Top Teeth: What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a specific or generalized location on a tooth (either the fissures or on the sides of teeth) where much of the tooth’s mineral content has been dissolved away.

This creates a hole or “cavity” in the defected area. The acids that cause this type of tooth demineralization are produced by specific types of bacteria (streptococci and lactobacilli) and live in the dental plaque or calculus.

Just as we create waste products upon consumption of food and beverages, bacteria do likewise. The specific bacteria that cause tooth decay utilize sugars such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose or cooked starches as their source of food. The waste products created from digestion of these sugars (such as lactic acid) cause the demineralization of tooth enamel and furthermore dentin.

An area of tooth decay may take as long as 5-7 years or as short as 6 months to dissolve the outer layer (enamel) of the tooth. If you have a “cavity”, this outer layer has collapsed producing a hole that cannot repair itself.

Depending on the extent of tooth destruction, various forms of treatment can be used to restore teeth to proper form, function and aesthetics, but there is no known method to regenerate large amounts of lost tooth structure. Regular dietary modifications, oral hygiene, are prophylactic measures uses to avoid tooth decay.

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And read all of the Top Teeth columns-you will see how qualified he is.