What Is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is known as dental caries. It is the breakdown of teeth due to acids made by bacteria. The decay can result in cavities. This results to permanently damaged areas that may develop into tiny openings or holes in the teeth.

Tooth decay is particularly prevalent in children, with research indicating that by the age of 5, one in three children has experienced decay in their baby teeth. The condition can significantly impact children’s development, affecting nutrition, speech, and the development of their adult teeth​.

While the ADA website does not directly address this, it is well-established in dental literature that tooth decay can lead to issues. For example, pain, infection, and difficulties with eating and speaking if left untreated. Severe decay can also lead to more serious infections that might affect overall health.

Early tooth decay may not cause any symptoms. However, as it progresses, it can lead to visible holes or pits in the teeth, brown, black, or white staining on the tooth surface, and possible toothache.

The bacteria that cause tooth decay such as Streptococcus Mutans. It can be transferred via saliva, which can happen with the sharing of utensils or kissing, for example. In this sense, the conditions that lead to tooth decay can be considered contagious​.

Tooth decay is closely related to diet, particularly the consumption of sugar. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugars from food and drink into acids, which can then attack the teeth and lead to decay.

Foods high in sugar, like cakes, biscuits, and lollies, are well-known contributors to tooth decay. However, sugars can also be hidden in foods. It perceived as healthy, such as breakfast cereals, bread, and pre-made sauces​.

Yes, hidden sugars in foods that might not taste sweet, like certain bread and sauces, can contribute to tooth decay. It is important to read food labels to be aware of any added sugars​.

Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. The bacteria in plaque use sugars from our diet to produce acids that attack tooth enamel, leading to decay.

Everyone with teeth is at risk. However, factors that increase this risk include poor oral hygiene, high sugar diet, frequent snacking, and reduced saliva flow, which can be influenced by certain medications or conditions​.

Common misconceptions include the belief that only sugar causes tooth decay and that diet drinks are a healthier alternative. While sugar is a significant contributor to tooth decay, other factors like poor oral hygiene and starchy foods can also promote decay. Additionally, sugar-free drinks can still harm teeth due to their acidity.

Signs of tooth decay include a toothache. Also, sensitivity to temperature, pain when biting, floss shredding when used, a bad taste in the mouth, and visible staining on the tooth surface. Swollen, red gums and facial swelling can also indicate tooth decay​.

Saliva helps to neutralise the acids produced by bacteria, wash away food particles, and provide minerals to repair early tooth decay. It’s essential for maintaining a healthy oral environment and preventing decay.

Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and makes it more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth. It can also help to reverse early tooth decay. Water fluoridation is recognized as a safe and effective measure to reduce tooth decay across populations.

The Australian Dental Association recommends brushing teeth twice per day using a fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay

Yes, flossing is important because it removes plaque and food particles from between the teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease​.

Frequent snacking on sugary or starchy foods can increase the risk of tooth decay, as it provides more opportunities for the bacteria in plaque to produce harmful acids that attack the teeth​.

Not necessarily; while sugar-free foods and drinks don’t contribute to decay in the same way as sugary ones, the acidity in diet drinks and natural sugars in fruit juices can still damage tooth enamel.

Dental products containing fluoride, such as toothpaste and mouth rinses, are best for preventing tooth decay. They help strengthen tooth enamel and can contribute to remineralising early decay​.

Regular dental visits, as recommended by a dental professional, are essential for preventing tooth decay. These visits can help with the early detection and treatment of decay, and the dentist can provide advice tailored to individual oral health needs​.

Tooth decay can be stopped or reversed in its early stages before it reaches the dentine, which is beneath the tooth’s enamel. This early decay often appears as white spot lesions on the tooth. Interventions to reverse decay include fluoride treatments to restore minerals to the enamel and good oral hygiene to prevent further acid attacks​.

The treatment depends on the severity of the decay. Options include fluoride treatments and dental sealants for early stages. For more progressed decay, fillings, crowns, root canals, and in severe cases, tooth extraction may be necessary​

A filling is a dental treatment used to repair minor tooth fractures, tooth decay, or otherwise damaged surfaces of the teeth. It is necessary when decay has led to a cavity; the decayed tooth material is removed and the area is filled with a filling material to restore the tooth’s structure and function​.

Preventive measures include establishing good oral hygiene habits, limiting sugary snacks and drinks, ensuring adequate fluoride intake, and regular dental check-ups. Dental sealants can also be applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to protect them from decay​.

While specific Australian sources discussing genetic factors weren’t found, it is recognized in the broader dental community that genetics can influence susceptibility to tooth decay by affecting saliva composition, tooth enamel strength, and the layout of teeth which might make them more prone to decay.

Acidic foods and drinks can erode tooth enamel, which is the hard outer surface of the tooth. This erosion makes the teeth more susceptible to decay since the protective layer is compromised, allowing bacteria to attack more easily.

Rinsing with water can help to remove sugar residues and neutralize the acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, reducing the risk of tooth decay. However, it is not a replacement for brushing and flossing​.

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of back teeth to prevent food and bacteria from getting stuck in these crevices, which are difficult to clean and are prone to decay.

If untreated, tooth decay progresses from the enamel into the dentine and can reach the pulp, causing toothache, sensitivity, and possibly leading to abscess and infection. Advanced decay might necessitate tooth extraction​.

Yes, lifestyle changes such as improved dental hygiene, reduced intake of sugary and acidic foods, increased water consumption, and regular dental visits can significantly reduce the risk of tooth decay.