Who gave you your last Tooth Cavity? Wait Cavities are Transmittable? YES!

Our whole lives we go on thinking that eating candy is what causes cavities. Or some would simply think it’s just sugars and acid that break down a tooth and cause it to decay, causing a cavity to form. It all sounds pretty simple, but it is not my friends! No matter what you eat, without cavity causing bacteria… you won't ever get a cavity.

Cavity Causing Bacteria

Tooth decay, also formally mentioned as “cavities” is caused by cavity-causing bacteria: streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus species. What occurs in the result of improper to no tooth brushing or flossing is the formation of plaque on your teeth. As mentioned on Wikipedia: “These organisms can produce high levels of lactic acid following fermentation of dietary sugars and are resistant to the adverse effects of low pH, properties essential for cariogenic bacteria.[21]“ What that means is that the cavity causing bacteria produce high levels of substances that aid for the perfect formula to develop cavities. So if you or your partner or either one of both do not maintain healthy oral care, every time you might believe to be having a romantic passionate kiss… you are really transferring the thousands of bacteria living in your mouth to them, including that cavity-causing bacteria.

Theoretically speaking if this process is continued, the more exposure you get to cavity-causing bacteria, the more likeliness you are to develop a cavity caused by direct contact of cavity-causing bacteria that your partner has hibernated in their mouth. The best way to avoid this issue is to brush and floss with your partner daily or reminding them to.

Many people think that flossing is something you have to do multiple times a day, or after every meal. The truth is that bacteria needs time to attach and reproduce, disturbing their breeding grounds (the pockets between your teeth and your gums). It is only required to floss once daily. I in my personal opinion, over flossing, can cause recessing of your gums and no one wants old recessing looking gums.

If you know your partner doesn’t floss daily or you don’t floss daily, I hope this motivated you to start today! Loss of gum tissue is irreversible, and the only way to replace missing gum tissue is by surgically transferring gum from another part of your mouth to the targeted location where you are missing gum tissue.

It is never too late to start brushing and flossing properly once a day.

Happy Brushing!

This Valentines Day: Share Love NOT Cavities.

I personally use the Sonicare Toothbrush! Here is a review I did on SoniShare Heads, which are amazing! If you live with your partner, this is a great investment, since you only need one brush and you can just buy interchangeable heads like these:

If you don’t live with your partner, then you both can buy one and you can always just bring your head when you sleep over or leave one behind for when you come over and you can forget about nights when you forgot your toothbrush!

Sources:
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_decay
Job Experience: Dental Hygenist Assistant