Soft Teeth? More Like Soft Information.

In many families with chronic cavities, it’s pretty common to chalk it all up to some kind of genetic influence. If you’re from one of these families, you’ve probably heard your grandmother say something like, “Oh, I brush and floss religiously, but the Hendersons just have soft teeth.”

I hate to break it to Grandma Pat, but there’s no such thing as “soft teeth.”

Let me explain.

All teeth, whether they’re Henderson stock or from some other line, are more or less made up of the exact same ingredients. You’ve got the enamel, the hard, thin, white outer layer that protects teeth from wear and tear; the dentin, which is larger but softer; and then all the way on the inside is the tooth pulp, which is where all the nerves live that transmit your toothache pain.

Cavities can be more common in some families than others, which is probably what Grandma Pat was observing. But what’s tricky is that it doesn’t have anything to do with genes, DNA, or tooth hardness, but with the simple realities of family life.

Long ago, somebody’s great-great-great-great grandfather Henderson crossed paths with a nefarious strain of bacteria, known today as Streptococcus mutans. Maybe he took a sip out of the wrong person’s canteen, or perhaps it came from a kiss. Regardless of the origin, this dastardly bacterial invader took up residence in his mouth.

What makes these mutans unique is that they’re particularly adept at producing acid, and, unfortunately, acid really does a number on teeth. Exposure to acid does incremental damage, but over time that damage adds up to an ugly date with a dentist’s drill.

And, wouldn’t ya know it, once great-great-great-great grandfather Henderson got these bugs, generation after generation of kids tend to “inherited” this strain of bacteria from their parents by way of simple exposure. Kisses, sharing drinks, and the various other realities of living with a family tends to pass these cavity-causing bacteria around to everyone, making it appear as though some kind of proclivity to cavities was passed on genetically.

So, unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet to solve “soft teeth,” but it is possible to deal with these cavity-causing bacteria once you’ve been exposed.

Solving “Soft Teeth” For Good

The danger with the myth of soft teeth is that it stands in the way of solutions. “We have soft teeth, it’s genetic, oh well” is a story with only bad endings, and doesn’t encourage belief that a happy ending might be discovered.

The truth, however, gives hope. If you understand that cavities are caused by acid, and that acid comes from bacteria, then it’s pretty intuitive that dealing with oral bacteria can help solve your cavity problem.

That’s where Epic Xylitol Gum comes in.

Epic: The Bacteria-Buster Your Smile Deserves

Multiple research studies have shown that regular use of xylitol-sweetened chewing gum by pregnant mothers dramatically reduces the likelihood of Streptococcus mutans passing from mother to child.

You may have inherited harmful oral myths about your oral health, but you can end the cycle of generations here. What’s more, Epic Gum & Mints can help you regain control of your oral health, so the misinformation of the past no longer plagues your smile.

Epic Gum & Mints are crammed as full as possible with xylitol, the only sweetener that’s proven to seek out and remove cavity-causing, acid-producing bacteria from your mouth. With Epic on your side, you can write a new cavity-free history for your family.