Local Upsurge of Dental Caries in Children

A few weeks ago, in another local newspaper, an article was published on dental caries, or cavities, for which several local pediatric dentists were interviewed. The article correctly pointed out that there is currently an upsurge of dental caries in children.
In fact, this epidemic of caries is not limited to children, but affects all the age groups of our population. Teens and young adults frequently arrive at the dental office with severe, and sometimes devastating, caries primarily due to soft drink consumption. Although older patients do not usually practice these destructive habits, they are more vulnerable to root surface caries as the periodontal (gum) tissue has receded and exposed the fragile parts of the tooth to the acid and bacteria in the oral environment.
The shame is that these sugar-related caries are virtually always preventable. An understanding of the nature of the relationship between simple sugar consumption and caries is critical of the prevention of caries. Surprisingly, it is not the amount of sugar consumed, but the frequency of exposure to sugars that is the most important causative factor.
When a person consumes sweets, the sugar causes the pH in the mouth to become more acidic. Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria primarily responsible for dental caries, thrive in an acidic environment. Therefore when one ingests sugar, the acidity level generates ideal conditions for dental caries. The key factor is that after sugar has affected the acidity of a person’s mouth, it takes 45-60 minutes to return to normal levels. This means that if you ingest sugar more than once an hour, whether it’s a soda, throat lozenge, or piece of chewing gum, you create a continuously favorable environment for dental caries.
Dental caries is one of the most common diseases known to affect humans and may always be so. However, you can improve the dental health of yourself and your family by limiting your sugar intake, but more importantly, limit the frequency of exposure to sugary snacks, soda, and fruit juice.
Unfortunately, the availability of sugary snack and drinks in our modern world makes prevention difficult. However, there are several simple tasks involved in caries prevention, including timely dental check-ups, fluoride treatments, and personal hygiene, such as brushing and flossing.
We all like something sweet at times, but for a healthier dental future, you should limit sweet snacks and sodas to meal times or non-sugar drinks in between meals. The frequency of exposure is the most important factor to consider for preventing the formation of caries.
Editor’s note: Most county water systems do not include chlorination, including Marianna.