All of you have heard about decay.But has anyone thought about the initiation and progression of decay. How does decay happen? How does it progress?Let us have a look into it.
There will be soft deposits adhering to the tooth surface or other hard surfaces in the mouth every time. This is called plaque which forms as a layer that builds up on teeth. It must be present for decay to develop. Ideally, plaque has to be removed on a daily basis by using different methods. Plaque contains bacteria and their by-products. These bacteria have the ability to produce organic acids from carbohydrates we eat.
When the plaque is not getting removed,and the bacteria in plaque continuously getting carbohydrates from diet, acidity of the mouth increases. There is something called critical pH of plaque,5.5, below which loss of minerals of teeth happens and thereby decay. Frequent exposure to carbohydrates maintains the pH for extended periods, leading to net tooth surface loss. This can be seen as ‘white spot’ lesions on the teeth. These lesions have a relatively intact surface. At this stage, the damage happened can be reversible by using some materials. A dentist can help you with that. But if the tooth surface loss continues,it can progress to ‘cavitation’, which means there will be holes on the teeth. Damage is not reversible once holes are formed. In these cases, treatment is needed.
The formation of decay depends on several factors:
Type of diet (Eg: high sugar)
Frequency of consumption - When we are continuously having sugars, the mouth is not getting adequate time to recover from the effect of acid. It is said that we need at least a 2 hours gap between snacking.
Plaque amount and its composition
Saliva composition and characteristics
Eg: Ability to counter the effect of acid produced, Amount of calcium, phosphate etc.
Resistance of tooth to acid attack
Eg: Exposure to topical fluoride(toothpaste/ varnish/gel)
We can reduce the chance of getting decay by modifying some of these factors. Try to reduce the sugar in your diet and the frequency of snacking. Regular use of fluoridated toothpastes also helps. Regular professional checkup will help you to get individualised advice and identification of any dental problems in the early stage. Discuss with your dentist for any preventive measures needed.