Tooth decay, also called dental caries, is a common dental disease and affects nearly everyone. But what is it that causes cavities? How can you prevent it? Is there more than just brushing and avoiding sugar? If you are interested in the scientific explanation of these questions – so that you can learn how to live without decay – keep reading!

Fact #1 – Bacteria cause tooth decay

There are hundreds of different types of bacteria found on your teeth. They live in the grooves and crevices found on the tooth surface. They can even stick to the smooth surfaces of your teeth, like along the gumline. The “scum” that you can feel or see on your teeth after a long day is made up of bacteria and the sticky glue-like substances that they make. This is called plaque. When the bacteria in plaque are exposed to carbohydrates – from your meal – they soak it up and begin to eat, reproduce, and make acid as a by-product. The acid is the worst news – this acid can eat away at your tooth surface if the conditions are right.

Fact #2 – Acid makes holes in your teeth

Many things can affect whether or not the acid made by bacteria will cause a cavity or hole to form in your tooth. Some areas of the tooth are more susceptible, like the grooves on the chewing surface. Some teeth are less dense, or have fewer minerals. A higher amount of fluoride in the surface layers of the tooth can resist acid better. But the secret here… is that all teeth get a little damage from acid…the key is to be able to repair it.

Fact #3 – Your body can repair damage from decay

As soon as bacteria are making acid on the tooth, your body is working to help. Your saliva is full of buffers, minerals, and immune system components which help to neutralize the acid, repair damaged tooth structure, and limit the growth of the bacteria. The quality and quantity of saliva is VERY important to prevent decay.

Fact #4 – You can control the cycle of damage vs. repair

There are two basic ways to swing the tooth decay cycle in your favor. One way is to reduce the acid production. You can brush and floss the bacterial plaque off your teeth. You can avoid the sugars that the bacteria love. Their favorite is sucrose – found in table sugar, pop, candy, sugared gum and mints. However, they also can thrive on more natural sugars like fructose and starches – so even fruit juice or other foods can be a problem. The key is to limit the amount of time, and the number of times that you eat or drink anything. This means you CAN have a pop or juice, but just don’t sip on it for a long time. Have it during your lunch or dinner and then be done with it. Between meals stick to calorie free things like water, an occasional diet soda, or sugarless gum. Of course not everyone can follow these dietary rules – check with your doctor.

The second way to prevent decay is to give your body a good chance to repair the damage. Be sure to eat a healthy diet so that your saliva is of good quality. You can stimulate saliva flow by chewing a piece of sugarless gum. Some gum contains xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol, which slows down the decay causing bacteria.

Finally, it is important to get rid of the build-up of bacteria on your teeth. Brushing and flossing your teeth helps to clean off these bacteria. Also, fluoride applied to the teeth in the form of toothpaste makes them more resistant to decay.

Get professional help

Help eliminate decay causing bacteria by getting rid of cavities at your dentist’s office. Having one cavity is like having an infection that can spread bacteria all over your mouth. When you have all areas of decay removed, and you are following good dietary habits you will be on your way to excellent oral health.

By: Valerie E Cooper

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Research indicates that most people who have not gone to the dentist for years fear going to the dentist because of the shame they might face if they show their teeth to their dentist. This is a normal fear people giving up on their dental health all together. Not only does your oral health decline but your over all health is linked to your oral health. Studies have shown that the health of your gums and teeth can affect your over all life expectancy. The shame that people fear is mostly in their heads, for your dentist has most likely seen teeth dramatically worse than yours. Dentist seem to be the type of doctor that most people put off until something goes horribly wrong. Not going to the dentist will cause problems in the future that will defiantly cause you to go to the dentist. For example root canals are caused by hiding from the dentist and improper dental health care over many years. A root canal is just the decaying of ones tooth and if not fixed can cause an abscessed tooth which can cause major health problems.

Cosmetic dentists are in business today because people have failed to go the dentist for many years and if a root canal does not work then the next step is to replace the tooth all together. This cost is drastically higher than getting your teeth cleaned twice a year and properly taking care of them through out the year. The average cost of getting a new set of teeth can run anywhere from twenty thousand dollars on the low- end to ninety thousand dollars on the upper end. Getting ones teeth replaced is easily avoided just by going to see your dentist twice a year and getting your teeth cleaned. This cost will run you about one hundred and fifty dollars per visit thus saving you money in the future and will also keep you healthier later in life.

Knowing what type of dental products to use is also very important in making sure you have the best dental check ups. Today there a ton of electric tooth brushes on the market. All of these electric tooth brushes are better at removing plaque than brushing your teeth the old fashion way. Tests have proven that electric tooth brushes remove more plaque. Plaque is the cause of bad breath and gum disease. The more plaque you remove each time you brush your teeth the better breath you will have and the better dental check ups you will have. In addition to brushing, you should always remember to floss your teeth at least once per day.

By: Dave Han

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To help prevent tooth decay and other related conditions, adults over 18 should have a check-up at least once every two years, with children and people under 18 needing to see a dentist once every year. By going to a dentist regularly you can help to prevent many of the major conditions than can affect your mouth, teeth and gums from becoming serious.

Below, we take a look at the signs of tooth decay which if spotted, should always result in a visit to the dentist to try and put together a plan of action to deal with the issue.

Toothache – Although toothache can be sign of many other tooth and mouth related issues, tooth decay is one of them and this can often be one of the biggest signs that tooth decay is starting to take hold in your mouth. As with many things, tooth ache can be a symptom of other issues, but if you do get a constant tooth ache that fails to go away then you should really get this checked out.

Bad / Nasty Breath – Because tooth decay is basically the teeth rotting away and dying, you can imagine that the smell this will leave will not be very nice, which is why bad or nasty smelling breath is another sign that tooth decay could well be occurring inside your mouth.

Sensitive Mouth / Teeth – Tooth decay can often lead to a change in the sensitivity of your teeth, because the main tooth is decaying and is showing more of the nerve ending which is why you can start to feel more pain than normal. If you notice more pain when eating food or drinking drinks, then this is something you need to get checked out by a dentist.

Change Of Colour On Teeth – If your teeth start showing grey, black or brown spots, then this is another common sign that you might have decay and that you need to hotfoot it over to a dentist. Any colouration change in your teeth can be looked at, but the majority of the time this has nothing to do with tooth decay and is often just stains from things like coffee.

Nasty Taste – Following on from the bad breath point above, if you have something decaying in your mouth then this is obviously going to leave a really nasty taste, which can often be much worse in the morning after you have woken up from a night’s sleep. Although this can just be down to basic hygiene, it is yet another indicator of tooth decay so should be taken seriously if it continues to occur.

There are many things that you can do to prevent decay from getting to the stage where you can not treat it and these include:

• Regular brushing / cleaning of your teeth
• Regular dentist check ups
• Use mouthwash
• Avoid sugary drinks
• Avoid eating junk food

Tooth decay is something that can be prevented as long as you do the correct things, which in most cases is just basic common sense and ongoing care of your teeth. If you take care of your teeth and get regular checkups at a good dentist then you can avoid getting really bad tooth decay which can see you losing your teeth if it gets to the advanced stage.

Once tooth decay has gone too far, which as we mention is often when the most obvious signs start occurring, there is often little that can be done to prevent it further, so it is vital that you take care of your teeth from an early age to make them last as long as is possible.

By: Sarah Faridrad

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Maintaining good oral health seems to be something that more and more people aren’t paying attention to. With vending machines around every corner and strong messages through advertising tempting us to eat the latest taste-bud sensation dentists are becoming increasingly worried that many of us are not eating properly balanced diets and are filling up with foods like crisps, fizzy soda’s and sweetened fruit juices. The phrase, ‘You are what you eat’ springs to mind. A lot of snack food contains very little in nutritional value, and put us at risk of developing tooth decay and other dental problems. Who wants root canal? Certainly not me!

Children and teens are easily swayed to eat snacks that appear ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ but leaves there teeth looking anything but that. How does this tooth decay occur? Well when sugary and starch foods come into contact with plaque (bacteria) acid is produced. This acid attacks our teeth (for up to 20 minutes after eating) and can lead to tooth decay.

Tooth decay can be a major problem for people of any age. A small film of plaque constantly develops sticking to the teeth. This stickiness is what makes the acid so effective at attacking the enamel of the teeth. It keeps it in contact with the enamel. Once the enamel has been broken down, cavities begin to form. Brushing twice daily will remove the sticky plaque formed on the teeth but if the teeth aren’t brushed daily this plaque will harden into calculus or tartar. Gingivitis can occur, which is the early stage of gum disease, if the teeth aren’t brushed regularly. It also makes brushing less effective and can even cause the gums to bleed when brushing.

The foods that can cause tooth decay even include vegetables and milk as they contain sugars and starches. You may think that cutting them out of your diet would be the right thing to do. These foods, however, should not be removed from your daily diet as they contain other nutrients necessary that contribute to maintaining a healthy body. The ideal thing to do is read the labels on products that you buy and try to choose products that are low in added sugars. These are the same added sugars found in the types of foods mentioned above, such as crisps, candy, fizzy soda’s and cookies.

One of the major causes of gum disease in adults is the lack of important nutrients which help the mouth fight or resist infection. This gum disease is known as periodontal disease, and is the major cause of loss of teeth in adults.

By: Janie Jonah

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There are many causes of tooth decay which we will discuss briefly. If you do know how painful a toothache and how it can bring your day to a complete halt, there are reasons to explain the cause of pain.

The first cause to be outlined is having a poor diet which consists of starch and sugars. When you eat all these and do not brush your teeth or clean them accordingly you risk tooth decay in no time. What happens is after you eat sweet things bacteria establishes itself in the mouth and turns the sugar and starch into acid and while you sleep this bacteria and acid dig down your enamel. Since the enamel is strong it will resist but will be corroded slowly. Once the corrosion reaches the sensitive glands under the enamel then you will feel the pain.

The second reason is a lack of fluorine or fluoride action. Fluorine is chemical that helps in the prevention of tooth decay as it fights the acids that cause decay by neutralising them and making the enamel stronger. Fluorine is present in most if not all tooth pastes and you can ask your dentist on how to get other forms of fluorine.

Cigarette smoking is also very dangerous to teeth. Besides the health hazards caused by smoking the tobacco can cause cavities. Another major cause of tooth decay is drinking alcohol; regular beer drinking has a cause of the hygiene of teeth. Alcohol has certain chemical substances just like smoking and the prolonged use of it will slowly erode your teeth. For you to have good healthy strong teeth you have to brush them on a regular basis, at least twice a day and floss them. You should brush them after meals because the bacterium that remains is the one which causes tooth decay.

By: Jenny Maloy

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Teeth decay and cavities have caused the biggest headache to man for years. It is the best news that modern generation can now enjoy the latest advanced dental health technology which could never have been imagined before.

The most up-to date dental treatment technique that is popular is the amalgam. It has been here for donkey years, say one century. It is the method most prefer, patients and dentists alike since it is known for its longevity and reliability. Let us look closely at this product, what it is made of.

Dental amalgam contains some mercury, copper, tin, and silver. The mercury is the adhesive which is needed to bind together the other metals which do not exist as powder. This product is also known as silver filling since it looks like that.

The dentist has to mix it before filling it into the cleaned cavity in the tooth then it hardens slowly. It eventually becomes very hard and is able to protect your tooth from further damage.

People prefer the said type of filling for two reasons: affordability and longevity. It is more affordable than other types of filling for dental cavities such as porcelain that is almost double the price of amalgam.

Dental amalgams is strong and can take the pressure more easily so it lasts for years if cared for very well using hygienic ways when amalgams are on the teeth.

These are the factors that make the dental amalgams the chief contributor to improved dental health. It is less costly and easily accessible to those who need their dental cavities to be filled in order to forestall further damage to the teeth.

It is very easy to see why this type of treatment for the tooth cavities is a big stride towards improving man’s condition of grappling with dental diseases since time immemorial. Most importantly, take good care of your dental health to avoid getting any decays and tooth cavities.

By: Will Gerber

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Richmond dentists agree that proper tooth care needs to begin with the first tooth. As soon as your child begins getting their first teeth, begin cleaning their teeth after feedings with a moist gauze pad or washcloth. When your child feels comfortable with a toothbrush, brush their teeth twice a day with an extra-soft toothbrush. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste if your child likes toothpaste. If not, it’s fine to brush without toothpaste. Gently floss your child’s teeth each day, paying particular attention to areas where teeth are close together. In Richmond gentle dentistry now helps prevent the need to restore your child’s smile.

Children’s teeth become vulnerable to decay from the moment they break through the gums. Richmond dental professionals agree that you may not even notice the decay until it’s too late to save the teeth, so it’s crucial that you prevent bottle syndrome from occurring in the first place. Bottle syndrome, also known as baby bottle tooth decay, a serious condition that destroys child’s teeth, occurs when teeth become exposed, at length and frequently, to liquids containing a form of sugar. All liquids that contain sugar can cause bottle syndrome, including breast and cow’s milk (which contain the sugar lactose), formula, fruit juice (which contains the sugar fructose), soda and other sweetened drinks. It is caused by the constant presence of milk, formula, or fruit juice in a child’s mouth during the night, during breastfeeding, during naps, or for extended periods during the day. The liquid pools around the teeth and gums, providing food for the bacteria in plaque. The bacteria produce acid as a byproduct when they consume the sugar. This acid attacks your child’s teeth and causes decay.

Three Tips to reduce Bottle Syndrome:

o For long periods during the day, put only water in the bottle.

o Switch to a pacifier.

o If your local water supply doesn’t contain fluoride get a prescription for fluoride supplements.

Bottle syndrome leads to painful toothaches, making it difficult for your child to eat. Left untreated, the decay caused by bottle syndrome causes infection, which may result in having to remove teeth. Baby teeth lost too early may lead to poor nutrition, speech problems, crooked teeth, and permanent damage to adult teeth. Use water at these times to prevent this severe decay of baby teeth, and always clean your child’s teeth immediately after each feeding.
Use water only in bedtime bottles. Use a rounded bristled soft brush to brush your infant and toddlers teeth. Fluoride plays an important role as a preventive tool for infants. First check the fluoride level of your child’s primary source of drinking water. Dentists prescribe fluoride tablets sometimes, and generally recommend fluoride toothpaste and fluoride treatments in your dentist’s office after cleanings.

Children should be supervised brushing and flossing until they’re seven to ten years old and proven able to effectively keep the plaque off their teeth by themselves. Then, check their efforts occasionally. It’s a good idea to keep some disclosing tablets on hand. The vegetable dye in disclosing tablets stains missed plaque red and makes it much easier to see.

Children learn best by imitation, so let them watch you as you brush and floss your teeth. Regular praise of their home care efforts and a positive example will get your child started down the path of excellent oral hygiene.

By: Dr. Charles Martin

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases in humans. It can reach to all teeth as the permanent disease. The decay is a disease generated by the interaction of four factors and develops in four stages.

Factors for development of caries: schema Keyes

The development of a carious lesion is due to the coexistence of four factors: plaque, land, food and time.

Bacterial plaque

In the oral cavity of a human being, more than 60 different species of bacteria live who participates in the formation of bacterial plaque (see scale and scaling). Some of these bacteria like streptococcus and / or lactobacillus produce acids that can attack the mineralized tissues of the tooth and cause tooth decay as well. The risk of developing cavities will be even greater than the number of bacteria present in the mouth is important.

Field

Some people are more likely to have cavities, they are said to have a more fertile ground for the development of carious lesions. This happens when the enamel is thin and less resistant to acid attack of bacterial plaque. Similarly, teeth fillings (amalgams and / or composites, crowns) and old frosted foods retain more easily make brushing less effective and promote the formation of bacterial plaque.

Food

Some foods are rich in acidic (fruit juice, sodas) and contribute to weaken the tooth enamel dematerializing them. Other rich in sugars (candy, chips, and crackers) are used by bacteria which, by assimilating them, grow (increase in plaque) and then turn them into acid waste responsible for the demineralization of the tooth enamel.

After your tooth gets decayed there is a need of tooth replacement if you want to smile in public and take the taste of food again.

Time

The development of caries requires time and involves several steps. The four development stages of decay:

1. Destruction of enamel

Acids from bacteria or food begin to dematerialized enamel. This process is completely painless and can be viewed by the dentist during a dental examination (clinical and radiological). At that time decay is still reversible because ions present in saliva (see scale and scaling) can mineralize the enamel surface. This is the regular repetition of the stressor (food, plaque) that will allow the process of demineralization and thus continue to grow the bacteria to the tissues underneath the enamel of the tooth.

2. Reached the dentin

That’s when the tooth becomes sensitive to hot, cold, sweet and acid: one speaks of pain caused. Dentin is less mineralized than enamel, it is faster demineralization and thus the decay will spread and grow faster in the tooth into the pulp.

3. Invasion of the pulp

This is the stage of ‘toothache’ pain is violent, spontaneous and / or caused by heat, cold. If no treatment is carried out the pulp will die, gradually become necrotic. The pain ceases after a time may give the impression that all is well.

4. Invasion of surrounding tissue

The bacteria are present throughout the pulp and will move toward the tip of the root and reach through the apical foramen (see the anatomy of the tooth) and the surrounding tissue (gums, bone, and ligament). Be formed in the longer term an abscess and / or cyst very painful at the end of the root. This infection can spread, or to adjacent tissues and give a “classy” (cellulite) or the whole body via the blood vessels and be responsible for infection of other body parts (eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, and joints).

By: Andrew Sam

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Tooth decay, also known as dental caries or cavity, is the demineralizing of hard elements of the tooth (such as dentin, enamel, and cementum) which is the result of a bacterial process. Certain bacteria (i.e. Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans) transform starchy carbohydrates or sugars that stick on your teeth into acid, and hence the acid causes dental erosion. The hard tooth structure will gradually break down and cavities will form. Dental caries can lead to more serious problems if left untreated, such as tooth infection or even tooth fracture.

To prevent tooth decay, you should practice good oral hygiene and maintain a healthy diet. It is very important that you consume foods that are rich in Vitamins A, C and D, fiber, calcium, and magnesium.

Vitamin A is essential for teeth and bone formation, fiber improves the production of saliva (hence helps clear the bits of food that are stuck on your teeth) and Vitamin C prevents dental bleeding and infection. These three substances are commonly found in fruits and vegetables such as papaya, carrot, cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, many types of beans, apple, celery, garlic, watercress, etc. Although citrus fruits like lemon, orange, and grapefruit are good sources of Vitamin C, they are also rich in citric acid which is bad for tooth enamel.

Berries such as cranberry, raspberry, and blueberry are effective in combating dental caries. Besides Vitamins A and C, berries are rich in flavonoids as well. Flavonoids have antibacterial properties that can help prevent the formation of cavities. Several researches have also discovered that berries contain bioactive components that can prevent caries-causing bacteria from sticking to the surface of the teeth and reduce the number of bacteria in the saliva.

On the other hand, calcium is a type of mineral that helps keep teeth and bones strong, Vitamin D helps promote calcium absorption, and magnesium is essential in the formation of teeth and bones. As a matter of fact, calcium makes up about 70 percent of your bones. Soybean, oat, and almond are rich in these three substances. Food ingredients derived from animals such as milk, fatty fish (e.g. tuna, herring, salmon, sardines, etc), cod liver oil, and butter are also good sources of calcium, Vitamin D, and magnesium.

Additionally, the consumption of tea can also help in preventing tooth decay. This beverage is a good source of fluoride which can help strengthen the teeth. However, you are advised to drink unsweetened tea because sugar can cause caries.

By: Qurathun Ayuni

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It’s true. You can reverse tooth decay.

Dentists aren’t in the habit of sharing this information, but it is a scientific fact.

When a cavity first starts forming, you may notice a small white spot on your tooth. This spot is the result of decalcification; calcium is leaching from the tooth. Decalcification is caused by excessive plaque and bacteria building up on the tooth enamel. Other than looking odd, the early stages of decalcification are harmless. Over time, however, the cavity will progress resulting in pain and eventual structural damage. Typically – to prevent tooth loss – cavities are treated with drilling out the decay or with extensive damage, even root canals.

If you catch the tooth early in the decalcification process, the issue is reversible. All you need is proper home care that will create a healthy oral environment, re-mineralize the tooth and eventually reverse the decay process. It won’t happen overnight, but in 2 to 4 months, you will be able to see notable improvement. To completely reverse a decalcified tooth, it can take up to a year, but in order to avoid drilling, it’s well worth the effort.

There are 3 important steps you will need to take to re-mineralizing your teeth…

1. Improve your diet.

Minimize your intake of foods high in sugar, high fructose corn syrup and acid, including orange juice, apple cider and lemonade. Sports drinks and carbonated sodas are particularly problematic as they are high in both sugar and phosphoric acid. Also limit your consumption if acidifying grains like white flour, rice, wheat, wheat germ and cornstarch, and avoid acid producing animal proteins such as red meat, shrimp and oysters. I personally recommend using sea salt, which contains many trace minerals, as well as home made broths containing low acid vegetables and/or chicken. I also recommend adding a few key supplements to your daily routine, including Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2.

2. Minimize dry mouth.

Saliva is extremely important to oral health. It helps maintain a neutral pH, which in turn protects against harmful bacteria and infection. The drier the mouth, the more susceptible your teeth will be to damage. Chronic dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription medications. Medical conditions including diabetes, cystic fibrosis, stroke, Sjorgren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia and HIV/AIDS may result in dry mouth as a side effect. To minimize dry mouth, I recommend the following:

Stay fully hydrated and drink plenty of water Do not use tobacco products as these products can reduce saliva production Breath through your nose and avoid “mouth breathing” Use xylitol mints or chew xylitol gum (link), as it will stimulate saliva production and inhibit cavity formation Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air Use an over-the-counter saliva substitute or stimulant, especially if there is a medical reason behind your lower-than-average saliva condition

3. Practice correct dental hygiene care.

You have probably heard it before, but proper hygiene at home it vital to your dental health. It takes a certain degree of commitment, but trust me – it is well worth it. Floss regularly. Brush twice every day with a toothpaste containing xylitol which is a key step to re-mineralizing enamel. Remember to get regular dental checkups.

By: Flora Stay

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