5 Surprising Things That Can Increase Your Cavity Risk

Hear what our dental team has to say about determining your risk for tooth decay.

1. Your Coffee Addiction Sipping a caffeinated drink may be your typical afternoon pick-me-up. If there’s sweetener in your beverage, however, it will steadily erode your enamel and lead to decay.
2. Snoring If your mouth is even temporarily dried out for several hours each night when you snore, it increases your risk for tooth decay. Saliva is a natural acid neutralizer. It also washes away bacteria that cause cavities. But if you have dry mouth on a regular basis, it allows acids to wear away tooth enamel and begin the decay process.
3. Crooked Teeth Overlapping, twisted, or tipped teeth are harder to access with your toothbrush. They may be more prone to accumulating plaque and acids than your other teeth, putting them at greater risk for cavities.
4. Drinking Well Water Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral all over the world. Some water sources, however, are a little low in fluoride levels. Your teeth need a steady supply of the mineral in small amounts to resist decay. So if your water isn’t fluoridated, you’ll need to get your fluoride from another source.
5. Dental Fillings and Crowns It’s not that fillings and crowns directly put your teeth at risk for decay. You get those restorations to treat cavities, after all! But once teeth are “fixed,” it’s easy to forget about them and assume they’re set for life.

These teeth still need to be carefully flossed and brushed. Otherwise, plaque bacteria can build up at the edges of the restorations and trigger new cavities underneath.

Contact Elegant Smiles to learn more about lowering your risk for tooth decay.