk about cavities because we view them as evidence of what we perceive to be bad parenting. How could we let those precious little baby teeth decay? Even the sound of the word — “decay” — makes us shudder.

Decay? DECAY? My child’s mouth has decay?

We’ve sheltered our children from so many things, made them wash their hands before dinner, and now they have decay — in their mouth.`

Every time one of my boys gets a cavity, I feel like I’m the only mom who has let this happen. The dentist assures me I’m wrong. Dental cavities are the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood. Plus, he says, “Cavities aren’t something moms talk about at school pickup.”

He’s right. We don’t ask about cavities (as in, “Are your children’s mouths decaying?”) because we are afraid of the answer: “Cavities? What? No way! Not my kids.” A mother who asks another mother about cavities might as well announce that she lets her kids eat pizza twice a week and frozen waffles for breakfast. (Done and done.)

Parents Under Pressure

In our always-online culture, parents live under a barrage of constantly-conflicting advice and expectations.

With seemingly every mother in your social media newsfeed posting carefully curated Perfect Mommy Moments, this has gotten so, so much worse. It’s easy to feel like you’re the only struggling parents out there.

No one wants to be the mom whose kids are getting fillings and caps on their baby teeth. You might as well the words “I Neglect My Children” tattooed on your forehead, right?

Why Feel So Much Guilt Over Cavities?

Growing up, many of us got lectures about brushing our teeth every single day for years, and still had to go in for our Twice-Annual Scolding In A Dentist’s Chair.

Is it any wonder we’re all terrified of that experience?

Of course, there’s an added pressure for parents, too, because what happens to your kids also reflects back on you.

The good news is that your kids’ cavities aren’t actually your fault.

The Real Cause of Cavities (P.S. - It’s Not You!)

I won’t get into all the boring science stuff here, but here’s the elevator pitch: tooth-eroding acid is the cause of cavities in people of all ages. This harmful oral acid comes from two places - the food we eat, and the bacteria that live in our mouths.

Well, news alert, your kids’ toothbrushes simply aren’t equipped to tackle acid attacks head-on. In fact, brushing during an acid attack may actually do more harm than good - spreading and scrubbing that tooth-dissolving gunk into all of the cracks and crevices of your kids’ teeth.

The odds are pretty good you’ve never been told this before, and there are two pretty big conclusions that come out of it:

1. As a parent, you’ve never been properly equipped with the information you need to help your kids fight cavities, which means you simply aren’t at fault here.
2. With the correct information now in hand, you can help your kids focus on cavity solutions that actually, you know, prevent cavities!

Combating Cavities at the Source

Combating cavities at their source means eliminating acid-producing oral bacteria and neutralizing acid attacks right after they get started.

Epic Gum & Mints have been carefully curated to help your kids combat cavities before they ever get started. How? They use a natural sweetener called xylitol, which has been proven to remove the bacterial baddies that have invaded your kids’ smiles long before the damage starts.

In fact, xylitol is so powerful at fighting cavities that the California Dental Association recommends that both you and your kids get at least 6 grams of xylitol per day!

What’s more, by putting this bacteria-bashing sweetener to work in a gum or a mint, Epic Gum & Mints help your body’s natural defenses get a jump start against acid attacks. Saliva is a great acid-neutralizer, and there’s no better way to zap that acid than to get your kids chewing on a piece of xylitol gum.

What your kids don’t need to know is that what seems like a tasty treat is actually a powerful weapon in the fight against cavities. Of course, you can tell them if you want - You’re their parent, not me. Either way, I guarantee Epic Gum & Mints will work wonders for your kids’ smile.

Show Your Cavity Shame the Door

At one point or another, all parents have felt like Sarah up above - ashamed, guilt-ridden, and terrified of the very idea of their kids getting cavities.

However, with the right tools at your disposal and a little bit of concerted effort, your experience can be much more like what Katherine expressed after her kids started using Epic Gum:

“I've been giving this gum to my kids for about 2 years now to help fight those “bugs" that may be on their teeth between our morning and evening brushing. I am more than happy to report that their last few dental checks have been cavity free!!! After some dental disasters with young children before I had heard about xylitol, I could not be happier with the outcome of Epic xylitol products. Needless to say, ‘Xylitol Is Awesome!’”