If you're getting cavities all of a sudden, here's what to know and some strategies to help you find the root cause.
My patient — let’s call her Kim — came into the office with a problem: She was getting cavities all of a sudden.She had been my patient for over 20 years and never had a cavity before, but she was coming in for several fillings.
At the end of this post, I’ll share my strategies for how to find outwhy you’re getting cavities all of a sudden. But before we get into it,I want to share one piece of information that should be your #1 takeaway from this blog post:
If you’re getting cavities all of a sudden, find out the root cause.Getting a filling should be step one; step two should be findingout why you’re getting cavities all of a suddenso that you don’t get more. Prevention is always the best cure.
I’ve helped hundreds of my patients stop the cycle of cavities. Now, I’m bringing that solution to my readers. Click here to find out how to say “goodbye” to cavities forever…for less than the cost of one filling.
When someone who didn’t get many cavities before starts getting cavities all of a sudden, it’s almost always something environmental that has changed that’s causing the sudden increase. So, I asked Kim to walk me through her day-to-day. What was different? Something had to have changed in either her lifestyle or her diet.
She racked her brain and couldn’t think of anything.I asked her about some of the most common causes of sudden cavities. Was sheadding more sugar to hercoffee? Was shesipping on co*ke while staying uplate studying? (She was in nursing school). Had she been sick recently and using cough drops? (These can be very high in sugar.)
Finally, we figured it out.
“You know what, there is one thing I’m doing differently!” she said. “I’ve been using melatonin tablets right before bed, after I brush my teeth.”
Bingo. After she brushed her teeth. Welooked at the ingredients of the bottle and there it was:Dextrose was the first ingredient, another name for sugar.
So there you have it. A chewable melatonin tablet was the culprit. Kim began taking these tablets before she began her nighttime routine of brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping, thus eliminating the cause. We’re pleased to say she’s back to no longer getting cavities.
Beloware all themost common reasons that make peopleget cavities all of a sudden. Check the list and let me know if it helps you find out what’s causing your cavities.
Change in daily routine: If you weren’t getting cavities before and now you are, it’s highly likely that something in your life has changed that’s causing the sudden onset. Consider lifestyle factors like diet, stress, starting school or a new job, and new habits.
Stress:Stress isn’t just in your head; it has an effect on the entire body. Stress increases the immune response and inflammation throughout the body. Stress can also give you dry mouth or make you crave the wrong foods. A lot of my patients are entrepreneurs, students, or new parents and the added stress brings with it increased cavities.
New exercise routine: If you’ve started jogging or working out, you might be getting dry mouth. Saliva helps neutralize the acids in our mouth, which are what cause tooth decay and cavities. Ifyou have less saliva due to dry mouth, this could cause cavities.
More frequent sugar:When it comes to your teeth, the amount of sugar you eat doesn’t matter as much as howlong the exposure is. Eating five slices of cake all at once would be better than sucking on a hard candy or a cough drop for an hour. Sipping on soda or snacking frequently can all be culprits of an increase in cavities.
A sore throat or the flu: Sucking on cough drops all day long are a common culprit of cavities that people don’t know about.
More acidic foods: Do you have a new favorite food or drink that’s high in acid? Some common culprits are citrus and tropical fruits, tomato sauce, sports drinks, and soda.
Over-brushing:Most people over-brush, hoping to get the chore done faster. What they don’t realize isthat toothbrush bristles can actually do quite a bit of damage by cuttingaway enamel.
Not enough brushing and flossing:This one goes without saying. Brush up on your flossing and brushing technique. If you hate flossing, try out a flossing stick.
A new dentist:A common pattern of dental fraud is seeing a new dentist for the first time who prescribes a ton of new treatment. Trust your gut; if you’ve never had all your cavities your whole life, see the dentist every six months, and have excellent oral hygiene, then it should raise a red flag if a new dentist tells youthat you suddenly need twelve fillings. See my guide to Little Known Ways to Make Sure You Never Get Ripped Off at the Dentist.
Gum recession: Receding gums expose the root of the tooth. The root is the part of the tooth below the gum and it doesn’t have a protective enamel covering like the rest of your tooth, making it much more susceptible to decay and cavities.
Chemotherapy:Chemotherapy treatment can result in dry mouth, which makes you more prone to cavities.
Braces: If you’ve recently gotten braces, you might have noticed it’s much harder to floss and brush.
Mark Burhenne DDS
I’ve helped hundreds of my patients stop the cycle of cavities. Now, I’m bringing that solution to my readers. Click here to find out how to say “goodbye” to cavities forever…for less than the cost of one filling.
Learn More: Reversing Tooth Decay and Healing Cavities Naturally: Top Questions Answered
The stress of changes in your daily routine, like starting a new job, starting school, or starting a new habit, can adversely affect your health—oral health included. It may even be the reason for the sudden appearance of a cavity.
The stress of changes in your daily routine, like starting a new job, starting school, or starting a new habit, can adversely affect your health—oral health included. It may even be the reason for the sudden appearance of a cavity.
Though good oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing helps in preventing cavities, you may still get cavities. The reasons can be many, like the spaces between teeth that easily trap food, consuming too much cavity-causing foods and beverages, avoiding regular professional-level cleanings and checkups, etc.
Stay away from sugary foods and drinks, like candies and soda. Don't sip or eat on them all day. If you are going to eat or drink things that are sweet do so at meal times. Sealants can be placed on back teeth to better protect them from bacteria causing cavities in the grooves.
Change in daily routine: If you weren't getting cavities before and now you are, it's highly likely that something in your life has changed that's causing the sudden onset. Consider lifestyle factors like diet, stress, starting school or a new job, and new habits.
Not cleaning your teeth well, snacking a lot and sipping sugary drinks are the main causes of cavities. Cavities are areas in the hard surface of your teeth that are damaged. These areas of tooth decay become tiny openings or holes that can lead to a serious toothache, infection and tooth loss.
Hygiene habits and medical conditions can lead to cavities and tooth decay. You can get rid of the plaque that causes cavities. You can also reverse early cavities with the right treatment. You can't reverse a cavity once it gets deep enough.
How Many Cavities is Too Many? A few cavities may be normal due to sugary diets and oral hygiene, but more than 3 or 4 may indicate a need for better dental care and diet changes. Actively having a high number of cavities (more than 4 or 5) at one time might indicate issues with oral hygiene or diet.
As one of the most common dental procedures among adults today, it's rare to meet someone who hasn't had at least one filling. In fact, statistics show that 84% of all adults have at least one or more fillings, and each adult has an average of seven fillings.
You cannot get rid of a cavity in two days by yourself because your tooth enamel cannot repair itself. Therefore, even if you try your best to clean the decay out of the tooth or use home remedies to get an effective treatment, it is necessary to have a dentist treat the affected area.
Treatment options include: Fluoride treatments. If your cavity just started, a fluoride treatment may help restore your tooth's enamel and can sometimes reverse a cavity in the very early stages. Professional fluoride treatments contain more fluoride than the amount found in tap water, toothpaste and mouth rinses.
But if the cavity has grown and has been there for a while, the short answer is you really can't make it go away. Pain from a cavity can fade, which can make us believe the cavity itself has gone away on its own but in reality, this is because the tooth decay has caused nerve damage.
For all the good brushing does, it will not eliminate the cavity. The bottom line is you do not have the power to stop your cavity from growing. Your cavity will gradually expand to the point that it moves into the pulp chamber and spurs pain. If the cavity reaches the pulp of the tooth, it will require a root canal.
You may also notice an increase in cavities when you are under a lot of stress. That is because when you are under stress, you may neglect your oral hygiene routine, allowing the bacteria in your mouth to multiply and cause tooth decay.
Sudden Dietary Changes: You might have changed your diet in some way, including drinking more soda, adding more sugar to your coffee, eating more starchy or acidic foods, or consuming more sweets. You're More Stressed Stress: Stress can affect the whole body, including your immune system's defense mechanism.
Are there natural ways to remove cavities at home? Cavities, or tooth decay, are small holes in the teeth. As a result, there is no natural way to remove them at home. Only a dentist can fix a cavity by filling it in.
Good brushing habits may help prevent cavities, but they cannot cure them. However, if tooth decay is detected in its early stages, it can be reversed by following good brushing habits. The best way to prevent cavities or reduce the risk of cavities is by: consistent brushing and flossing.
Sjogren's Syndrome is one of the most common autoimmune diseases that affect dental health. It is a disease that weakens the salivary glands, the glands that produce saliva. Saliva is an important part of fighting off infection and how your mouth functions.
This can occur due to enamel erosion, exposed tooth roots, or recent dental work. Sensitivity to temperature changes can cause discomfort in multiple teeth simultaneously, while tooth decay tends to occur around just one tooth.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Written byMark Burhenne, DDS|
