Many people have a question popping now and then in their minds: "Are some people prone to cavities?" Cavities are the different type of holes in the teeth. In the dental terms, a film of bacteria develops on the surface of the teeth and ferments the food particles. These organisms secrete an acid, which demineralizes and destructs the tooth’s surface, thus leading to the formation of cavities. It is also called as caries in the dental terms. It can occur only on the exposed parts of the teeth in the oral cavity and not in the ones present within the bone.
There four factors which lead to the formation of caries in the mouth and two other factors modify the caries occurrence and development:
- The bacterial organisms which are most responsible for the creation of the acidic layer on the teeth are Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli. These organisms are actually present in the mouth without harming the normal mechanism of the mouth. But once they find food deposition in between the teeth or in the grooves of the teeth, these organisms attack the teeth. They start the fermentation of the food particles, thus leading to the formation of cavities or dental caries. This can be symbolized by pain in the particular affected tooth, discomfort and difficulty in eating.
- A susceptible tooth is more prone to develop dental cavities. If you are having deep developmental grooves in your teeth, deposition of food particles becomes very easy. Here, the bacterial organisms can easily ferment the particles and lead to the formation of lactic acid. So one should take care that after having meals, especially at night proper brushing should be done. Apart from this, brushing teeth twice everyday becomes mandatory. This will help you to prevent attracting conditions which can cause cavities in your mouth.
- Carbohydrates, which have a fermentable property like glucose, fructose and most importantly sucrose, make the teeth vulnerable to cavities. The process of fermentation will deteriorate the mineral content of the teeth. This demineralizes the teeth, making it more prone to cavities. To cease the action of the acid via the bacterial organisms it’s essential to rinse mouth with mouthwash i.e. chlorhexidine. Saliva can also interfere in the process of fermentation.
- Time plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of dental cavities. If the fermentable food stuffs are present in the mouth for a long time, then the chances of developing cavities are quite faster. But if precautions are taken then the time taken to develop cavities will be quite long.
- The exposure of teeth to environments which can create acid attack can be a big reason for cavities to occur.
- Reduced salivary flow in the mouth due to improper functioning of the salivary glands can cause the development of the cavities. Dry mouth in Diabetes as well as on consumption of medicines like antidepressants and antihistamines are one of the common reasons for the occurrence of cavities.