Daisy came for her 6 month dental visit today, dressed like a princess. As, she cared for her teeth and wanted to keep them healthy she asked Dr. Jerry Wade (Dr Wade and Daisy shown here in the photo) about where those cavities came from anyway. We decided other kids might want to know the same answers so here it is: 

A dental cavity is really a hole in a tooth; it happens to be dug by the bacteria being present, in our mouths and sugar in food we consume.  In fact, there are literally hundreds of bacteria. and recently, the National Institute of Health published an article to teach us about this process. Their goal was to help us learn how to prevent the cavities and even help us learn how to reverse some dental decay. 

Yes, you can prevent or even reverse tooth decay!

You see there is this giant war in our mouths between the Bacteria and sugars we eat against our Saliva and Fluoride. The Sugars and Bugs (bacteria) together make our mouths more acid like. They hand around in the plaque on our teeth, our gums, and even on our tongue.  Whenever we eat or drink something that contains sugar or starch, the bacteria produce acid. Those acids attack the outer shell of the tooth (called enamel) as well as the root portion called cementum. So, foods and drinks containing sugar (such as bread, cookies, candy, soda, juice, and many others) give fuel to the bad Bacteria. 

The Saliva and Fluoride work to repair our teeth. Minerals such as calcium, phosphate, fluoride in our toothpastes, water, and other places helps our teeth to repair the damage done by the acid. So you see your teeth are working all day and night to repair and replace damage the acid has done. 

When a teeth are is exposed to sugary foods or drink the acid  producedby the bacteria during these repeated tooth attacks result in the enamel losing minerals. In fact a visible white spot will appear. That white spot is an early sign of tooth decay. 

Tooth decay can be reversed at the point of the white spot. In fact the enamel can be repaired by the minerals in saliva and fluoride. Now, you see why the dentist coats your teeth with fluoride twice a year with your cleanings. That pumice not only tastes great but it will help repair you teeth. 

However, when the tooth decay continues and more minerals are lost, then the enamel becomes too weak or destroyed, and a cavity results. That hole we call a cavity is permanent and only a dentist can fix it with a filling material.

We hope you’ve learned a bit about the keeping your teeth healthy, and that you come see us really soon at Teresa WadeDDS-Family Dentistry  612 Hospital Drive Andrews, TX.

Call today to make an appointment (432) 523-7782  or visit us online. 

And don't forget to laugh and smile, it is good to be a prince or a princess like YOU! 

This article was written by Dr Teresa Wade, for her dental practice and the narrative or photos cannot be reproduced without her written consent.