As I get older I get more cavities. Why?!


Question:

As I get older I get more cavities. Why?

When I was young I could eat sweets and drink soda all day long and sometimes go asleep without brushing and not develop cavities. Now I'm in my early 30's and if I drink coffee with sugar or a few donuts, next thing I know my teeth hurts in a few places and my dentist tells me I have cavities. I just had a tooth removed that had a giant black hole in it and looked badly discolored (last tooth on the left of my upper jaw). I am drinking milk regularly. Is this increase in cavities a natural result of aging?


Answers:

Tooth decay results from prolonged exposure to foods that encourage germ growth, and failure to clean those germ accumulations (soft plaque and hard tartar) off your teeth on a timely/regular basis. The accumulation of the germs on your teeth, given an uninterrupted period of time, will rot through your enamel and dentin and cause a cavity.

Things you can do to stack the cards in your favor:

1) Ensure you have no existing cavities. If you have cavities, get them treated. Open cavities serve as reservoirs for the germs.

2) Modify your diet so you eat/drink less sugary and acidic foods. Sugary foods promote germ growth, acidic foods/drinks attack your enamel.

3) Use fluoride toothpaste. They make your enamel more resistant to breakdown by germs and acids.

4) 6-month regular checkups and cleanings to pick off any tartar hiding in places you can't get at, and to catch cavities before they become major problems.

5) MOST IMPORTANTLY: Develop an effective home-care regimen. You need to make sure you don't have all the germs stuck on your teeth for prolonged periods of time, and that means developing good brushing and flossing techniques (ask your dentist or hygienist to show you how), and brush at the right times-- AFTER EACH MEAL, AND RIGHT BEFORE BED.

With proper care, it's not unusual these days to reach old age without any cavities.




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