Caries

Caries or “holes in the teeth” is the most common disease of the mouth, and is the most common non-infectious disease in the world. Around 70% of all Norwegian 18 year olds have had one or more holes in their teeth*.

The teeth consist of three layers: enamel, dentin and pulp (nerve).

Caries occurs when bacteria remain on the teeth over time. Bacterial coating can form on the surface of the teeth when we eat or drink sugary foods or drinks. The bacteria form acid that makes the enamel on the tooth weaker and weaker. Eventually, the enamel breaks down and holes form in the tooth.

How to prevent caries?

The most important thing you can do to keep your teeth healthy is to brush your teeth every morning and every night with fluoride toothpaste (after breakfast and right before going to bed). The purpose of tooth brushing is to brush away the bacteria and food debris that can contribute to caries. The fluoride toothpaste helps strengthen your teeth against caries. To give yourself and your teeth the best possible protection from fluoride toothpaste, avoid rinsing your mouth with water after brushing your teeth, and wait to eat or drink in the first hour after brushing your teeth. The fluoride then gets time to act and protects your teeth well!

Your dentist or dental hygienist often also recommends that you use dental floss or interdental brushes (bottle brooms) daily, this way you also get cleaning between your teeth. In addition, the use of additional fluoride is recommended if you have an increased risk of caries. This can be in the form of tablets or rinses.

In addition to douching twice a day, the saliva you have in your mouth also contributes as your own defense mechanism against caries. To protect your teeth well, the spit needs some time between each meal. If you often eat and drink something sugary, saliva will have less ability to protect your teeth from tooth decay. Regular meals and water as a thirst quench therefore contribute to good dental health! Then you help to provide your own mouth with good working conditions to prevent cavities in your teeth.

Children should have help with brushing their teeth until they master it well enough themselves, this varies from child to child, but until around the age of 10.

How is caries treated?

At an early stage, caries damage can be easily treated with good cleaning and fluoride. With thorough brushing with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and fluoride supplements (tablets or rinses), you can stop the caries attack. Your dentist or dental hygienist can give you good advice on this, they can also give you additional fluoride treatment by brushing your teeth with concentrated fluoride. If you manage to stop the caries attack early, you will not have to drill and repair the tooth with a filling.

Once the caries attack has passed through the enamel of the tooth, the tooth must be repaired with a filling to stop the progression of the caries attack. Such caries attacks cannot be stopped only with a good cleaning and fluoride, but the caries attack must be removed by a dentist. The dentist removes the part of the tooth that is injured and then seals the hole with a filling. A filling is a white material that replaces the part of the tooth that needed to be removed. In some cases, it can also be applied with a penny

Even a tooth that has been repaired can get new holes if good cleaning is not carried out every day. If the caries attack becomes deep and reaches the nerve, a root canal may be required.

Good habits

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• Clean between your teeth every day
• Use fluoride supplements if recommended for you
• Avoid snacking between meals
• Drink water as a thirst drink
• Ask your dentist or dental hygienist if you have any questions

(*figures from 2019 - taken from ssb.no).