Or some people genetically have bad enamel on their teeth. It's rare that I get cavities, now, because I try to really take extra care of my teeth, but because I inherited bad enamel from my dad...I still get them.

Don't forget waterpiks, those things could help with gingivitis and all that junk. My dentist said that it would replace flossing (when you could use it of course). Amazing stuff we have these days.

False. My husband's back teeth have grown in a way that they've started further apart, but growing upwards they're now touching (so they kinda make a triangle between them). Obviously a toothbrush can't get between/underneath them, and it's difficult to get floss in there too. He's done a pretty good job of keeping them clean, but last time we went to the dentist the dentist said he had some little cavities in there. The dentist wasn't in a hurry to fill them though, coz he said sometimes if you do a good job of keeping little cavities clean, they fix themselves... but they seem to have grown so he'll prob have to get them filled when we go back next year. And he brushes, flosses, and uses mouthwash. Then you get people like me and my sister... growing up as kids, we both cleaned our teeth the same amount (in fact I probably cleaned mine more)... she didn't get a single cavity til she was 19, whereas I'd had several fillings by the time I finished primary school. (Then again when she was 4 a dentist said she had potentially cavity-prone teeth, so put an enamel covering on some of her back molars which probably helped). Yes, we have remarkable things that greatly assist in keeping our teeth healthy. But they are not 100% effective.

Lilabitch, put down the book and make me a sandwich.

When my brother and I were young, we hated brushing our teeth (we both suffer from a condition that makes our skin, gums etc very sensitive). I would find ways to get out of it, where as my younger brother, afraid of getting told off, would put toothpaste in his mouth, but didn't brush. Since we are now both adults we have grown out of it, but in the whole of my life, including my rebelous non brushing days, I have only had 6 fillings (and two were on baby teeth). The only serious damage I have done as a adult, when I broke a tooth, despite good dental hygeine. My brothers teeth rotted because of the toothpaste and he has to visit the dentist every 6 months to make sure they aren't falling out. This makes me rather sceptical of people saying 'if you brush your teeth and floss and mouthwash and visit the dentist every year your teeth will be fine forever'. Mostly, because it's not true.

I totally agree. I don't drink soda or eat very sugary foods and brush at least twice a day and floss. I still have bad teeth. No matter what I always end up with a cavity when I go to the dentist. My dentist told me that some people just have bad teeth and the enamel isn't as strong as other peoples. Also it can be hereditary. My mom has had more dental problems than anyone I know and she has 9 implants in her mouth and unfortunately all her health/dental issues have been passed to me. So even if someone does brush & floss 2-3 times a day and regularly visit the dentist, they can still get loads of cavities.