Cavities and Tooth Decay

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What Causes Cavities …..

……..teeth problems you need to know about and how to fix.

Toothache of any kind certainly lets us know if we have cavities, but not many of us understand why we get them.

We all know poor dental hygiene causes cavities and that to prevent tooth decay a regular routine of brushing or flossing is essential.

The major players in causing cavities are saliva, pellicle, plaque and calculus that all reside in our mouth at one time or another.

Natural Saliva is essential in protecting and lubricating our teeth and gums as well as other tissue in our mouths to keep it moist and healthy.

Saliva’s main function is to break our food down as we eat, and afterwards it washes away some of the bits of food that get stuck on teeth.

Saliva also neutralizes acids which lowers the amount of actual acid present in our mouth. Also it can help protect us against certain viruses and bacteria.

If you've ever noticed a slippery feeling on your teeth right after you brush, that's the result of proteins in saliva called pellicle.

After brushing, pellicle coats the teeth by absorbing into the surface area providing individual teeth with an extra layer of protection against decay-causing acids.

Unfortunately, bacteria and micro-organisms can easily attach to the pellicle resulting in a process that allows plaque to develop.

If you were to examine the white sticky substance on your teeth under a microscope, you would find that plaque consists of micro-organisms, yeast, bacteria, Mycoplasma, protozoa, white blood cells, food particles and body tissues as well as a multitude of viruses.

Now knowing this information, I am sure you will commit to doing a much more thorough job of brushing and flossing your teeth.

Several hours after brushing is the danger time when plaque begins to develop.  It is amazing to think that in just one hour a significant amount can accumulate.

If bad bacteria are not cleaned away; other micro-organisms will bond with the mix causing the plaque to thicken which will heighten its destructive potential.

Bacteria are always present in the mouth in both good and bad forms.

Good bacteria help us to fight colds and other illnesses, while bad bacteria intensify the tooth decaying process.

The worst bacteria are streptococcus mutants, which produce acid while attaching to teeth.

Lactobacillus doesn't do quite as much damage because it can only attach to plaque.  The above mentioned are only two of several other bacteria located inside the mouth that contribute to tooth decay and periodontal disease.

In summary, the process of decay begins when bacteria start attaching to the pellicle. Then in about six or more hours, plaque begins to form. These bacteria then produce acids which set up a demineralization process on the enamel, because it throws out the pH balance of your mouth. 

Once the mouths pH balance drops below 5.5 tooth decay results.

Unfortunately this chain reaction will carry on from the moment you finish brushing your teeth.

But don’t let this put you off brushing and flossing as your best defence against tooth decay, as it is the only way to return the pH level in your mouth back into the range of 6.2 and 7.0, which is considered neutral.

Of course if we mere mortals didn’t have to eat, we’d never have to worry about tooth decay. Neither would you have to worry about much because we’d be dead. But eat we do, every day, and the foods we choose aren't always the best for our dental heath.

When we eat carbohydrates, the body breaks these types of foods down into sugars including sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose and glucose.

Fermentable carbohydrates like cake, chips, candy and sugary drinks actually begin breaking down in the mouth as opposed to waiting until they get to the digestive tract like other foods.

Acids are produced when the sugars in these foods interact with the bacteria in the mouth which in turn affect the ph level in our mouth. 

When pH drops to 5.5 or lower, the drop causes the minerals inside the teeth to start dissolving setting up a decay process called demineralization.

Remember brushing your teeth will quickly return the pH in your mouth to a neutral level, between 6.2 and 7.0. 

This is why brushing our teeth after snacking or meals, is so important in preventing tooth decay. 

A large percent of the bacteria inside your mouth loves sugar, so as long as sugar is present these bacteria will keep producing more and more acid which is the start of getting holes in your teeth.

As demineralization takes hold so does Tooth Decay. 

The only way to halt it in its tracks is by remineralizing with fluoride and saliva. 

If the spot where the decay began is left untreated, it will eventually spread through to the enamel and become a cavity.

When there is a breakdown of a tooth’s enamel, food particles can get inside the tooth and cause pain. This is when you usually show up at the dentist begging for help.

If you are able to gain an appointment the first process the dentist will undertake is to clean away any debris and decay and then fill the cavity.

Be aware if you ignore this warning sign and don’t have the cavity filled you risk the decay spreading further into the affected tooth to the dentin layers and even to the pulp and the nerves.

Children and young adults whose enamel tends to be weak are more prone to cavities which are also known as acute carries. Be aware that in just a few months kids can develop holes in their teeth. 

Older adults are more prone to chronic carries but these will take longer to progress, and sometimes don't degenerate much at all. A tooth’s root can also be susceptible to cavities.  These occur more as we get older.

When decay continues to form even after a cavity has been filled or a crown has been put into place, that is called recurring decay.