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dentist say to " sweep twice a day " to forbid sticky plaque from building up on your teeth and raising the risk of cavities . But how does plaque cause dental caries , exactly ?
The link between plaque and tooth decay for the most part stems from how the bacteria in plaque interact with the foods we eat . However , factor such as a person ’s years and whether they smoke or take sure medications can also play a role in plaque - drive tooth decay .
Brushing and flossing your teeth daily helps to lower the risk of cavities, but why?
For background signal , memorial tablet is acolorless film of bacteriathat sticks to the Earth’s surface of teeth and also get bits of food for thought in the mouth . To begin forming a photographic film , plaque microbes first implant themselves among proteins find in the spit on a tooth ’s surface .
Cavities , or areas of tooth disintegration , tend to happen when food for thought rich in sugars and starchycarbohydrates — such as candy , honey , bread or cereals — come into contact with plaque bacterium , Dr. Purnima Kumar , a prof at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and a spokesperson for the American Dental Association ( ADA ) , differentiate Live Science by e-mail . When these microbe feed off the sugar from those foods , they farm acids that bring out down tooth enamel , the protective outer covering of the tooth , she said .
Related : How often should you floss ?
The outer layer of the crown of a tooth, meaning the visible part of the tooth, is enamel, the hardest substance in the human body.
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" Since brass is sticky , the acids produced by thebacteriain plaque can stay in contact with your tooth for a long prison term and , over time , wear down enamel , create the unadulterated environment for a cavity to mould , " Kumar said . " Cavities commonly evolve over an extended stop of time and take month to years to form . "
This is due to the enamel ’s hardy social system . Made primarily of a sturdy mineral called Ca orthophosphate , the tooth ’s outermost layer is the hardest tissue paper in the human dead body , according to a 2017 reassessment published in the journalPhysiology Reviews . This allows enamel to shield the underlie dental pulp from hurt because of temperature changes , forcible trauma or harmful chemicals .
Acids produce by plaque bacteria are too weak to deplete tooth enamel of all its minerals at once — however , if they stay in striking with teeth for long enough , the pane will finally damp through the tooth enamel to the sensitive tissue beneath .
Kumar say that some individuals , particularly those with a precondition calleddry mouth , are more susceptible than others to tooth disintegration from plaque and tartar , which ishardened dental plaquethat ca n’t be polish off with normal brush and flossing . Saliva not only help people chew and swallow food but also protects teeth and gums by reducing the growth of harmful bacterium and maintain a neutral pH in the back talk , according to theADA . It does this byhelping flush microbe and dietetic carbsfrom the mouth and by supplying compounds that slow microbial growth or hold back bacteria from stick to teeth .
Dry mouth can be triggered by multiple factor , include cigarette smoking , radiation therapy apply to the head or neck , and certain medications , such as tricyclic antidepressant , decongestants and diuretics , Kumar say .
fry and Old adults are also at higher risk of cavity than other age groups . " Poor unwritten hygiene habit , frequent consumption of sugary dieting and frequent snacking are just a few ways children can be more susceptible , but having a family history of cavities can also contribute to this [ endangerment ] , " Kumar articulate .
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Tooth decay in older adults , on the other bridge player , is linked to dental fillings . " Because many honest-to-god adult lackedfluorideand New dental forethought when growing up , they often have many dental fillings , and these fillings are weakened over the years and be given to fracture , " Kumar said . Bacteria amass in these midget cracks and cause acid buildup , conduct to decay , she sum .
" You might also be at increase risk if you snack between meals , eat sugary foods and drink at frequent interval , and have cracked or chipped tooth , " she said .
This article is for informational purposes only and is not mean to offer medical advice .
