Tooth Decay: A Preventable
Disease
What is tooth decay, and what
causes it?
Tooth decay is the disease known
as caries or cavities. Unlike other
diseases, however, caries is not
life threatening and is highly
preventable, though it affects
most people to some degree
during their lifetime.
Tooth decay occurs when
your teeth are frequently exposed
to foods containing carbohydrates
(starches and sugars) like soda
pop, candy, ice cream, milk,
cakes, and even fruits, vegetables
and Juices. Natural bacteria live
in your mouth and form plaque.
The plaque interacts with deposits
left on your teeth from sugary and
starchy foods to produce acids.
These acids damage tooth enamel
over time by dissolving, or
demineralizing, the mineral
structure of teeth, producing tooth
decay and weakening the teeth.
How are cavities
prevented?
The acids formed by plaque can be
counteracted by simple saliva in
your mouth, which acts as a buffer
and remineralizing agent. Dentists
often recommend chewing
sugarless gum to stimulate your
flow of saliva. However, though it
is the body's natural defense
against cavities, saliva alone is not
sufficient to combat tooth decay.
The best way to prevent
caries is to brush and floss
regularly. To rebuild the early
damage caused by plaque bacteria,
we use fluoride, a natural
substance which helps
to remineralize the tooth structure.
Fluoride is added to toothpaste to
fight cavities and clean teeth. The
most common source of fluoride is
in the water we drink. Fluoride is
added to most community water
supplies and to many bottled and
canned beverages.
If you are at medium to high
risk for cavities, your dentist may
recommend special high
concentration fluoride gels, mouth
rinses, or dietary fluoride
supplements. Your dentist may
also use professional strength anti-
cavity varnish, or sealants--thin,
plastic coatings that provide an
extra barrier against food and
debris.
Who is at risk for cavities?
Because we all carry bacteria
in our mouths, everyone is at risk
for cavities. Those with a diet
high in carbohydrates
and sugary foods and those
who
live
in
communities
without fluoridated water are
likely candidates for cavities.
And because the area around a
restored portion of a tooth
is a good breeding ground for
bacteria, those with a lot of fillings
have a higher chance of
developing tooth decay.
Children and senior citizens
are the two groups at highest risk
for cavities.
What can I do to help protect
my teeth?
The best way to combat cavities is
to follow three simple steps:
I. Cut down on sweets and
between-meal snacks. Remember,
it's these sugary
and starchy treats
that put your teeth
at extra risk.
2. Brush after
every meal and
floss daily. Cavities
most often begin in
hard-to-clean areas
between teeth and in
the fissures and pits
the edges in the tooth
crown and gaps
between teeth. Hold
the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle
and brush inside, outside and
between your teeth and on the top
of your tongue. Be sure the bristles
are firm, not bent, and replace the
toothbrush after a few weeks to
safeguard against re-infecting your
mouth with old bacteria than can
collect on the brush.
Only buy toothpastes and
rinses that contain fluoride
(antiseptic rinses also help remove
plaque) and that bear the American
Dental Association seal of
acceptance logo on the package.
Children under six should only use
a small pea-sized dab of toothpaste
on the brush and should spit out as
much as possible because a child's
developing teeth are sensitive to
higher fluoride levels.
Finally, because caries is a
transmittable disease, toothbrushes
should never be shared, especially
with your children.
3. See your dentist at
least every six months for
checkups and professional
cleanings. Because cavities
can be difficult to detect a
thorough dental examination is
very important. If you get a
painful toothache, if
your teeth are very
sensitive to hot or
cold foods, or if you
notice signs of decay
like
white spots, tooth
discolorations
or
cavities, make an
appointment
right
away. The longer
you wait to treat
infected teeth the
more intensive and
lengthy the treatment will be. Left
neglected, cavities can lead to root
canal infection, permanent
deterioration of decayed tooth
substance and even loss of the
tooth itself.
Sources: The medical management of
dental caries, by Burton L. Edelstein, DDS,
journal of the American Dental Association,
jan. 1994; How severe is the threat of caries
to old teeth? By M.I. MacEntee, et al.,
journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, May 1994;
Tooth decay', American Dental Association,
1994; Modern management of dental
caries: the cutting edge is not the dental
bur, by Maxwell H. Anderson, DDS, et. al"
jADA, june 1993; Changing paradigms in
caries
management,
by
Maxwell
H.
Anderson,
DDS,
Periodontology
and
Restorative
Dentistry,
March
1992;
Preventing dental caries: breaking the chain
of transmission, by Ernest Newbrun, DMD,
jADA, june 1992; Prevention of dental
caries, by Andrew j. RuggCunn, Dental
Uptake, jan/Feb 1990; Preventive dentistry:
dental caries, by john C. Creene, DMD, et.
al., journal of the American
Dental
Association, Dec,
22/29, 1989.
This information was compiled for General Dentistry. Your dentist cares about long-term dental health for you and your family and demonstrates that concern by
belonging to the Academy of General Dentistry. As one of the 35,000 general dentists in the United Sates and Canada who are member of the Academy, your dentists
participates in an ongoing program of professional development and continuing education to remain current with advances in the profession and to provide quality patient
treatment. Visit the AGD’s website at www.agd.org. You have permission to photocopy this page and distribute it to your patients.
