How Cavities Form and What You Can Do to Stop Them

Regardless of how well you care for your smile, chances are you will have at least one cavity during your lifetime.

More than 80 percent of people have at least one cavity by age 34, while almost everyone (96 percent) over the age of 65 has had cavities.

It’s important to treat cavities quickly in order to prevent further tooth decay, pain, and infection. Early treatment stops the cavity from worsening, which can lead you to require more invasive procedures like root canals or even tooth loss. Getting prompt care also helps preserve your tooth structure, saves you time and money, and maintains your overall oral health and comfort.

In order to understand how to best protect against cavities, it’s important to first understand the science of how they’re formed.

How Cavities Form:

Cavities, also known as dental caries, form when the hard, protective enamel of your teeth gradually breaks down due to acid produced by two types of bacteria in your mouth called Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus.

The process starts when you eat carbohydrates, especially sugary foods and drinks. These bacteria feed on the sugars and produce acid as a byproduct. This acid lowers the pH in your mouth, making it more acidic. When the pH drops too low, your enamel starts to lose essential minerals like calcium and phosphate, causing it to weaken over time.

When your teeth are repeatedly exposed to acid, the demineralization continues, creating tiny openings on the surface of your enamel. If this continues without enough remineralization, these weak spots turn into cavities. Once bacteria reach the dentin — the softer layer beneath the enamel — cavities can spread quickly, leading to pain, infection, and potentially major dental issues.

Your saliva plays a crucial role in preventing cavities. It naturally neutralizes acids, balances pH, and provides minerals like calcium and phosphate that help repair early enamel damage through remineralization. Fluoride also strengthens your enamel by binding to it, helping it to resist acid attacks, and further boosting the remineralization process.

Tips for Preventing Cavities:

1. Limit Your Sugar Intake: Since sugar feeds cavity-causing bacteria, cutting back on sugary snacks and drinks is one of the best ways to protect your teeth.

2. Practice Good Oral Hygiene: Brush twice daily and floss once a day to clear away plaque. Use fluoride toothpaste to keep your enamel strong and acid-resistant.

3. Drink Water Regularly: Not only does water rinse away food particles, sugars, and acids, but drinking water — especially fluoridated water — also boosts saliva production, enhancing your mouth’s natural remineralization process.

4. Chew Sugar-Free Gum: Chewing sugar-free gum, especially brands containing xylitol, can help stimulate your saliva flow. Xylitol, a natural sweetener, also blocks the growth of Streptococcus mutans, reducing the bacteria’s ability to produce enamel-damaging acid.

5. Use Fluoride Treatments: Use fluoride toothpaste, mouth rinses, or get professional treatments from your dentist to strengthen enamel and support natural repair.

6. Eat a Healthy Diet: Foods rich in calcium (like dairy) strengthen enamel, while crunchy fruits and vegetables promote saliva flow and help clear away plaque and food particles.

7. Visit Your Dentist Regularly: It’s extremely important to get regular check-ups and cleanings to help detect and treat early signs of decay. Your dentist can apply a thin, protective sealant on your molars to prevent food and bacteria from accumulating in the deep grooves of these teeth.

Are you experiencing dental pain? You may have one or more cavities. Click here to schedule an exam with White Oak Dental.