Why Some People Are More Prone to Cavities Than Others

Hello Friends

Did you ever know someone who seemed to get cavities no matter how often they brushed?  We found this article in Women’s Health magazine with some insight that might be helpful.

Why Some People Are More Prone to Cavities Than Others

By Macaela Mackenzie September 23, 2015

If you brush and floss regularly, you won’t get cavities, right? Wrong. Good dental hygiene is great, but it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your proclivity for cavities. Instead, you can thank your diet and your DNA.

“The brushing and flossing mantra has been used for a long, long time, but if you look at controlled clinical studies, very few show a reduction in cavities,” says dentist Page Caufield, Ph.D., who studies tooth decay at the University of Michigan Dental School. “Brushing and flossing is not going to prevent cavities.”

Say what? If there’s no scientific proof to back up the claim that brushing and flossing actually prevents cavities, why are we getting them?

The simplest answer is sugar.

“Tooth decay is completely and totally correlated to the introduction of sugar to western countries,” says Caufield. “If you cut off the sugar, you’ll cut off the cavities.”

Cavities are caused when the bacteria in our bodies break down sugars. When these bacteria chow down on sucrose, they can get into existing crevices in our teeth and cause decay in the process. So as long as you’re consuming sugar, you’re leaving yourself susceptible to them.

And some of us might be more likely to succumb to the nasty effects of sugar than others. “There is a genetic component that accounts for about one third of cavities that’s related to the shape of your teeth and the amount of saliva you have,” says Caufield.

Cavities are formed when two things combine: the bacterial process of fermenting the sugar and an existing hole or fissure in the tooth. Some of us tend to have crevices in the surface of our teeth that are naturally deep. And even though this is fairly normal, it makes it all more easy for bacteria to drill down and cause a cavity.

If you learn that this is the case for you, Caufield recommends looking into sealants, a simple procedure where a dentist will seal off those deep crevices in your teeth to prevent bacteria and sugar from getting in there.

And even though there’s no scientific proof that brushing your teeth right after snacking on something sweet will keep the cavities away, it can’t hurt. And not flossing has been linked to an increase in inflammation that can lead to heart disease, so you shouldn’t skip out on this daily habit either.

“If you use a toothpaste with fluoride in it, you’ll get a modest reduction in cavities of about 20 percent,” says Caufield, who also notes that brushing with non-fluoride toothpaste won’t do a thing for your tooth decay.

So if you can’t skip the sugar, keep a pocket-sized tube of fluoride toothpaste within reach for a post-bite brushing.

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There are probably many variables that contribute to the formation of cavities, but there definitely appears to be a link to sugar.  The above information is a good start at common sense solutions.

If you have any dental questions or concerns, please contact our office.  We’ll be glad to help:)

Yours in good dental health,

Brunner Prast Family Dental

http://www.brunnerprastdental.com

** The above information is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition or disease.  Please consult a doctor if you have questions specific to your condition.