What are the causes of tooth decay?
Top A. • Proper Oral Hygiene : Irregular & improper brushing, not flossing between teeth, not rinsing with water or mouthwash after meals speed up the process of tooth decay. • Unregulated Diet of sweet food and drinks : Periodic snacking on aerated drinks, jam, marmalade, even potato chips can lead to the formation of acidic by products which damage the surface of the tooth enamel. This is the reason why most young children adolescents suffer from tooth decay.
It is a disease of the tooth damaging its structure. It is the most important cause of tooth loss in children and younger people. A number of micro-organisms are present in our mouth. Bacteria are commonest among them. Enzymes produced by these bacteria convert all foods-especially sugar and starch into acids. Bacteria, acid, food debris, and saliva combine in the mouth to form a sticky substance called plaque that adheres to the teeth. Plaque that is not removed from the teeth becomes a hard substance called tartar. Plaque and tartar irritate the gums. The acids in plaque can dissolve the enamel surface of the tooth and create holes in the tooth (cavities). Cavities are usually painless until they grow very large inside the internal structures of the tooth (the dentin and the pulp at the core) and can cause death of the nerve and blood vessels in the tooth, leading to the formation of abscess. Untreated tooth decay can result in death of the internal structures of the tooth with event
