When the average person thinks of dental hygiene, they probably picture something along the lines of toothpaste, floss, and regular dental check-up. But anyone who has ever been to a dentist knows that it’s much more complicated than that. In fact, an alarming number of people are dealing with advanced tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused by plaque, which is essentially bacteria that sticks to our teeth.
The things that cause plaque are sugary or acidic drinks (even fruit juices), smoking, and stress. If you feel like you’ve been hearing about tooth decay a lot more than usual recently, it’s because you have been. To understand why this is the case, we need to take a look at how bad things have gotten in general. Keep reading to learn more about how bad the state of dental hygiene really is right now.
What is dental decay?
Tooth decay, also called dental caries, is the destruction of teeth due to biological reactions between dental plaque and sugars. If left untreated, a tooth could be at risk for infection or even tooth loss. The most common cause of tooth decay is bacteria that gets into the tiny grooves of your teeth. The bacteria feed on sugars from your diet, either from food or drink, and produce acids that break down the tooth. When left untreated, the bacteria can travel from the tooth into the rest of your body, causing an infection.
Why is Tooth Decay a Problem?
Healthy teeth are essential for a healthy body. When a person’s teeth become infected, it can spread to the rest of their body. This could lead to serious, even life-threatening, health issues. Since bacteria from infected teeth can spread to the rest of the body, people with tooth decay may suffer from more than just a toothache. Some other common health issues associated with tooth decay include.
Gum disease: This refers to the infection of the gums, which could lead to tooth loss if not treated.
Type 2 diabetes: Untreated gingivitis could progress to full-blown periodontitis, which could increase a person’s risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 40%.
Pregnancy complications: Pregnant women with periodontal disease are at higher risk of having a baby who is premature.
How bad is the problem of Tooth Decay?
The problem of It has gotten so bad that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a “call to action” for increased dental hygiene awareness. In fact, the CDC has declared this to be an “epidemic,” and has found that the average person has more than one cavity. It is important to visit your dentist for dental check-up. The following data indicates just how bad the problem of tooth decay has become.
- Percentage of adolescents with untreated tooth decay. 57%
- The percentage of adults with untreated: 45%
- Percentage of children with untreated tooth decay: 54%
- The percentage of toddlers with untreated: 44%
- Percentage of people with untreated tooth decay: 60%
- The percentage of people with untreated tooth decay who have dental insurance: 74%
What can be done about it?
By changing what they eat, brushing and flossing more regularly, and scheduling regular dentist dental check-up, people can greatly reduce their risk of Disease. If you’re worried about the state of dental hygiene, try to be more diligent about your dental health. Easy changes like drinking less soda, eating fewer sweets, and replacing sugar with stevia have been shown to reduce Disease.
