Tooth decay is also called a cavity, and it can happen to anyone. This is why it’s important to visit your dentist every six months for physical examination and imaging of your teeth. Tooth decay is caused by bacterias residing in your mouth and producing acid to erode your teeth. The acid erosion will slowly destroy the enamel of your teeth. As time progresses, the acid will get deeper into the root of your teeth until it gets to the pulp where it’s filled with nerves and blood vessels. This is the sensitive area, and once the cavity gets there, this can cause extreme pain to the patient. It’s important to take good care of your teeth to avoid tooth decay. There are various causes of tooth decay that is important for you to be aware of so you can take action to avoid the consequences.

Bad oral hygiene

It’s important to brush twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. You should also floss and rinse with mouthwash on a daily basis as well. Improper oral hygiene is the most common cause of tooth decay and the formation of cavities.

Improper nutrition

High fatty and sugary food can lead to tooth decay. Bacteria in your mouth loves unhealthy food. Once the bacteria forms and stays in your mouth from these types of food, they will start producing acid to destroy your teeth.

Acidic food and drink

Coffee, tea, and soda are highly acidic. The acid content of these beverages can destroy your enamels. This can lead to a cavity that can slowly get deeper to your roots and nerves.

Dry Mouth

Saliva plays an important role in inhibiting the growth of this harmful bacteria. For example, if you are not producing enough saliva, you will experience an overgrowth of bacteria and toxins. Sometimes medication side effects, genetics, and certain conditions can prevent you from producing the proper amount of saliva. For example, diabetes and Sjogren syndrome can cause your mouth to be very dry. The dentist can check the saliva content of your mouth to see if you need to visit your doctor to diagnose and treat the underlying cause.

Tooth grinding

Teeth grinding is a habit that we often don’t realize that we are doing it. Usually, it happens at night when we go to sleep or when we are really stressed. When we grind our teeth, the elevated pressure and motion can be very detrimental to the outer structure of the teeth. It will weaken the enamel and further instigate tooth decay. The best thing to prevent tooth grinding is to wear a mouth guard or night guard. The rubbery texture of the mouth guard acts as a shock absorber to reduce the pressure and the teeth to teeth rubbing motion. This will prevent the grinding action of the teeth, therefore, prevent the harmful impact of erosion.

Genetics

Some people are blessed with genes that give them strong enamels. Whereas, some people are not that lucky and will have to endure the drilling and filling of their cavity after every dental visit.

Age

If we continue with bad oral hygienes, it can catch up with us as we age. It can lead to severe tooth decay, gum infections, and other dental problems as we grow older.

Avoiding your dentist like the plaque

If we avoid dental checkup because we are afraid of the dentist, it can lead to tooth decay. A dental checkup every six months is important to prevent tooth decay and other issues like gingivitis. The dentist will also clean our teeth to promote strong enamel and better-looking teeth.

Eating extremely hard food

Biting into hard candy or crab shells can be very bad for our teeth. If we do it on a constant basis, the pressure can break our tooth enamel. This can result in decay and pain that will require a trip to the dentist office. It’s ok to eat something hard once in awhile, but don’t do it too often.

Your teeth play a vital role in making you look and feel good and helping you chew your food. Your teeth are like your loyal friend, so it’s best to take good care of them to avoid potential health problems. At EDVP dentistry, we understand how important your teeth are to your health. We know what can cause tooth decay and various strategies to stop it. At our family friendly dental office, we have and will continue conquering tooth decay. Our philosophy is to educate our patients so they can be in control of their dental health and fight off cavities.