Causes and risk factors
Three factors play a significant role when it comes to the cause of tooth decay: plaque, oral hygiene and sugar consumption.
Plaque
Bacteria, saliva and food residues initially form a soft plaque, which covers our teeth like a film. This can result in our teeth feeling «furry».
This plaque should be removed at least once within a period of 24 hours using a toothbrush and dental floss. As soon as the plaque begins to calcify – a process which occurs after 72 hours – it becomes difficult to remove. Together with food residue (and the sugar contained within), bacteria decay on the surface of the tooth. This process generates acid which attacks the tooth enamel and slowly destroys the tooth if it is not cleaned or treated.
Oral hygiene
Good oral hygiene involves brushing your teeth in the morning and evening and using dental floss on a daily basis. This process removes the plaque and is an effective measure to prevent tooth decay. Using a toothbrush prevents plaque from forming on the surface and sides of the teeth, while floss allows you to reach interdental spaces where a brush cannot effectively clean. You should spend between three and four minutes cleaning your teeth.
Sugar consumption
Our diets have a large impact on the condition of our teeth. All carbohydrates can cause tooth decay; however, sugar is the worst offender – in all forms. These include household sugar (sucrose), sugar in honey (fructose and glucose) or milk sugar (lactose).
Monosaccharides have an immediate impact on our teeth, with the actual amount being irrelevant here. The major factor is how long our teeth are subjected to the sugar. It is more damaging to our teeth to sip a sugary beverage for an hour than to eat a chocolate bar in a couple of minutes, despite the latter containing far more sugar.
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