Dental cavities, or caries, is caused by lactic acid dissolving tooth enamel. The acid is produced by bacteria that thrive on the carbohydrates you eat, as some of it is left on your teeth after eating. This is why we brush our teeth, to deprive bacteria of anything to work with. But there's a lot about tooth decay that you probably don't know, like the name of the main bacteria responsible for causing caries, Streptococcus mutans. Once it takes hold in your mouth, this germ is part of your permanent biome, and you probably got it from your mother.
Tooth decay didn't bother the dinosaurs. In fact, it doesn't show up in the fossil record of our ancestors until primates evolved. But it really took over when humans began cultivating and eating carbohydrates -grain, that is, and it got worse when we achieved unrestricted supplies of sugar. Brushing your teeth is the best way to prevent decay, but not for the reason you might think. Brushing doesn't really do much unless you have a toothpaste containing fluoride. You might be surprised at how many people never see a dentist, but it makes sense when you think of the expense, and regular health insurance doesn't cover it. Oh, but there's a lot more involved in the science of tooth decay. Read the research behind all the above facts and a lot more you should know about tooth decay at Cremieux Recueil. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: Jonathan Rolande via Flickr)