It used to be thought that the only way tooth decay developed was because of poor oral hygiene but recent studies have shown that this is not true. Of course proper oral hygiene like brushing and flossing your teeth is very important, but it is not the only reason for tooth decay.

First, let's explore what tooth decay is and what happens to your teeth. For tooth decay to be developed in a tooth, that tooth must have acid producing bacteria around it, along with food for the bacteria to feed upon. Teeth that are susceptible to decay will have little to no fluoride in the enamel to fight the plaque. Fluoride can destroy decay, although it won’t be able to do much once the decay has started to eat the teeth.

Poor hygiene habits will allow the plaque and tartar to build up around teeth and speed up the process of decay. Your mouth has good and bad bacteria. It is when the bad bacteria takes over, only one type will generate the acid that results in tooth decay. Some people have active decay that is always present in their mouths. Parents with active decay can easily pass the decay on to a child or loved one through eating, drinking from the same glass, or even kissing.

A recent discovery has shown that the root cause of this bad bacteria is due to a condition known as silent reflux. This is different from acid reflux that causes heartburn, people don’t even know that they have it.

Steps to follow to get rid of the acid and the bad bacteria in your mouth:

Brush regularly

Floss

Use a water pick

Most importantly, get rid of the root cause.