Dental Caries: Prevention and Care

“Hello kids, would you mind a pack of sweets?” “We’re not allowed sweets, can we have apples instead, grandma?” “Impressive!!” Grandma quipped “Grandma, our teacher told us that sugar destroys teeth and we could lose all our teeth from chewing them a lot” Grandma nodded in affirmation while she walked to get them apples from the kitchen.  

What is dental caries?  

Dental caries means tooth decay or a hole in the tooth. Yes! teeth suffer decay, also called a hole in the tooth. Now, some people mistake holes for gaps between teeth, but this is wrong—gaps are not holes; they are spaces between your teeth. Gaps are not usually your fault, but you take the blame for the holes in your teeth! 

I thought teeth were strong, how come the holes?  

Yes, teeth are strong, but not indestructible. Enamel—the outermost part of teeth is the hardest substance in your body, but it dissolves under some circumstances. Bacteria form a thin coat over our teeth, and this is normal. The problems start when you indulge in sugar.  

Your mouth bacteria swing into action when you take sugar. They need the sugar for energy, but they release acids in the process. Once released, the acid attacks your tooth enamel and the decay process sets in. You feel nothing because there’s no pain up till this stage. But expect pain if you keep indulging in sugar! 

And, the process will not continue that slowly—things take a faster pace once your tooth enamel gives way. The reason is that the dentin—a bone-like material under your tooth enamel—is not as hard as enamel and erodes much faster. Occasional pain or sensitivity then sets in when you take sweets, unripe citrus, and cold liquids. 

When does dental cares become painful? 

The next layer, also called the pulp, or nerve of the tooth, is even softer. Things are often too late by the time tooth decay gets to the pulp. Because dental caries within tooth enamel is painless: you feel nothing before the storm! And it’s a terrible storm: the pain of pulpitis, as it is now called, is worse than the pain of labor! 

How do you prevent dental caries? 

• Avoid sweets and sugar if you can 
• If you can’t, avoid sweets and sugar at night because saliva flow is less 
• If you must take sweets, avoid the sticky types 
• Follow sweets with a cleansing ripe citrus fruit  
• If you can, brush after taking sweets 
• Limit intake of fizzy drinks—liquid sugar matters too! 
• Brush twice daily and visit your dentist twice yearly 

What if I suspect that I’ve already got holes? 

• Plan a visit to the dentist 
• Reduce/eliminate sweets/sugar while you wait for your dental appointment 
• Keep the holes clean by twice-daily tooth brushing 
• If large cavities, rid cavities of food particles after meals 
• Avoid cold and sweet drinks while you wait for your dental appointment 
• Avoid unverified local remedies that could make things worse 

This is the point when most of us remember the dentist, but it is not a good point because you stand a significant chance of losing that tooth. 

Take-home: Dental caries means tooth decay. It is completely preventable: just avoid sweets and sugar! But, if you’ve got already, don’t wait for toothache, visit your dentist today!