Dental caries, or dental decay, is a bacterial infection that has devastating effects if not brought under control at the right time. You must be able to make out whether you are at a risk of tooth decay or not. Just cross-check a few of the points mentioned below to decide if you fall in the category of tooth decay-prone individuals.

  • If you had two or more teeth decayed in the span of past two or three years, you are at a higher risk of developing decay in the adjacent or opposing teeth.
  • If you have a dry mouth, it can be a matter of serious concern. Dry mouth can occur due to various reasons, like suffering from Sjogren’s syndrome, undergoing radiation therapy for oral cancer, or as a side effects of some medications.
  • If you are in the habit of consuming sweet, sugary and sticky foods off and on, you can consider yourself to be in the high-risk group. As a matter of fact, sweet and sugary foods have always been one of the most tempting foods, but unfortunately the most decay-causing foods as well.
  • Check if your drinking water is fluoridated or not. Fluoridated water lowers the risk of dental decay. The fluoride ions bind to the enamel surface and reinforce the protective layer.
  • Tooth position: The location of the tooth is a major factor in the development of dental decay. If the teeth are present in their normal alignment, food entrapment is at a lower level. If the teeth are present in malocclusion or mis-aligned (crooked) form, the food particles can easily get trapped in between such areas. The reason such areas are bad for causing decay is that they are either difficult to clean, or even non-cleansable at times. The teeth may need to be brought into a regular or normal alignment by orthodontic treatment to solve this problem.
  • Those who wear any sort of dental appliance on their teeth like braces or retainers are at a greater risk of getting dental decay. The parts of braces or wires become excellent sites for bacterial proliferation if they are not maintained hygienically. Usually, braces need to be worn for a prolonged period, during which oral hygiene measures need to be followed in a routine and diligent manner. Otherwise, by the end of the treatment, one may have to go for a further course of restorative treatment to get the decayed teeth filled.
  • There are some medical conditions like gastro-esophageal reflux disease in, which the tooth surface comes in contact with acids produced in stomach. The teeth get corroded with acids and that leads to initiation of the process of disintegration of tooth structure.
  • You can consider yourself to be in a greater risk for tooth decay if you are in  the habit of snacking frequently in between meals. The more you indulge yourself in snacking, the more exposure to food debris your teeth have. In this way your teeth will be at a constant risk of bacterial attack. If you cannot stop yourself from munching on snacks, make sure that you rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.