Protect Your Teeth from Decay

Image Source:
Likeable Dentist

Our mouths are home to many bacteria, most of which are harmless. Some bacteria, however, are responsible for causing cavities. Known as dental caries in the medical community, cavities are caused by acid-producing bacteria that destroy tooth enamel and dentin. According to Nashville dentist Warren Melamed, the most common locations for cavities to form include:

• Cracks, pits or grooves in the back teeth
• Between teeth
• Around dental fillings or bridgework
• Near the gum line

These sites are common cavity spots because they enable plaque to form easily. Plaque is a soft film that forms on teeth, sticking to them like jam sticks to a spoon. Plaque is a type of biofilm that is similar to the slime that forms in standing water. Just like other types of biofilm, plaque is not something you want to have a lot of in your mouth.

Plaque contains bits of food, saliva and closely-packed bacteria in large numbers. It starts to form right after a tooth is cleaned. Within an hour of cleaning, there is a measurable amount of plaque buildup. Plaque thickens as time passes. Within two to six hours, the plaque is full of bacteria that can cause cavities and gum disease.

If left long enough, plaque absorbs minerals from our saliva which then harden into calculus. Plaque continues to grow on top of these hardened spots, creating a new layer which may harden further. Plaque is easily removable with a toothbrush; calculus is not. This discrepancy is why it is so important to brush your teeth on a regular basis.

All of these processes contribute to the formation of cavities. Here’s how cavities form:

When a person eats sugary or starchy foods, the particles that remain in the mouth become food for bacteria.
These bacteria produce acids. The acids dissolve the mineral crystals in the teeth. The more times you eat in a day, the more your teeth are exposed to an acid attack. These attacks wear down enamel and create weak spots and even holes in teeth. White spots may appear on tooth enamel to signify a weak spot. At this stage, fluoride can still reverse the demineralization process.If bacteria have eaten away the tooth to form a cavity, the decay will need to be cleared and the hole filled by a dental professional.

One of the best tools at our disposal for preventing cavities occurs naturally in the mouth. Your mouth and teeth are constantly bathed in saliva, a natural liquid which keeps everything moist. Saliva washes away bits of food that would otherwise feed acid-producing bacteria. Saliva contains minerals that strengthen the teeth and buffering agents that reduce the acid levels in the mouth.

By reducing your saliva amounts, chronic dry mouth conditions can increase your risk for cavities. Other risk factors include:

• A history of cavities or tooth decay
• A lack of fluoride exposure through toothpaste, community drinking water or supplemental fluoride treatments
• Parents or siblings with high rates of dental decay
• Poor oral hygiene
• How often you consume particular foods, especially sugars and fermentable carbohydrates

While you can never completely remove bacteria from your mouth, you can control oral bacteria levels. Brushing daily, flossing and using mouthwash will reduce bacteria in your mouth and remove plaque. Dental pro Warren Melamed notes that visiting your dentist regularly can enable the identification of tooth decay before it necessitates to a filling or root canal.