Oral Health Topics
Tooth Decay
Overview
Although tooth decay has declined among young children as a group, it can still be a problem for individual children, and even teens and adults. That’s because plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, constantly forms on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars or starches, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth and after many such attacks, the enamel can break down and a cavity forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay is a destruction of the tooth enamel. It occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as milk, pop, raisins, cakes or candy are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.
How Do I Prevent Tooth Decay?
You can help prevent tooth decay by following these tips:
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaner.
- Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking.
- Check with your dentist about use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (where decay often starts) to protect them from decay.
- Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination.
Aren't Cavities Just Kid's Stuff?
No. Changes that occur with aging make cavities an adult problem, too. Recession of the gums away from the teeth, combined with an increased incidence of periodontal (gum) disease, can expose tooth roots to plaque. Tooth roots are covered with cementum, a softer tissue than enamel. They are susceptible to decay and are more sensitive to touch and to hot and cold. The majority of people over age 50 have tooth-root decay.
Decay around the edges, or margins, of fillings is also common to older adults. Because many older adults lacked benefits of fluoride and modern preventive dental care when they were growing up, they often have a number of dental fillings. Over the years, these fillings may weaken and tend to fracture and leak around the edges. Bacteria accumulate in these tiny crevices causing acid to build up which leads to decay.
Additional Resources
For the Dental Patient
Public Service Announcements
The Journal of the American Dental Association
- Minimally Invasive Management of Dental Caries: Contemporary Teaching of Posterior Resin-Based Composite Placement in U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools (June 2011)
- Using a Caries Activities Test to Predict Caries Risk in Early Childhood (January 2008)
- Excess Weight Linked to Childhood Cavities (May 2006)
- In Vitro Caries Formation in Primary Tooth Enamel: Role of Argon Laser Irradiation and Remineralizing Solution Treatment (May 2006)
- Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Treatment of Dental Caries: A 20-Year Case Report (March 2006)
- Clinical Diagnosis of Recurrent Caries (October 2005)
- Assessing the Accuracy of Caries Diagnosis Via Radiograph: Film versus Print (March 2005)
- A Systematic Review of the Performance of a Laser Fluorescence Device for Detecting Caries (October 2004)
- Motivating Parents to Prevent Caries in Their Young Children: One-Year Findings (June 2004)
- The Remineralizing Effect of an Essential Oil Fluoride Mouthrinse in an Intraoral Caries Test (February 2004)
- The Relationship Between Healthful Eating Practices and Dental Caries in Children Aged 2-5 Years in the United States, 1988-1994 (January 2004)
Additional Resources
ADA Caries Risk Assessment Forms
- Download Instructions (PDF)
- Caries Risk Form (Patients Ages 0-6 Years) (PDF)
- Caries Risk Form (Patients Over 6 Years) (PDF)
- Survey on ADA Caries Risk Assessment Forms
ADA Caries Risk Assessment Forms (For Educational Use Only)
- Caries Risk Form (Patients Ages 0-6 Years) (PDF) NEW!
- Caries Risk Form (Patients Over 6 Years) (PDF) NEW!
Early Childhood Caries Symposium
- Panel Report: Symposium on Early Childhood Caries in Ameircan Indian and Alaska Native Children (PDF)
ADA Positions and Statements
ADA Public Service Announcements
ADA News
- Pediatric Groups Issue Early Childhood Caries Recommendations (June 2011)
- Experts Eye Early Childhood Caries (January 2011)
A-Z Topics: Science in the News
- Pediatric Journal Highlights Need for Translational Research, Medical-Dental Collaboration to Improve Children's Oral Health (Posted 12/28/09)
Evidence-based Clinical Recommendations
- Professionally-Applied Topical Fluoride (PDF)
- Professionally-Applied Topical Fluoride (Executive Summary) (PDF)
