What Is Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay is caused by a variety of things; in medical terms,
cavities are called caries, which are caused by long-term
destructive forces acting on tooth structures such as enamel and
the tooth's inner dentin material.
These destructive forces include frequent exposure to foods rich
in sugar and carbohydrates; soda, candy, ice cream-even milk-are
the common culprits. Left inside your mouth from non-brushing
and flossing, these materials break down quickly, allowing
bacteria to do their dirty work in the form of a harmful,
colorless sticky substance called plaque.
The plaque works in concert with leftover food particles in your
mouth to form harmful acids that destroy enamel and other tooth
structures.
If cavities aren't treated early enough, they can lead to more
serious problems requiring treatments such as root canal
therapy.
Preventing Cavities
The best defense against cavities is good oral hygiene,
including brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing and
rinsing. Your body's own saliva is also an excellent cavity
fighter, because it contains special chemicals that rinse away
many harmful materials. Chewing a good sugarless gum will
stimulate saliva production between brushing.
Special sealants and varnishes can also be applied to stave off
cavities from forming.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have a
cavity:
- Unusual sensitivity to hot and cold water or foods.
- A localized pain in your tooth or near the gum line.
- Teeth that change color.
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by sugary substances in breast
milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools
inside the baby's mouth.
If left untreated, this can lead to premature decay of your
baby's future primary teeth, which can later hamper the proper
formation of permanent teeth.
One of the best ways to avoid baby bottle tooth decay is to not
allow your baby to nurse on a bottle while going to sleep.
Encouraging your toddler to drink from a cup as early as
possible will also help stave off the problems associated with
baby bottle tooth decay. |