How to Recognize the Causes of Cavities

Cavities are a common dental problem for people young and old. There are several causes of cavities, and all of them can be prevented. With an understanding of what causes cavities, you can almost completely prevent them from occurring.

Things You'll Need

• Tooth brush
• Dental floss

Instructions

1. Learn about how a cavity is formed. Bacteria that are naturally present in the mouth combine with other elements and form a residue on the enamel of your teeth called plaque. When the bacteria in the plaque consume the sugars you eat they produce acid that dissolves your tooth enamel, eventually creating a hole, or a cavity.

2. Recognize how failing to brush your teeth regularly can increase the ability of plaque to cause cavities. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day helps remove plaque from your teeth before it can do real damage. Likewise brushing gets rid of sugars that feed the bacteria.

3. Realize the need for regular flossing to reach the places in the teeth a toothbrush can't reach. Flossing allows you to remove plaque from the areas between the teeth and at the gum line. These are two areas where cavities commonly develop because people fail to floss regularly.

4. Appreciate the major role fluoride plays in preventing cavities and how it's absence causes cavities. Present in drinking water and most brands of toothpaste, fluoride strengthens enamel and helps fight off acid attacks. Those who do not get enough fluoride from drinking water, toothpastes or supplements typically have more cavities.

5. Recognize the need to visit the dentist regularly. Dental examinations can reveal deficiencies in dental habits and areas that are missed by brushing or flossing. Those who do not regularly visit the dentist often have the beginnings of cavities, which go unnoticed until they become deep and fillings are required.

Tips & Warnings

• While brushing twice a day is the minimum recommendation, it helps to brush after each meal. Brushing after each meal removes sugars from the mouth that bacteria like to feed on.

• If you like to snack during the day, it's better to snack close to a meal because allowing more time between eating gives saliva a chance to neutralize acid created by bacteria. Constantly eating throughout the day doesn't allow your saliva to repair the tooth after acid damage.

• It's important to recognize that a sugary or carbohydrate-rich diet provides more fuel for bacteria to produce acid.

• Sticky, sweet foods like caramel are bad for your teeth because they attach to your enamel. This allows bacteria to constantly create acid, and it's hard for your saliva to wash the bacteria away.