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 at Riverside Dental Group and see if you are atrue expert on tooth decay.

Questions

Q1. True or False: Sugar causes cavities.

Q2. True or False: The first sign of a cavity is tooth pain.

Q3. True or False: Untreated cavities can lead to a tooth extraction.

Q4. True or False: We are born with the bacteria that causes cavities.

Answers

A1. FALSE – Sugar contributes to tooth decay, but the key ingredient is Streptococcus mutans, or S. mutans, a strain of bacteria that mixes with food particles to create plaque. You can reduce plaque production by avoiding sugar in your diet, because the S. mutans feed on sucrose.

A2. FALSE – Mild cavities don’t always cause symptoms. Discomfort or pain generally comes from advanced stages of decay, when the dentin beneath tooth enamel has been more deeply infiltrated by bacteria. Daily brushing and flossing at home can help prevent even mild cavities from beginning.

A3. TRUE – You may have fillings in your mouth from cavities, but if they weren’t caught in time by your dentist, more invasive procedures would be necessary. When infection from tooth decay gets into the root of the tooth, a root canal procedure is necessary to clear out the bacteria, and stop if from spreading. If the infection goes even further than that, the dentist might have to pull out the entire tooth.

A4. FALSE – We are born with mouths free of bacteria. S. Mutans are contagious germs, and we generally get them from our parents or caregivers when we are still babies. Kissing, sharing drinks, and blowing on food can transmit the pathogen from one mouth to another. The bacteria are able to survive in a baby’s mouth long before their first teeth even erupt.

Visit your Riverside Dentists

To make an appointment with your Riverside pediatric dentists at our 92504 dentist office, call (951) 689-5031. We welcome patients of all ages from Riverside and surrounding areas.