4 June - World Caries Day

World Caries Day was established on the initiative of dentists and is designed to draw people's attention to the condition of their teeth, as the problem of caries is relevant to everyone's health.

Everyone knows about tooth decay and the need for oral care. However, the brutal statistics show that 80-90% of children with baby teeth have tooth decay, about 80% of teenagers also face this disease, and more than 95% of adults have had tooth decay treated at least once.

What is caries?

Caries is a pathological process in which demineralisation and softening of hard tissues occurs, followed by the formation of a cavity in the tooth. It is a bacterial infection of the oral cavity that occurs as a result of internal or external factors. Dental caries is caused by microorganisms that attach to the tooth surface. They cause the destruction of tooth enamel, and only the quality of oral hygiene determines how quickly the disease will develop and what damage it can cause.

What are the consequences of tooth decay?

Few people know that small dark spots on the teeth can lead to serious oral health problems, among other things:

• Pulpitis - when the nerve in the tooth cavity becomes inflamed, it leads to severe pain.
• Acute respiratory diseases - bacteria and microorganisms multiply in the affected areas of the teeth and spread to other organs of the oral cavity, where they become pathogens of inflammatory processes.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The main task of the teeth is to chew food thoroughly. However, when they are diseased and cannot cope with their task, the load on the stomach and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract increases.

Prevention of caries.

Today, it is difficult to find an adult who does not have a problem with caries. However, the great news is that the oral cavity can be kept healthy if you carefully follow all the rules of prevention, namely

• Brush your teeth twice a day. The brushing process should take two to three minutes.
• Remove all residues after eating. To do this, rinse the mouth and get rid of the residues that collect between the teeth with a special hygienic floss.
• Drink water regularly. In a dry mouth, pathogens multiply much faster.
• Avoid eating foods that are too hot or too cold. Sudden changes in temperature can also cause enamel to break down.
• Watch your diet. Excessive consumption of sugar and sweets has a negative impact on dental health.
• Visit the dentist regularly. Even if nothing is bothering you, it is worth showing your teeth to a dentist, who will detect and help you get rid of the problem at the early stages of its development.

Don't forget that children need to maintain good hygiene from the first tooth eruption. Brush and toothpaste - according to age. Parents should brush their child's teeth until he or she learns to use a toothbrush and monitor the quality of plaque removal.

Interesting facts about caries.

• Scientists have found that people suffered from tooth decay more than 5,000 years ago.
• Interestingly, the cause of caries is not only the consumption of sweets, but also carbonated drinks. For example, in 1903, when Coca-Cola production increased in the United States, the number of tooth decay cases increased dramatically.
• "Royal" caries. Not only ordinary mortals suffer from tooth decay. King James IV of Scotland (1488-1513) was well versed in medicine. Once he had a toothache, and he invited a doctor to visit him. When the doctor cured him, the king decided to learn how to treat teeth himself. And he did. The crown dentist treated the teeth of the courtiers.
• Few people know, but the method of destroying the nerve of a diseased tooth with arsenic was invented by doctors in ancient China and popularised in the 18th century by the Arab physician Muhammad al-Rashid.

Take care of your dental health, visit the dentist on time and regularly - and you will have healthy teeth and a brilliant smile!

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health;

https://phc.org.ua/news/4-chervnya-vsesvitniy-den-borotbi-iz-kariesom;

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cavities/symptoms-causes/syc-20352892