Breaking down dental enamel is called dental caries or dental cavities. This is seen irrespective of age – though most commonly seen in adolescents and older people. But that doesn’t rule out the chances of other age groups not getting cavities. Even infants are known to have tooth decay. A combination of factors like sugary food, frequent snacking, and not cleaning the mouth properly are all contributing factors to tooth decay. Bacteria act on the dental enamel and collapses the protective covering of the teeth and cavities develop. This progresses to tooth decay.

Knowing what causes tooth decay, symptoms that signal decay and what are the habits that contribute to tooth decay – if these aspects are known, then it becomes easy to avoid tooth decay. Toothache is the common symptom seen in most who have decay. This can be a throbbing pain that grows or it can come in suddenly without any reason. Teeth sensitivity is seen when cold or hot food is consumed. Some notice tooth discolouration and some visible pits in the teeth. These are symptoms that one should not ignore.

 

Risk factors that bring in tooth decay

The following are some risk factors for tooth decay.

Location of the tooth

Tooth decay occurs usually at the back of the mouth. These teeth – both premolars and molars have more grooves and pits because they are used for chewing and grinding food. Food particles can easily get stuck in between the grooves of the teeth. Since they are at the back and not easily visible the food might not be removed while cleaning. Bacteria will act on the food debris and can bring in tooth decay.

Type of food

Bacteria acts on usually sugary food and releases acids. This is because sugary and chewy food can easily remain in the mouth even after minimal cleaning. So the type of food consumed also brings in decay. If food like milk, juices, candies, cookies etc are consumed more then bacterial action will increase and tooth decay will hasten. These types of sweet food are usually consumed in between meal times and usually many will not clean the mouth thoroughly. So there is plenty of time for bacteria to act on food that gets stuck on the teeth.

Feeding time

This is especially for infants and toddlers. Their mealtimes or rather a bed time routine involves giving them milk and juices. Many have the habit of sipping these drinks and falling off to sleep. These sugary drinks will remain in the mouth for longer periods and increases the chances of tooth decay. Because of the reason this type of decay is called baby bottle tooth decay. Some toddlers have this habit of walking around with bottles with them and sipping juices or milk – this will also affect the health of the tooth.

Snacking as a habit

Many have the habit of snacking chips or candies or sipping sugary drinks. These are fuels for bacteria to feed on and release acids to work on dental enamel. This frequent snacking will attract more bacteria to these sites and the tooth which have more food debris stuck on them will be possible places of decay. They will decay at a faster rate when compared to other teeth. It is important to keep a check on constant snacking as this accelerates decay and brings down the overall oral health of a person.

Absence of fluoride

Fluoride is known for its ability in preventing cavities. It is because of this reason it is added to drinking water. Only small amounts are required for this. In some tooth pastes and mouth rinses, fluoride is one of the active components. As precautionary methods, dentists sometimes prescribe particular toothpastes which have fluoride in them. This will help to stop tooth decay and protect the teeth.

Dental devices

Many use different dental devices for their different needs. This can be dental fillings or other devices. After some time, these devices or fillings can breakdown or even weaken. When devices fail in this manner, there are chances of plaque build-up. This is essentially decay happening to the teeth. It can happen around the teeth or below the devices even as they are hard to reach places.

Reflux

Many experience heart burn or gastrointestinal reflux. This causes acid to flow from the stomach back to the mouth. This acid is strong enough to wear off the dental enamel and bring in tooth decay. It is only through proper examination that dentists can arrive at the cause of tooth decay. This aids in seeking help in the right manner.

Age

Age is one of the factors that affect the extent of tooth decay. It is a fact that cavities and tooth decay affect all ages. But as people grow older general health declines, this is also because of medicines taken. When health deteriorates oral health also drops and tooth decay happens at a faster rate than when younger.

Dry mouth

This is caused when there is less saliva secretion. Medical conditions, some medicines or certain treatments like radiation can bring on dry mouth issues. When this happens food is not washed away naturally. It remains in the mouth for a longer stretch. This in turn will bring in tooth decay as bacterial action is more in these situations.

Eating disorders

Similar to acid reflux and dry mouth another disease condition that accelerates tooth decay is eating disorders. People who suffer from anorexia or bulimia also experience tooth decay and cavities more than people who do not have these conditions. From repeated vomiting stomach acids flows over the teeth and hastens tooth decay.

Personal oral hygiene

Less than adequate oral hygiene speeds up tooth decay. Without proper cleaning food debris gets stuck in-between teeth or on the grooves of the teeth and bring in bacterial action. Brushing twice a day and flossing helps to remove this food debris and keep the oral cavity clean.