Dental caries is caused by the action of acids on the enamel surface. The acid is produced when sugars (mainly sucrose) in foods or drinks react with bacteria present in the dental biofilm (plaque) on the tooth surface. The acid produced leads to a loss of calcium and phosphate from the enamel resulting in demineralization.

Dental caries (tooth decay) is a major oral health problem affecting 60–90% of school children and the vast majority of adults.

Cavities develop more often in the back teeth. These teeth have grooves and openings that can trap food particles. Also, these teeth are sometimes harder to reach when brushing and flossing.

Symptoms of tooth cavities

The symptoms of a cavity depend on the severity of the decay. They include:

• tooth sensitivity
• tooth pain
• a visible hole in your teeth
• black or white staining on your teeth

Everyone is at risk for cavities, but some people have a higher risk. Risk factors include:

• too many sugary or acidic foods and drinks
• a poor oral hygiene routine, such as failing to brush or floss daily
• not getting enough fluoride
• dry mouth
• eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• acid reflux disease, which can result in stomach acid wearing down your tooth enamel

A tooth cavity can cause a variety of complications if it’s left untreated. These include:

• ongoing tooth pain
• a tooth abscess, which can become infected and trigger life-threatening complications, like an infection that enters the bloodstream or sepsis
• the development of pus around the infected tooth
• an increased risk for breaking or chipping a tooth
• difficulty chewing food

You may cause damage to your tooth that can’t be reversed if you put off seeing a dentist. At this point, the only way to fix the cavity is for your dentist to remove the tooth and replace it with an implant or bridge.

Tooth cavities are a common dental problem, but you can reduce your risk by doing the following:

• Brush your teeth at least twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss at least once daily
• Eat fewer sugary and acidic foods, like sweets, candy, juice, soda, and refined carbohydrates.
• Limit snacking between meals.
• Consider getting dental sealants on your teeth.

The following foods can help fight tooth decay:

• fiber-rich fruits and vegetables
• calcium-rich foods
• water with fluoride

Also, don’t forget to visit your dentist at least twice per year for regular teeth cleanings. This allows you to get treatment for any problems your dentist finds, and it will help prevent future dental problems.

There is overwhelming evidence that frequent consumption of sugars is associated with caries. Dietary advice should be aimed at limiting the frequency of sugar intake.

Foods and drinks containing “free sugars” (i.e., sugars which have been added to food plus sugars naturally present in honey, fruit juices and syrup) should be recognised and the frequency of their intake – especially between meals – reduced. When plaque pH is lower than 5.5, remineralisation occurs. Subjecting teeth to frequent bouts of demineralisation allows less time for their remineralisation. Thus, teeth become more susceptible to decay.

Among children, tooth decay occurs most commonly on the pit and fissure surfaces of back teeth. Pit and fissure sealants are a safe and effective way to prevent dental caries on these vulnerable surfaces, and they are recommended for high caries risk children and should be applied as soon as the back teeth are sufficiently erupted to allow sealing. Pit and fissure sealants may also be used in adults. Sealants must be applied by a dental professional, i.e., a dentist or dental hygienist.

When a missing tooth is not replaced, several changes happen in your mouth over a period of time that could lead to even bigger oral health care issues.

Malocclusion. After a while, all the teeth next to the gap created by the missing tooth will move closer together. This may not seem like a bad thing at first, but it really is.

Why? Because the surrounding teeth will not be able to adequately fill the space, and when they move it will throw off the alignment of the rest of your teeth. This is a condition known as malocclusion, and it can lead to the following problems:

• Crossbite
• Overbite
• Jaw pain
• Chewing problems
• Greater risk for decay

To correct malocclusion, you may need braces or orthodontic surgery. These treatments can cost much more than simply replacing a missing tooth.

Chewing problems. When you have a missing tooth, you may not be able to properly chew your food. Food that is not sufficiently chewed can lead to problems like acid reflux and lack of proper nutrition. Teeth that are not visible when you talk or smile are essential for chewing.

Occlusion is the actual contact between the teeth in your upper jaw and those in your lower jaw. Malocclusion happens when mismatched teeth and jaws cause a person to have a bad bite. (In fact, the term itself comes from the Latin “mal” which means “bad,” and “occlusion” which means “bite.”) The results of Malocclusion may be crooked, crowded, or protruding teeth, gum problems, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (commonly known as TMJ), severe headaches, and sleep disorders. It can affect a person’s appearance, speech and/or ability to eat.

Cleft Palate is an oral malformation that results when there is not enough tissue in the mouth, and the tissue that is available does not join together properly.

It manifests as a physical split or separation of the two sides of the palate and appears as a narrow or wide opening or gap in the palate of the upper jaw. This separation usually extends beyond the base of the nose involving the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum.