Modern Lifestyle Habits Play A Big Role For Tooth Decay

What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is the process that results in a cavity (dental caries). It occurs when bacteria in your mouth make acids that eat away at a tooth. If not treated, tooth decay can cause pain, infection, and tooth loss.

 

You can easily prevent tooth decay by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, seeing your dentist for teeth cleaning and checkups, and avoiding foods that are high in sugar.

 

What causes tooth decay?

The combination of bacteria and food causes tooth decay. A clear, sticky substance called plaque that contains bacteria is always forming on your teeth and gums. As the bacteria feed on the sugars in the food you eat, they make acids. The acids attack the teeth for 20 minutes or more after eating. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.

 

New research has found that modern lifestyle habits may play a bigger role than food alone, when it comes to tooth decay. 

 

A review of the scientific evidence over the past 150 years found that the effects of fluoride toothpaste, good oral hygiene and health education, may override the effects of food alone on tooth decay. The research is published online in a Supplement to the journal Obesity Reviews. 

 

Professor Monty Duggal, an author of the review explained 'Nowadays, it's not enough to just look at what we eat when talking about tooth decay, as other factors seem to be as important. Fluoride toothpaste changes the effect that some foods have on the teeth, as do other good oral hygiene practices'. 

 

He added 'Future research should investigate a number of lifestyle factors together with different foods that might affect tooth decay. Times have changed and with that, the foods we eat, and how we care for our teeth'. 

 

Professor Duggal is a consultant and head of paediatric dentistry at Leeds dental institute. He has published over 65 research papers in international scientific journals. 

 

The overall aim of the review was to look at the evidence for the claim that sugar was the main cause of dental caries (tooth decay). The authors concluded that out of 31 studies carefully reviewed, the majority did not find a relationship between the amount of sugar consumed and dental caries, but the frequency of consumption may be important. 

 

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