Sugar has been the teeth’s kryptonite for as long as I can remember and, “Don’t forget to brush and floss,” is a common phrase in many homes. No parent wants to hear that their child has a cavity, and it’s both heartbreaking and defeating, (especially when you’ve worked hard to avoid those cringe-worthy words). There’s always those kids that break all of the rules and never seem to get even the smallest of cavities while your kids adhere to all of the rules and could get an award for the most cavities in a single visit. The real story is, it’s actually what eats the sugar that’s causing those cavities— mutants streptococcus, a group of germs that spreads quickly within families and can last a lifetime.
The calcium depleting bacteria feed on sugar; it then produces acids that eat away at the structure of teeth, it also generates plaque which contains even more enamel-eroding acid. Once the calcium deficient areas become large enough, the surface of the tooth collapses creating a cavity.
What may be even more shocking to learn is that you could be infecting your child without even realizing it. The germs are spread through the transfer of saliva and according to a recent dental study, parents (particularly Mothers), infect their children before the age of 2 — think about that the next time you share a spoon or a straw with your baby. Dr. Edelstein, the founding director of the Children’s Dental Health Project, says, ”It’s an old wives’ tale that ‘soft teeth’ run in families, but what’s passed along in families are high levels of decay-causing bacteria.” In fact, he goes on to report that eighty percent of all cavities occur in just twenty-five percent of kids.
While antibiotics can’t get rid of the cavity-causing bacteria, there are some precautions parents can take. Make sure to schedule your baby’s first dental appointment before their first birthday; dentists can detect the first signs of mutants and perform a culture to measure bacteria levels. Diligently brush and floss as it physically pushes bacteria, plaque, and sugar off the teeth. Last but certainly not least, the number-one way to prevent cavities, is to limit sugar. Because sugar prevents saliva, the body’s natural tooth cleanser, it’s better to consume something sugary all at once as opposed to coming back to it for a length of time.