Did you know that the most common disease in the world is tooth decay? Careful brushing and careful cleaning between teeth is essential. The most likely reasons for the loss of teeth are dental decay and gum disease.

Dental decay (dental caries)

Decay begins when small holes or cavities appear in the enamel. The cavities are caused by bacteria on the tooth surface. The bacteria produce acids which dissolve the calcium salts in the tooth enamel. The enamel and dentine are dissolved away in patches, forming cavities. The cavities reduce the distance between the outside of the tooth and the nerve endings. The acids produced by the bacteria irritate the nerve endings and cause toothache. If the cavity is not cleaned and filled by a dentist, the bacteria will get into the pulp cavity and cause a painful abscess at the root. Often the only way to treat this is to have the tooth pulled out.

Although some people's teeth are more resistant to decay than others, it seems that it is the presence of refined sugar (sucrose) that contributes to decay.

Western diets contain a good deal of refined sugar and children suck sweets between one meal and the next. The high level of dental decay in Western society is thought to be caused mainly by the prolonged presence of sugar in the mouth.

The best way to prevent to prevent tooth decay, therefore, is to avoid eating sugar at frequent intervals either in the form of sweets or in sweet drinks such as orange squash or Coca Cola. It is often stated that eating hard fibrous food, such as raw vegetables, removes plaque and prevents decay but there is not much evidence to support this.

Brushing the teeth or rinsing the mouth does little to prevent dental decay. However, if a fluoride toothpaste is used to it does help to increase the resistance of enamel to bacterial acids. Adding fluoride to drinking water also reduces the incidence of dental decay but it is a controversial measure. Brushing the teeth is very important in the prevention of gum diseases, which causes more tooth loss than caries does.

Gum Disease (periodontal disease)

There is usually a layer of saliva and mucus over the teeth. This layer contains bacteria which live on the food residue in the mouth, building up a coating on the teeth, called plaque. If the plaque is not removed, mineral salts of calcium and magnesium are deposited in it, forming a hard layer of 'tartar' or calculus. If the bacterial plaque which forms on teeth is not removed regularly, it spreads down the tooth into the narrow gap between the gum and enamel. Here it causes inflammation, called gingivitis, which leads to redness and bleeding of the gums and to bad breath. It also causes the gums to recede and expose the cement. If gingivitis is not treated, it progresses to periodontitis. The fibres holding the tooth in the jaw are destroyed, so the tooth becomes loose and falls out or has to be pulled out.

There is evidence that cleaning the teeth does help to prevent gum disease. It is best to clean the teeth about twice a day using a toothbrush. No one method of cleaning has proved to be any better than any other but the cleaning should attempt to remove all the plaque from the narrow crevice between the gums and the teeth.

Drawing a waxed thread or dental floss between the teeth helps to remove plaque in these regions.

So! Take care of your teeth and remember to visit your dentist regularly!