What is tooth decay?
Tooth decay is damage to a tooth's surface, or enamel. It happens when bacteria in your mouth make acids that attack the enamel. Tooth decay can lead to cavities (dental caries), which are holes in your teeth. If tooth decay is not treated, it can cause pain, infection, and even tooth loss.
What causes tooth decay?
Our mouths are full of bacteria. Some bacteria are helpful. But some can be harmful, including the ones that play a role in tooth decay. These bacteria combine with food to form a soft, sticky film called plaque. The bacteria in plaque use the sugar and starch in what you eat and drink to make acids. The acids begin to eat away at the minerals on your enamel. Over time, the plaque can harden into tartar. Besides damaging your teeth, plaque and tartar can also irritate your gums and cause
- Tooth Decay (National Library of Medicine)What is tooth decay? Tooth decay is damage to a tooth's surface, or enamel. It happens when bacteria in your mouth make acids that attack the enamel. Tooth decay can lead to cavities (dental caries), which are ...
- Tooth decay is a serious problem for some children. Decay in the upper and lower front teeth are ... sugar that sit in your child's mouth cause tooth decay. Milk, formula, and juice all have sugar in ...
- Tooth decay is a very common disorder. It most often occurs in children and young adults, but it can affect anyone. Tooth decay is a common cause of tooth loss in ...
- Child Dental Health (National Library of Medicine)Healthy teeth are important to your child's overall health. From the time your child is born, there are things you can do to promote healthy teeth and prevent ...
- Baby bottle tooth decay is a dental condition characterized by massive decay of an infant's teeth, particularly the upper and lower incisors.
- Fluoride is used to prevent tooth decay. It is taken up by teeth and helps to strengthen teeth, resist acid, and block the cavity-forming action of bacteria. ...
- Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by plaque, a sticky combination of bacteria and food. Plaque begins ... cleaned well each day, plaque will lead to tooth decay or gum disease. If you do not remove ...
- ... toothache is often the result of dental cavities (tooth decay) or an infection or irritation of the tooth. Tooth decay is often caused by poor dental hygiene . It ...
- Dry Mouth (National Library of Medicine)... your teeth and gums, which helps fight against tooth decay. It contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate, which can also help fight tooth decay. It contains antibodies that can fight against infections ...
- ... chew. Common oral health problems, such as include tooth decay (cavities) and gum disease (periodontal disease), can lead ... are used to: Clean teeth to help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems Find ... your teeth: Fluoride is a mineral that prevents tooth decay (cavities). Fluoride treatments are given to children more ...
