What factors cause tooth decay in children?

There are many reasons for tooth decay, which is related to the fact that children do not pay attention to oral hygiene. In addition, children need to take some medicines to treat certain diseases, especially drugs such as tetracycline, which often lead to tooth decay in children and cause symptoms of tooth decay in children. In addition, bacterial infection and bad eating habits are important causes of tooth decay in children.

1. Hygiene habits

Each process of tooth decay takes a certain amount of time to complete, so it is necessary to rinse your mouth in time after eating.

2. The teeth themselves

The morphology, structure and position of teeth have a significant relationship with the incidence of dental caries. The pits and fissures on the biting surface of teeth are defects left over from the development process. Cells and food debris are easily retained in deep pits and fissures, and are difficult to remove, which can easily induce tooth decay. Teeth with insufficient mineralization, especially insufficient calcification, have low density of enamel and dentin, low caries resistance, and a high probability of developing caries.

3. Diet

During the period of tooth development, nutrition determines the biochemical structure of tooth tissue, and well-calcified teeth have high caries resistance. If the food contains insufficient mineral salts, main vitamins and trace elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, D and fluoride, the teeth's resistance to caries will be low, creating the conditions for the onset of caries.

4. Saliva

Saliva is the external environment of teeth, playing the role of buffering, washing, anti-staining or antibacterial. Large amounts of dilute saliva can clean the surface of teeth and reduce the accumulation of bacteria and food debris. Small amounts of thick saliva tend to accumulate, promoting plaque formation and adhesion on the tooth surface. The properties and composition of saliva affect its buffering capacity and also affect the living conditions of bacteria.

5. Bacteria

The main culprit of dental caries is bacteria. In recent years, it has been internationally recognized that dental caries is a bacterial disease. There are many types of bacteria that cause dental caries, the most important of which are certain mutans streptococci and lactobacilli. The army of bacteria attacks the hard tissues of the teeth, causing chronic lesions that manifest as demineralization of inorganic matter and decomposition of organic matter.

When tooth decay develops to the advanced stage, the tooth structure is damaged and disintegrated, leaving only the "root residue". At this point, your tooth can no longer be saved and will have to be extracted, otherwise it will become a "lesion" in your mouth. Treatment: extraction + denture.