Tooth Decay
Tooth Decay is preventable.
Preventing tooth decay is not difficult.
Early tooth decay can be reversable.
What is dental plaque?
Dental plaque is a sticky film that forms on the surfaces of your teeth. It consists of millions of bacteria. Dental plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.
How does dental plaque cause tooth decay?
Tooth decay is a diet related disease. Why?
The bacteria in the dental plaque use the sugars we eat as their energy source in order to survive.
When the bacteria convert the sugar into energy, they also produce acid as a waste product.
The acid dissolves the mineral content in the enamel and this causes cavities to appear on the surfaces of the teeth. The cavities can appear as white or dark spots in the early stages of mineral loss and progress to the collapse of the enamel wall. As mineral loss progresses towards the centre of the tooth this may lead to toothache.
Healthy tooth + Plaque Bacteria + Sugar in foods + Time = DECAY
Our saliva is a defence against tooth decay. It acts in many different ways to help protect and even in some cases reverse the damage caused by the acid attack on the teeth. Saliva washes the acid away from the mouth, its chemical composition can neutralise the acidic environment of the mouth and help remineralise the enamel of affected teeth.
If the amount of acid produced in the mouth outweighs the protective effect of the saliva, then this will result in tooth decay.
It is the number of times the teeth are exposed to sweet, sticky and acidic foods that is harmful rather than the amount consumed.
How can I prevent tooth decay?
Eating a healthy well-balanced diet that is low in added sugar
Avoid snack foods that are sticky, chewy or sweet. Choose snacks like vegies, cheese, crackers and lean meat. Fresh snacks are a better choice than packaged snacks as the latter usually are higher in sugar. Fresh is best.
Avoid grazing which increases the frequency of exposure to acid attack. Have a set time for meals to establish a routine.
Limit fruits to two servings per day. Naturally occurring sugar in fruits can be harmful if exposure to the teeth is often and prolonged.
For children over 12 months of age, tap water and plain milk is a healthy choice. Children do not need fruit juices or other sugary drinks. For children 0-12 months, breastmilk or infant formula is the only healthy choice. Tap water for this age group should be boiled and cooled.
Brushing and flossing twice a day to remove dental plaque. For children aged 0-18 months use a wet face washer or small soft toothbrush without toothpaste. For children aged 18 months to 6 years use a soft small toothpaste with a pea sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste. Flossing your child’s teeth begins as soon as two teeth are positioned next to each other.
Use a fluoridated toothpaste. Children aged between 18 months to 6 years should only use a low fluoride toothpaste. Children over 6 years of age can use a regular fluoride toothpaste
Limit the frequency of exposure of your child’s teeth to sugar.
If your child uses a bottle to drink milk, never put your child to bed with the bottle. This causes tooth decay.
If your child uses a dummy, never put anything sweet on the dummy.
When your child’s first tooth becomes visible or they reach 12 months of age, whichever comes first, make your child’s first dental appointment. Early detection and intervention will help protect your child from dental decay.