Causes of Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is the main culprit behind cavities, and it’s a process that unfolds gradually over time. Here’s a breakdown of how tooth decay occurs:
1. Plaque Formation
When you consume sugary and starchy foods and don’t clean your teeth properly, a clear sticky film called dental plaque coats your teeth. Bacteria feed on these leftover sugars and starches, leading to plaque formation.
If plaque isn’t removed, it can harden into tartar, making it tougher to eliminate and providing a shield for bacteria. Professional dental cleaning is necessary to remove tartar buildup.
2. Plaque Attacks
The acids produced by bacteria in plaque gradually strip away minerals from the hard outer layer of your teeth, known as enamel. This erosion results in tiny openings or holes in the enamel, marking the initial stage of cavities
Once the enamel is compromised, bacteria and acid can penetrate the softer layer beneath it, called dentin. Dentin is less resilient to acid and makes your teeth more sensitive to stimuli.
3. Ongoing Damage
As tooth decay progresses, bacteria and acid continue their assault, moving deeper into the tooth towards the inner pulp, which houses nerves and blood vessels. The pulp becomes inflamed and irritated by the bacteria, leading to swelling.
Since the inside of a tooth doesn’t offer room for swelling, the nerves become compressed, causing pain. In severe cases, the pain and damage may extend beyond the tooth root, affecting the surrounding bone and neighboring teeth, potentially leading to bone loss.
Risk factors
While cavities can affect anyone with teeth, certain factors can increase the likelihood of developing them:
1. Tooth Location
Cavities are more common in your back teeth, such as molars and premolars. These teeth have numerous grooves, pits, and crevices, making them harder to clean compared to your front teeth, which are smoother and easier to reach.
2. Certain Foods and Drinks
Foods that stay on your teeth for a long period are likely to cause decay more than those easily rinsed away by saliva. Examples include milk, ice cream, honey, sugary snacks, soda, dried fruit, cake, cookies, hard candy, mints, dry cereal, and chips.
3. Frequent Snacking or Sipping
Regular snacking or sipping on sugary drinks provides mouth bacteria with ample fuel to produce acids that attack and erode your teeth. Continuously consuming acidic beverages like soda throughout the day exposes your teeth to a constant acid onslaught.
4. Bedtime Bottle Feeding
When babies are given bottles filled with sugary liquids like milk, formula, or juice before bedtime, these liquids remain on their teeth for hours during sleep. This feeds bacteria in the mouth, contributing to decay. This phenomenon is often referred to as baby bottle tooth decay. Similarly, toddlers carrying around sippy cups filled with sugary beverages can experience similar tooth damage.
1. Inadequate Brushing
Failing to thoroughly clean your teeth after eating and drinking allows plaque to accumulate rapidly, initiating the early stages of decay and gingivitis.
2. Insufficient Fluoride
Fluoride, a natural mineral, plays a crucial role in cavity prevention and can even reverse initial tooth damage. Many public water supplies are fortified with fluoride, and it’s a common ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwashes. However, bottled water typically lacks fluoride.
Both very young children and teenagers in the U.S. are prone to cavities. Additionally, older adults face increased risk due to natural tooth wear, receding gums, and potential reductions in saliva flow caused by medications or medical conditions.
4. Dry Mouth
A lack of saliva, known as dry mouth, contributes to tooth decay by inhibiting the natural cleansing action of saliva and reducing its ability to neutralize acid produced by bacteria. Certain medications, medical conditions, radiation therapy to the head or neck, and specific chemotherapy drugs can cause dry mouth.
5. Worn Fillings or Dental Devices
Over time, dental fillings may degrade, develop rough edges, or weaken, facilitating plaque buildup and making it harder to remove. Ill-fitting dental devices can also allow decay to develop beneath them.
6. Heartburn
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can lead to heartburn, causing stomach acid to flow into the mouth (reflux). This acid can erode tooth enamel, increasing vulnerability to decay by exposing the underlying dentin to bacteria. Dentists may suggest discussing GERD with a healthcare professional if enamel loss is observed.
Complications
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