Dr. Radhika Chopra

What causes tooth decay?

Bacteria and food can cause tooth decay. A clear, sticky substance called plaque is always forming on your teeth and gums. Plaque contains bacteria that feed on the sugars in the food you eat.

As the bacteria feed, they make acids. The acids attack the teeth for 20 minutes or more after you eat. Over time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, causing tooth decay.

Things that make you more likely to have tooth decay include:

- Not brushing and flossing your teeth regularly and not seeing a dentist for checkups and cleanings.
- Eating foods that are high in sugar and other carbohydrates, which feed the bacteria in your mouth.
- Not getting enough fluoride. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making teeth more resistant to acids produced by plaque.
- Not having enough saliva. Saliva washes away food and harmful sugars, so it helps protect your teeth from decay. A dry mouth may be caused by a condition such as xerostomia or sjögren's syndrome, by taking certain medicines, or by breathing through your mouth. Older adults are more likely to have a dry mouth.
- Having diabetes.
- Smoking
- Chewing tobacco.

Detailed description on Tooth decay

Hi I'm Dr. Vikash, an Endodontist and Senior Consultant at Ethical Dental and Health Care, Sector-1004, Noida. Today I'm going to discuss about the most common disease in the world, that is Tooth Decay.

Inside everyone's mouth there is a war going on. Our tooth is under attack by various bacterias. These bacterias grow a layer called plaque. It is an invisible battle because bacterias are of same color as our tooth and they hide in hard to reach areas of our mouth like gum line and between tooth. Plaque bacteria attack on sugary tooth. They turn sugar into acid and acid into enamel. This is where our body fights back thanks to saliva. Saliva is full of minerals that replaces the tooth structures dissolved away by plaque acids. It takes about 20mins for the minerals to get back in balance after a meal. But if more minerals are taken away than replaced then enamel collapses and bacteria can get into tissue below. This causes cavity and the tooth is in trouble.

Bacteria will start rotting the dent in the enamel causing tooth decay. WHen decay hits sensitive area you get tooth decay. By now enamel is completely undermined. Although only a dentist can remove bacteria from cavity but you can play your own part in the battle. If you cut off in between meal snacks and regularly remove bacterias with brush and floss, then by this you will be helping your body win the war against tooth decay.

For more information about dental problems you can contact me on Lybrate or walk into my dental clinic, Ethical Dental and Health Care, Sector-1004, Noida.