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Testing your and your child's saliva can identify your child's and your risk for tooth decay.

 

This is a quick and easy way to learn about your risk for tooth decay.

 

To prevent tooth decay, practice good oral hygiene by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily. Limit sugary foods and drinks, opt for a balanced diet, and have regular dental checkups for professional cleanings and exams. For children, dental sealants and fluoride varnish can provide additional protection. 

Oral hygiene

  • Brush twice a day: Use fluoride toothpaste and brush for two minutes each time, both in the morning and before bed.
  • Floss daily: Clean between teeth with dental floss or interdental brushes to remove plaque and food particles that brushing can miss.
  • Use fluoride: Ensure your toothpaste contains fluoride. In areas with low fluoride in the tap water, talk to your dentist about using fluoride mouthwash or getting professional fluoride treatments. 

Diet

  • Limit sugar: Reduce the consumption of sugary foods and drinks, which can feed cavity-causing bacteria.
  • Snack wisely: Instead of constant snacking, stick to scheduled meal and snack times. Choose "smile-friendly" snacks like cheese or apple slices and drink water, which rinses away food particles.
  • Drink tap water: Tap water, especially if it contains fluoride, is beneficial for rinsing and strengthening teeth. 

Professional care

  • Visit the dentist regularly: Have professional checkups and cleanings at least once a year, or as recommended by your dentist.
  • Consider sealants: Ask your dentist about dental sealants, which are protective coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth, especially in children.
  • Use fluoride treatments: Professional fluoride varnish treatments can provide extra protection and remineralize enamel, particularly for those at higher risk

Saliva Test Kit, 4 per package

SKU: 632835642834572
$15.99Price
Quantity
  • Easy Steps for Testing Saliva for Tooth Decay Risk

    1. Don’t brush your teeth for at least 1 hour before the test.
    2. Eat a sweet treat (like candy or cake) that has sugar. Wait 30 minutes after eating before doing the test.
    3. After 30 minutes, take off the lid from your plastic cup and get the pH test strip ready. Put them on a table.
    4. Spit about half a teaspoon of saliva into your own plastic cup.
      1. If you or your child can’t spit enough, use a clean cotton swab to soak up saliva from your mouth and put it in the cup.
    5. Use one test strip for each person (For you and your child).
    6. Dip the end of your test strip about half an inch into your saliva for about 5 seconds.
      1. If you use a clean cotton swab to collect saliva, rub the saliva onto the end of the strip for 5 seconds.
    7. Shake off extra saliva from the strip. Then match the color on the strip to the pH color chart.
    8. Don’t let the strip dry before checking the color.
    9. Write down on a piece of paper:
      1. Your name
      2. The date
      3. Your pH level (like 4.0, 5.6, or 7.0)
        Keep this paper to track your pH once a month for 4 months or as your dentist says.
    10. Put the lid back on the cup and throw away the cup and strip in the trash.
    11. If a child’s pH is 6.0 or lower, they are 4 times more likely to get cavities than kids with pH above 6.0.
    12. If a mom’s pH is 6.0 or lower, her child is 1.6 times more likely to get cavities than kids whose moms have pH above 6.0.
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