Walnut Creek Dentist: Know The Truth & Myths About Cavities?
15 Myths and Facts About Cavities: Protect your teeth with the facts.
Only one of the following is true. Do you know which?
Eating acidic things like lemons causes cavities.
If you have a cavity, youll definitely know it.
Once you treat a cavity, the tooth decay stops.
1. Sugar Is the Prime Cause of Cavities
Myth and fact. In reality, its the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities, What the bacteria do, however, is eat carbohydrates -- and sugar is one of them. Rice, potatoes, bread, and fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates.
When you eat anything with carbs, the bacteria become active and produce acid that then eats into your tooth. From there, bacteria has a little hole to live in where a toothbrush & floss cant reach. Then the bacteria continues to break down carbs, produce acids, & your cavity continues increasing in size.
Also, its not the amount of carbohydrates you eat that causes tooth decay, but the length of time your teeth are exposed. If you eat a lot of carbs for lunch, thats one big exposure. But if you spend the day sipping sugary drinks, thats continuous exposure -- and much more dangerous for your teeth.
2. Exposure to Acidic Foods Like Lemons Causes Tooth Decay
Fact. Acidic foods such as lemons, citrus juices, or soft drinks dont cause cavities, but they may be putting your enamel in danger.
Acids may cause erosion of the tooth-protecting enamel, thus weakening the tooth. If you lose the enamel's protection and expose the underlying dentin, your tooth is now more prone to decay.
3. Kids Are a Lot More Likely to Get Cavities Than Adults
Myth. With the help of sealants, fluoridated water, and preventative care decay in school-aged children has been cut in half in the last 20 years.
There is an increase in cavities in senior citizens since they have some unique circumstances. Some medications dry out the mouth, for example, reducing saliva. Saliva is vital in fighting tooth decay because it helps neutralize acids, has a disinfectant quality, washes away bacteria, and helps prevent food from sticking to your teeth.
4. Aspirin Placed Next to a Tooth Will Help a Toothache
Myth. Swallowing aspirin is what helps reduce toothache pain. Since aspirin is acidic, placing it beside the tooth can actually burn your gum tissue, causing an abscess.
5. All Fillings Eventually Need Replacing
Myth. An amalgam or composite filling needs to be replaced if it breaks down or a cavity forms around it, or if the tooth fractures. If none of those problems occur, you can keep the same filling for life. Fillings dont last forever, but it depends on things like tooth wear and oral hygiene habits. If you brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste, and floss or use an inter-dental cleaner once a day, youll have less tooth decay and your fillings may last longer.
6. If You Have a Cavity, You'll Know It
Myth. Mild tooth decay doesnt cause symptoms. The pain we associate with cavities comes when tooth decay is more advanced and causes damage to the nerve. Allowing tooth decay to advance can lead to much more expensive procedures, like root canals; this is why regular dental checkups are so important.
Also, once a cavity starts, it doesnt repair itself. A cavity will always grow once you get to a point where you cant clean it out any longer. Once decay gets into the dentin of the tooth -- below the enamel -- it just continues to grow.
7. Once a Tooth Is Treated, the Decaying Stops
Fact. You can get decay later on in other areas of the tooth, but the particular decay that was taken out is gone. Once you get a cavity filled -- and if you maintain good brushing and flossing techniques -- you typically wont get decay in that spot again. However, sometimes a filling gets old and the margins where it meets the tooth begin to break down or pull away, and because you cant reach it to clean it out, bacteria can get in there and decay can begin again.
Stay tuned for Part 2 where I'll share the last 8 myths & facts about cavities!
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