And now, a word about tooth decay

MANILA, Philippines - If you have ever had the misfortune of suffering from tooth decay, you understand exactly how excruciating the pain is. But you are not the only one who is familiar with that mind-numbing ache. Roughly 95 million other Filipinos feel your pain — literally. Tooth decay affects 92.4 percent of the Philippine population, making it one of the most common oral problems in the country.

Cavities are the end-result of the three-step process of tooth decay. This process begins when bacteria in your mouth cling to the sugars left behind by the food you eat. This combination of bacteria and food sticks to your teeth and produces acid. As we learned in Chemistry class, where there is acid, there is erosion. And so the inevitable happens: The surface of your tooth starts to erode, allowing the bacteria, sugar, and acid to penetrate deeper into your tooth. Internally, the bacteria continue to bore holes into your tooth, exposing it to even more bacteria. Externally, you feel an almost paralyzing pain from toothache.

There are ways to prevent decaying teeth from happening in the first place:

• Clean your mouth of the bacteria and food particles that started it all. A complete oral care routine of brushing, flossing, and rinsing will effectively clean your entire mouth — even the hard-to-reach places where bacteria could be hiding. Studies have shown that using a mouthwash will give you a 100-percent better clean versus just brushing teeth alone, since a mouthwash like Listerine is clinically proven to kill 99.9% of germs in your mouth.

• Avoid eating and drinking sugary items if you cannot clean your mouth immediately after. It is always a good idea to brush, floss, and rinse right after eating. This minimizes the chances of bacteria combining with leftover food and clinging to your teeth.

• Strengthen your teeth against the eroding effects of acid. This is best done through fluoride treatments and fluoridated products. Fluoride is responsible for restoring your teeth with the minerals needed to fight off and reverse the early signs of tooth decay.