What are dental caries? I thought they were called cavities?

Cavities are caused by a bacterial infection known in the dental profession as “caries”. This infection is not only treatable, but preventable. CariFree is here to help patients find assistance and products for treating and preventing the caries infection.

Facts About Cavities

Cavities are the demineralized areas, or the holes, that form in teeth as a result of a bacterial infection (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/cavities_a_to_z/Caries_infection NULL.html) on your teeth called dental caries. This infection takes place when the normal healthy bacteria in the mouth are replaced by acid-producing bacteria. This shift in bacteria is primarily caused by two things:

• Prolonged acidic (low pH (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/solutions/ph_cavities NULL.html)) oral environment: contributing factors include a lack of saliva, and/or a sugary/acidic diet (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/cavities_a_to_z/Proper_diet NULL.html) that favors acid-producing bacteria.

• Transmission (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/cavities_a_to_z/Transmission NULL.html): this infection is contagious! You can be infected by someone through exchange of saliva.

Drilling and filling has been the traditional method of treating cavities, but it doesn’t treat the bacterial infection, just the symptoms. Brushing and flossing has been the traditional method of prevention, but it does not change the pH (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/solutions/ph_cavities NULL.html) (acidity) of the oral environment or treat the infection once it exists.

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Why is pH so important?

pH is a measure of acidity. The lower the pH, the more acidic something is, and the higher the pH, the more alkaline something is. The pH scale goes from 1-14, 1 being the most acidic, 14 being the most alkaline, and 7 being neutral (like most water).

For years we have focused on the role of sugar in causing cavities. While we know that sugar feeds the bacteria that produce acids, which in turn causes cavities, it is a prolonged acidic oral pH that is responsible for promoting these cavity-causing bacteria, and an acidic pH that is responsible for the demineralization of the enamel required for cavities to occur.

• Cavities are caused by a bacterial infection known as caries (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/cavities_a_to_z/Caries_infection NULL.html)

• An acidic oral environment drives the infection

• Brushing and flossing alone can not stop the infection

The good news is that the infection is treatable and preventable.

Xylitol (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/cavities_a_to_z/Xylitol NULL.html) is a very effective agent for limiting the acids produced by bacteria and comes in a variety of gums (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/products/gum NULL.html), mints, rinses (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/products/maintenance_rinse NULL.html), toothpastes (http://www NULL.carifree NULL.com/patients/products/gel NULL.html), etc. Xylitol has been shown to make fluoride more effective.