Causes of Tooth Decay

Series Summary

Dental cavities are a common ailment characterized by small holes or pits in the tooth. They are caused by acid producing bacteria from carbohydrates such as sugar, fructose and glucose. While there are several ways in which a dentist can fix or restore form and function of a tooth with a cavity, prevention is key. Oral hygiene habits can help prevent tooth decay and cavities by not allowing bacteria to settle on the tooth and create damage. Despite this knowledge, over 90 percent of people worldwide will at some point have dental cavities or tooth decay. In this free video series on dental hygiene, learn how to maintain healthy teeth and gums with simple advice from a certified dental assistant. Learn about using electric toothbrushes, how to stop clenching and grinding teeth, how to whiten teeth naturally and what causes sensitive teeth. Watch as a dental assistant discusses caring for a toothbrush, foods to whiten teeth, causes of tooth sensitivity during pregnancy and how to make breath smell better. Finally, learn about tooth veneers, implants, deep cleanings and overdentures, and learn how to recognize the symptoms of a cavity and how to know when a child needs braces.

Video Transcript

"Hi, are you wondering what causes tooth decay? Well, my name's Michelle, and I'm a dental assistant with Solutionz, and I'm going to explain to you the signs and causes of tooth decay. First of all, the main reasons that tooth decay becomes effective is with you're not brushing and flossing your teeth. It's always recommended for everyone to at least brush and floss their teeth three times a day if you can, or at least once a day. You'll it's always best to after you eat or drink something if you can, you know, go to the restroom, brush and floss your teeth, or just rinse your mouth out with some mouth rinse. That way, it'll it'll free all the bacteria from your mouth from settling in and then in between your teeth, or on top of your teeth, and then it'll free that bacteria, flush it out, so therefore; the bacteria won't turn into calculus, with the calculus then in returns turns into tooth decay. So once again, it's best to always just flush and bross your teeth for at least three times a day, and therefore, you can prevent the causes of tooth decay. My name's Michelle. I'm a dental assistant with Solutionz, and I just explained to you on the causes of tooth decay."