The main reason resulting from caries

Caries: in understanding the cause lies the key!

According to the World Health Organization, tooth decay is the human disease most common. It is the result of poor nutrition and hygiene defective or too inefficient.

Sugar, poor diet and drink and some bacteria put teeth in danger.

The current eating habits, with sugary snacks, consumption of sugary drinks and snacks provided too much sugar, too often, especially in the oral cavity. Infants also have "hunger" very demanding and often to eat - most of the time ... sweet.

The bacteria play a key role in the genesis of a tooth decay because the sugar constantly present in the mouth is damaged by lactic acid bacteria (glycolysis). If sugar is consumed regularly, this results in a constant hyper-acidity of the mouth which destroyed a good harmony between this normally 300-600 types of bacteria in the mouth (oral flora) and other Begins decalcify enamel.

When the mouth is constantly acid, a lot of bacteria growing, to multiply and their metabolism slows. Only survive the acid-resistant bacteria. They multiply and can not multiply by producing acids through consumption of sugar, resulting in a lower pH in the mouth. These acid-resistant bacteria are streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus. With the eruption of the first baby teeth, these bacteria have a new stable surface in the mouth, to which they can participate, with each new tooth grows on the surface which set new bacteria brought by third parties during the administration of pacifiers, bottles of sweet or cereal spoon.


Therefore:
A hole in the teeth (cavities) only occurs if the tooth, exposed for 24 hours at an acid attack, is decalcified (demineralization) more than it can not repair the action of saliva (remineralization). The bunt is not a "hole in the tooth," but an "infectious process" in which the chemical balance between demineralization and remineralization is corrupted.

Or, expressed differently: it is not necessary to forgo any sugar! This is the daily frequency (and not the quantity) of the consumption of sweets which is decisive for the development of caries. A normal diet, including the addition to main meals for sweet desserts do not disturb this harmony between bacteria and is virtually harmless to the tooth enamel, because saliva and good oral hygiene, are perfectly capable of making small repairs to the tooth surface. However, the same amount of sugar administered throughout the day can have catastrophic consequences.

For this reason, snacks, but also bottles between meals should not contain sugar so that saliva is enough time to neutralize the acid deposited on the surface of teeth after meals and drinks. The same danger exists with the night feeds, which are often made of sweet tea, orange juice or other fruit juice, cocoa or milk. On the one hand bacteria can not sleep, on the other hand the production of saliva is very much diminished during the night. For these two reasons, the administration of bottles sweet night is two to three times more dangerous.


Parents - a risk factor for child cariogenic?
In the oral cavity of a newborn there's still no acido-resistant bacteria. These do occur after the eruption of the first baby tooth, as they do the hard surfaces. The entry of streptococcus mutans in the oral cavity infant occurs through saliva foreign, mostly from the saliva of her mother, father or a third person who has sucked the pacifier, the nipple of the bottle or spoon spray.

The bacterial load of saliva in the mouth of the father or the mother plays a major role in the transmission of mouth to mouth and this should be recognized early. As it is very difficult to brush the teeth of an infant, reduce the risk of transmission by the father or mother. This can be achieved by curbing widespread transmission pacifiers, nipples, spoons (do not lick) or by reducing the number of germ by a suitable oral hygiene.

There are tests that make clear the importance of colonization of the oral cavity by streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli. These can be useful in young or expectant parents to estimate their risk of transmission ...


The repair of the oral cavity
Saliva is essential for maintaining the health of the oral cavity, particularly teeth. A powerful chewing stimulates the secretion of the parotid saliva, which allows a stimulation of taste buds, humidifying food and improving their swallowing, on the other hand allows the recalcification (remineralization) of the enamel after attacks acids.


The pediatrician, an engine of dental prophylaxis
Like most children will be seen by a dentist that during their 4th year (kindergarten), this is often very late, see already too late for some teeth. Dentists need the help of their colleagues pediatricians for the early detection of children. They examine children at the age where established eating habits and beverages as well as oral hygiene and preventive dentistry early can be done at this age, which would be benefit to the dental health of infants .

The Swiss association of dentists wants to give children a way to colleagues pediatricians detect infants at risk for cavities.