Risk factors
Poor oral hygiene and not brushing teeth adequately – in terms of duration, coverage or frequency – allows cariogenic bacterial plaque to build up. Two-thirds of adults have visible plaque, but a quarter do not brush their teeth twice a day. Brushing only once a day increases the likelihood of tooth decay by a third.5
Sugar consumption has long been associated cavities and poor dental health, but cariogenic risk increases with diets:10
- High in any fermentable carbohydrates
- That contain a greater amount of less-soluble carbohydrates (eg, potato crisps, which can take longer to disappear from the mouth than caramel, which dissolves more readily)
- Where food or drink is consumed more frequently (food and drink containing carbohydrates should be consumed no more than six times a day).
It is estimated that sugar makes up 15 per cent of the daily calories consumed by children aged between four and 10.5
One of the roles of saliva is to help restore neutral oral pH, both by diluting acids and providing calcium and phosphate for the remineralisation process. It can also act as a reservoir for fluoride from toothpastes or fluoridated water, and fluoride can help inhibit bacterial acid production.10