Cavities are caused by tooth-adherent specific bacteria, primarily mutans streptococci that feed on the sugar in your mouth, producing acid that eats away the enamel of the teeth. Mutans streptococci may be transferred from caregivers to child through salivary contact.
Parents are often shocked when dentists say that their young children have developed tooth decay even after religious oral care. Moms with cavities in particular, can transmit cavity-causing oral bacteria to their babies by sharing utensils or cleaning pacifiers by sticking them in their own mouths.
Dental caries is the single most common chronic disease in children, but it’s an entirely preventable one. Here are five practical ways to prevent transmitting cariogenic bacteria.
