Tooth decay is caused by a combination of bacteria and a build up of food within your mouth. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to cavities and possibly other oral diseases.
If you think you knew everything about tooth decay, guess again. Here’s a list of five things you didn’t know about tooth decay.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Tooth Decay
1. Pediatric dental disease, sometimes called “childhood tooth decay,” is the #1 chronic childhood illness: According to the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF), if left untreated during childhood, tooth decay “can negatively impact a child’s overall quality of life, inhibit their cognitive and social development and comprise their growth, function and self esteem.”
2. Tooth decay could be caused by your diet: Some diets encourage people to avoid “bad” carbohydrates like chips, pasts, and bread. Did you know that while avoiding these foods might help you lose weight, they’ll also decrease your chances of tooth decay? Starches can linger longer in your mouth and break down into simple sugars which bacteria will then feed on creating acid that will further tooth decay.
3. Tooth decay can lead to death: If tooth decay and the infections it can bring go without any treatment, the bacteria in the upper back tooth can spread up behind the eye and into the brain. While this is only in extreme and rare cases, it’s still important to make sure tooth decay is taken care of immediately!
4. There are little to no symptoms: In the early stages of tooth decay, you probably won’t feel any pain until it’s too late. Only when the tooth decay has led to a cavity will a person feel any pain, which is usually due to a cavity.
5. Tooth decay can lead to periodontal disease: When tooth decay is not treated right away, it can begin damaging the gingival tissues and eat away at your teeth, exposing roots to plaque which will then lead to periodontal disease.
If you think you or a family member is suffering from tooth decay, contact us today at Goodyear Dental Office!