Get to know 8 factors that cause cavities

Why do teeth get cavities?

The most common cause of cavities is plaque . Plaque is a thin, sticky layer formed from food debris, saliva, and millions of bacteria. When you eat and drink but rarely clean your mouth , plaque builds up on the surface of your teeth. Bacteria that live in plaque will then multiply and produce acid.
 
This acid will continue to erode the outermost layer of the tooth (enamel) until it eventually forms a hole. The size of the hole depends on the amount of plaque that has accumulated on the tooth surface. If the hole is small or just forming, you may not feel anything.
 
Holes or cavities start out small and gradually get bigger when not properly cared for. The absence of pain in the beginning makes you unaware of this dental problem. However, it's a different story when the hole is getting bigger. You may experience more frequent throbbing pain in the problem area of ​​the tooth.

       
The growing hole also makes your tooth more at risk of infection or even falling out (dated) .
Various causes of cavities

There are many causes of cavities. Ranging from daily habits to more serious medical conditions. In general, several factors that cause cavities include:

1. Rarely brushing teeth        

Dirty mouth and teeth are the main causes of plaque appearance. In addition to the surface of the teeth, plaque can also form between the teeth and below the gum line.            

Every day plaque will continue to form if you are not diligent in brushing your teeth. Plaque eventually rots if allowed to continue to accumulate. As a result, your teeth will be more at risk of cavities.
 
Therefore, it is important for you to take care of your teeth and mouth every day. Brush your teeth twice a day, in the morning after breakfast and at night before bed. However, also make sure you do it with the correct brushing technique. Brush your teeth in a slow and gentle circular motion. Do not scrub too hard because it will damage the tooth enamel.
 

2. Sweet foods and drinks reduce sugar

Everything sweet is delicious and tempting. However, did you know that sugary foods and drinks are the cause of cavities? Yes, this is because sugary foods and drinks are delicious food for the bacteria in the mouth these bacteria will eat away at the remnants of sugar attached to the tooth surface and produce acid. This acid will mix with saliva which then forms plaque on the surface of the teeth.
 

Plaque that is allowed to accumulate will erode the layer of tooth enamel , causing cavities over time.
The initially small hole can widen into the inner layer of the tooth (dentin) and even into the pulp. The pulp is the deepest part of the tooth that is filled with nerves and blood vessels.
 
 When the hole has reached this part, then you will feel an excruciating pain sensation. In fact, your teeth will hurt when you use them to chew food.

You don't need to stop eating sugary foods and drinks completely because your body still needs sugar for energy. You only need to limit the portion and frequency of intake of sweet foods every day.            

You can also stimulate saliva to provide minerals to your teeth by chewing gum.             

Choose sugar-free gum, combined with vegetables and fruits to stimulate saliva production to get rid of food debris on the teeth.
 
To fulfill the mineral teeth, you can try foods such as cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products. These foods are high in calcium and phosphate to strengthen teeth.             

Of course, yogurt is the right choice for snacking compared to other sweet foods. For drinks, you can switch to green or black tea to reduce bacteria in the mouth. But remember, the tea is not mixed with sugar.

            

Make sure you are also diligent in cleaning your teeth and mouth properly after eating sweet things. That way, you will avoid the buildup of plaque that causes cavities.             

3. Sour foods and drinks            

The high frequency of exposure to acid in the oral cavity causes the minerals in the teeth to be lost more quickly, and initiates the formation of cavities.
Some examples of acid exposure include consuming soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, pempek (and its broth) and lemon juice.             

In the case of preventing cavities due to acidic foods and drinks, what can be done is to reduce the frequency of consumption, especially pempek sauce and lemon juice.             

After consuming the acid, wait about 40 minutes, then brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste. Increasing the consumption of mineral water to 2 liters per day can also keep the pH of the oral cavity normal.
             

4. Don't clean your teeth with floss             

Routine brushing alone is not enough to clean teeth. Often you will need to continue using dental floss.
             

Most of the plaque that causes cavities accumulates between the teeth. Therefore, dental floss can help effectively in cleaning between teeth that are difficult to reach with toothbrush bristles.
             

Also pay attention to how you are flossing . Insert the floss between the teeth and scrape it carefully. Pulling and rubbing the floss too hard can actually injure the gums.
             

5. Dry mouth causes of cavities

             
Did you know that dry mouth can also cause cavities? Less saliva production can cause dry mouth. In fact, saliva is important to keep the mouth moist while cleaning food debris and plaque from the teeth.
             
Compounds in saliva also help fight acids produced by bacteria. That's why dry mouth can increase the risk of oral problems, ranging from sensitive teeth, cavities, and so on.
             
One effective way to prevent dry mouth is to drink lots of water. Recommendations from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies show that the average water intake for women is 2.7 liters and 3.7 liters for men per day.
             

Everyone's fluid needs may be different, depending on their age and activities of daily living.
 
           
However, experts advise everyone to immediately drink whenever they feel thirsty. Thirst is a natural signal that your body gives off when you are dehydrated.
        
Some people may be reluctant to drink water because they don't like the taste of it. If you are one of them, you can get around it by adding pieces of fresh fruit.  Besides being healthier, this method is also effective at making you drink more water.
             

6. Age factor           

Children and the elderly are the group of people who are most susceptible to cavities. In the elderly, the body's metabolic processes tend to slow down with age.  This makes elderly people (elderly) more at risk of experiencing various health problems, including cavities.

A number of drugs that are being taken regularly by the elderly can also inhibit the production of saliva and cause dry mouth. Not to mention the influence of lifestyle during youth, such as smoking and frequent drinking of alcohol, can also trigger tooth decay in old age. While for children, at this age they are fond of eating sweet foods. Whether it's ice cream, candy, chocolate, cake, or a sweet drink.            

Unfortunately, the hobby of eating sweet foods is often not accompanied by good dental care. As a result, children are also prone to tooth decay at an early age.            

The role of parents is needed to care for children's dental and oral health. From an early age, ensure that children are taught how to properly care for their teeth. Don't forget to take your child to the dentist regularly since the first baby teeth appear.
             

7. Location of teeth causes of cavities

The cause of the appearance of cavities that you may never think is the location of the teeth. In most cases, cavities are more common in the back teeth, namely the molars and premolars.             

The back teeth have many grooves and crevices so that food debris is often stuck there. In addition, the area of ​​the back teeth also tends to be more difficult to reach by a toothbrush.
              
Even though you are diligent in brushing your teeth every day, it doesn't mean that the back of your teeth is brushed cleanly.
              
So that all corners of your teeth are guaranteed to be clean, be diligent in checking with your dentist to clean plaque and tartar regularly. Doctors usually recommend cleaning plaque and tartar with the scaling method every 6 month.             

This procedure is effective in removing plaque that causes cavities to areas of the teeth that are difficult to reach by a toothbrush. 

8. Sleeping with a bottle of milk                            

Small children are very easy to fall asleep while still feeding with a bottle. However, this one habit can actually damage your little one's teeth that have just grown and cause cavities. The sugar in milk can stick to a baby's teeth for a long time. This sugar will then be converted into acid by bacteria in the mouth.  The surface of the teeth that are constantly exposed to acid will erode and cavities.
              
So that your baby is free from this risk, be careful to wipe your little one's gums and teeth after they drink milk. Also make sure you clean your little one's teeth and gums before he falls asleep. Hopefully this article about cavities can help you.