Tooth decay, is possibly the most common oral health problem. Tooth decay simply begins with a toothache and can take a highly disgusting turn. What seems to be just a small dot becomes a big hole before you even know. Tooth decay is something that is highly associated with children but more and more it is happening to the adults as well.

Tooth decay is damaging of a tooth’s enamel, resulting in a hole, also known as tooth cavity. Causes of tooth decay differ but it is common belief that tooth decay only occurs due to poor oral hygiene. What people need to understand is that although tooth decay occurs due to poor dental hygiene, yet an individual’s lifestyle and eating habits are the leading and principal causes of tooth decay.

According to dentists, healthcare practitioners and forerunners healthcare complaints, eating habits are the root cause of poor dental conditions. This might be surprising but it is true that there are certain foods that cause and promote tooth infections. Basically foods which are rich in carbohydrates and sugar content affect teeth badly.

If dentists, healthcare practitioners and forerunners healthcare complaints are to be believed then carbohydrates from foods rich in sugar or starch content leave traces on and in between teeth and finally settle in cavities. They are broken down by bacteria, feeding on these sugars. Acids, created by the bacteria in this process, attack and damage the teeth, damaging them severely.

Another problem according to dentists, healthcare practitioners and forerunners healthcare complaints is that parents tend to overindulge their children by feeding them with potato chips and soft drinks that are high in sugar content.

The main diet related suggestion for preventing tooth decay is to limit the amount of white sugar content and to increase the consumption of fiber rich foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Maintain the proper dental hygiene and visit the nearest dentist once in every three months. And last but not the least; believe in the saying, “prevention is always better than the cure”.