Well-known factors that provoke the development of dental diseases are: insufficient oral hygiene, calcium deficiency, as well as other microelements necessary for tooth enamel, cracks, frequent consumption of sweet and sour foods, etc. Since caries is an infectious disease, a natural question arises about whether it can be transmitted through a kiss and how to protect yourself from pathogens.
In this article (and the attached video), the reader will find information on the stated topic, and will also find out how contagious this disease is.
Kissing is a way of transmitting many bacteria, including those that cause tooth decay.
What is caries
First, let's look at the essence of the problem. Carious lesion is the destruction of tooth tissue under the influence of harmful bacteria of the Streptococcus mutans group. They reproduce without access to oxygen (which is why caries often occur under fillings), feed on sucrose (which is why caries is believed to come from sweets) and secrete acid, which destroys enamel and dentin.
Interesting! Streptococcus mutans is a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, it actively produces lactic acid and polysaccharide, which settles on the enamel and later turns into plaque or even tartar. However, bacteria can produce this polysaccharide only from sucrose. Thus, by reducing the consumption of sweets, we automatically reduce the negative impact of bacteria on teeth.
Streptococcus mutans is present in the oral cavity of every person, but this does not mean that 100% of the world's population suffers from caries (although the figure is approaching this). Timely oral hygiene, strong immunity and the absence of bad habits inhibit the rapid development of microorganisms and strengthen the enamel. Therefore, we can say with confidence that prevention in this case is a guarantee of health.
Does caries transfer from one tooth to another?
Can a tooth affected by caries lead to infection of the tissue of neighboring teeth with carious bacteria? This happens in the absence of treatment and insufficient hygiene. The number of bacteria in the mouth increases, they spread throughout the entire cavity, forming pathological foci in different places of the jaw. The patient may be diagnosed with multiple caries with localization of carious lesions on several teeth.
So, it is possible to become infected with caries, but carious bacteria alone are not enough for the development of the disease. Only in the presence of several factors does a person begin the process of demineralization of enamel and destruction of dentin. Dentists recommend not to worry about this and not be afraid of contracting caries through a kiss. It is better to pay more attention to hygiene. However, brushing your teeth alone is not enough. As additional hygiene products, it is necessary to use dental floss, rinses and irrigators. Doctors also advise eating right, exercising, and visiting the dentist twice a year. If you follow preventive measures, you can live your whole life without caries.
Sources:
- tvoidantist.ru
- stoma.click
- mnogozubov-ru.turbopages.org
Factors provoking the development of caries
- childhood: children under three years of age are at risk for this disease, since they have not yet developed their own immunity and teeth are just beginning to appear,
- weakened immunity: lack of vitamins and minerals does not allow the body to build full protection,
- unbalanced diet: the predominance of sweet foods in the diet enhances the nutrient environment for Streptococcus mutans, which provokes their active growth,
- insufficient hygiene: clinically tested toothpastes, brush configurations and mouth rinses allow you to remove plaque even from hard-to-reach places, which are the habitat of Streptococcus mutans,
- bad habits: in addition to reducing immunity and destroying enamel, smoking and alcohol disrupt the microflora of the oral cavity, killing beneficial bacteria that can resist pathogenic ones,
- taking certain medications: long-term use of antibiotics, antifungal drugs and some others reduces immunity and slows down metabolic processes in the body, which is why the enamel does not receive enough calcium and fluoride to strengthen,
- hormonal disorders: a failure in the production of hormones also negatively affects metabolism, which leads to thinning of the enamel,
- wearing orthopedic or orthodontic structures: they can mechanically damage the protective shell of the tooth or fit too tightly to it, which is why the crown is not washed with saliva, dries out and cracks. And microbes penetrate into these cracks - and the development of caries begins.
Is tooth decay transmitted from person to person?
Many dentists share the opinion that a cariogenic microorganism can be transmitted from person to person. Most often this happens in childhood, when complementary foods “tested” by parents are given to the baby. Bacteria left on the spoon is a common cause of the problem. Caries is contagious if the simplest hygienic conditions are not observed:
- The baby should have separate utensils;
- Do not lick your baby's pacifier or spoon;
- The little one must have a balanced diet so that his immunity is strong;
- Reduce the amount of sweet foods so as not to provoke the growth of pathological bacteria;
- Be sure to follow all hygiene rules;
- You need to choose the right brushes, pastes, rinses;
- Avoid fluoride and calcium deficiency in the body;
Parents need to strictly monitor the condition of their oral cavity. Sanitation and treatment of superficial caries should be carried out in a timely manner. Pathology often develops in hard-to-reach areas. Little saliva gets into these areas, so the acidity there increases. Therefore, at the first signs of illness, you should immediately contact a dentist. Prevention plays an important role.
How can you become infected with caries?
The bacteria Streptococcus mutans enters our mouths during childhood, and the main source of infection in this case is almost always adults. Moms and dads lick the spoons with which they feed their children, older brothers and sisters give the younger ones a bite of their apple. Parents often make another mistake - they buy their kids one toothbrush between them. This happens in families with twins or triplets. Parents think that they are saving the family budget in this way, but in fact they contribute to the transmission of infection from one child to another.
There is one consolation: adults have nothing to worry about. He is not at risk of becoming infected with Streptococcus mutans because these microorganisms have been living in his mouth for a long time.
Is tooth decay contagious?
Streptococcus mutans is a caries causative agent that is transmitted through saliva
Carious deformations of dental tissues are associated with biochemical processes hidden under plaque, which are formed due to the vital activity of bacterial microflora. Accordingly, the less often a person uses a toothbrush, the higher the risks.
For example, microorganisms are very fond of sweet simple carbohydrates, which, as a result of fermentation processes, leads to the formation of acids. The latter lower the pH and demineralize tooth enamel - it loses important trace elements (calcium and phosphorus), so it becomes softer and more vulnerable.
The main blame lies with gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacteria - Streptococcus mutans, which are shown in the photo. These bacilli and others, but to a lesser extent (for example, Streptococcus sobrinus) can attach very firmly to the enamel, form lactic acid from sucrose and form a fairly dense dental plaque.
Thus, during oral contact, the bacterial flora of both partners is mixed, therefore, bacteria that cause caries can be transmitted during a kiss. This also applies to parental affections, and when adults are infected, this is not so dangerous.
Attention. Tooth decay is a disease caused by bacteria that can be transmitted through saliva. But it is impossible to predict in advance whether a person will get sick or not, since predisposing factors are needed. It is incorrect to talk about whether caries is transmitted through a kiss or not due to the above reasons.
Do adjacent teeth become infected with caries?
The development of pathogenic microbes occurs in hard-to-reach places where the proper amount of saliva, which reduces acidity, or the bristles of a toothbrush, which remove plaque, do not reach. Such a place may be the closure of the walls of two crowns. If you do not use dental floss or an irrigator - special devices for cleaning the interdental space, then bacteria will actively multiply in this cramped corner - and caries will affect both crowns. Thus, the disease does not spread to neighboring units, but develops between them.
Prevention measures
Prevention of caries
Since there is no way to avoid infection, you need to know how to minimize the likelihood of developing the disease. Personal hygiene is important (brushing your teeth twice a day, rinsing your mouth, using dental floss), nutrition should be of high quality, contain healthy vitamins and minerals, and you should eat less sweets.
Smoking and alcohol should be avoided, medications should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, do not lick children’s spoons and use only your own toothbrush, which should preferably be changed monthly. Extremely important points are maintaining immunity at the proper level and regular preventive examinations at the dentist.
Is caries inherited?
There is an opinion that this disease is genetically determined. This is partly true, but the point is not in the defeat itself, but in indirect factors. For example, metabolic disorders can be inherited, and then weakened enamel will not be able to resist Streptococcus mutans.
Also, a malocclusion can be passed on from parents, which creates areas in the mouth that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush, where caries begins to develop.
In addition, we absorb food habits and hygiene rules from our parents. If mom and dad brush their teeth from time to time, then the child will do the same, which means a favorable environment is created for Streptococcus mutans.
How to protect yourself from caries?
Daily hygiene is also important. If you follow the rules, the risk of caries transmission is minimized. However, there are a few rules to remember here. The risk of developing tooth decay is lower in people who take care of their teeth and practice daily hygiene. This should include brushing your teeth at least twice, that is, in the morning and in the evening. We also finish brushing with an alcohol-free mouth rinse and floss. During the day when we don't have access to a toothbrush, it's worth using sugar-free chewing gum to balance the pH in the mouth. Frequently rinsing your mouth with water, especially after eating, also helps. This way we stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva.
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How to find out if you have dental caries
Absolutely all people are carriers of the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, but being a carrier does not mean getting sick. If the body’s immune response is strong enough, if tooth enamel receives a sufficient amount of microelements, if a person takes proper care of his oral cavity every day, then the risk of caries is reduced several times.
For comparison! In countries where preventive medicine is properly structured, this disease occurs several times less frequently. For example, in Finland, 175-200 cases of caries are diagnosed per 1000 children aged 7-12 years, while in Russia for the same number of children there are 1000-1200 cases of caries, i.e. and sick children, and the number of affected teeth in our country is much higher.
Infecting children with caries through a parental kiss
Parents transmit bacteria to children through kissing
Newborns do not have pathogenic microorganisms in their mouths that can cause caries, just as there are no teeth on which they would parasitize. But sooner or later the first teeth erupt and pathogenic bacteria are transmitted along with parental caresses.
Important. The most dangerous infection is for children under three years of age, since their immune system is not yet fully developed.
Below are the reasons that in older children neutralize the penetration of streptococcus mutans and other caries-forming pathogens into the mouth:
- rough food mechanically removes old plaque from the enamel;
- girls and boys over 3 years old (in most cases) are accustomed to oral hygiene;
- a stable buffer capacity of saliva is formed, i.e. it can neutralize acidic elements;
- a more resilient immune system.
The note. The later the mouth infection occurs, the better it will be for the health of baby teeth.
But it’s not only through a parent’s kiss that a baby can be infected; for example, mothers often lick nipples, spoons, slobber on handkerchiefs and wipe their mouths with them, and so on. Some parents, on the contrary, go to extremes: they wipe everything with alcohol, boil it, and so on. To guide mothers on how to maintain normal hygiene (table), watch the video in this article.
Table. How to avoid infecting your child with caries:
| Measure | A comment |
| Before feeding, it is not advisable to taste food (for salt, temperature, etc.) with the same spoon that the child will eat with. Ideally, the child should have his own dishes. |
| When dropped, a pacifier or any other object should be washed rather than licked. |
| There is no need to slobber on the cloth to wipe your baby's lips; for this purpose it is better to have baby wipes with you. |
| Each family member should have their own oral hygiene equipment. They need to be cleaned and replaced at least every two to three months. |
Sooner or later, infection will still occur, but this does not mean the development of caries, since for this there must be many additional factors.
How to prevent caries: preventive measures
The most effective and, importantly, cheapest way to combat carious lesions is its prevention. Since it is impossible to completely get rid of harmful bacteria, you can slow down or completely stop their reproduction and spread.
- daily oral hygiene (it is important to brush your teeth in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before bed, in the afternoon after lunch and afternoon snack, you need to rinse your mouth with a special solution or just water and remove food particles with dental floss),
- balanced diet (limit the consumption of sugar-containing dishes, increase the consumption of vegetables and fruits, fish and fiber),
- giving up bad habits (tobacco smoke destroys enamel and negatively affects the condition of the gums, reducing their protective function and slowing down metabolism),
- refusal of uncontrolled use of medications, especially antibiotics,
- giving up the habit of licking spoons, pacifiers, toys of small children,
- maintain overall immunity in good shape.
Thus, carious lesions can be avoided, even when infected with the bacteria that cause them.
Is it possible to become infected with caries through someone else's toothbrush?
Now that you already understand that caries is not transmitted through a kiss (with the exception of the above-mentioned nuances in relation to small children), the question of the possibility of contracting caries by using someone else's toothbrush also becomes clearer. That is, it is theoretically possible to “pick up” a completely living bacterium, but for an adult whose oral cavity has long been full of carious bacteria, this will mean nothing.
Another thing is that in addition to the relatively harmless Streptococcus mutans, there may be much more dangerous bacteria or viruses on someone else’s toothbrush...
Review:
“It may look absurd, but I completely accidentally, without looking, brushed my teeth with someone else’s toothbrush! I was just in a hurry in the morning and grabbed a brush, as it turned out later, from my mother-in-law (hers is almost the same as mine). It seems that she does not have terrible infections such as AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, etc. And she is a rather positive overall elderly woman. Now to the fact that I’m just unpleasant that it turned out so badly, I’m afraid that I’ve suddenly become infected with something... She seemed to have something with oncology, although my relatives told me that it’s not transmitted. I want to ask, do you think I need to take some tests now?..”
Sagalova Daria, Krivoy Rog
The above review describes, of course, a rather comical situation, and the girl is unlikely to be in any danger. However, each family member should have their own toothbrush. Using someone else's toothbrush is unacceptable, not at all from the point of view of possible infection with caries (this is impossible), but for general hygienic reasons.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that there are many much more significant factors influencing the occurrence of caries in adults and children than banal kisses. And the fear of contracting caries or passing it on to someone should not be a reason to give up kissing altogether.
Take care of your teeth, take care of them and live a full life!
Interesting video: is it possible to get caries and how it happens
How to treat caries without a drill
Treatment of caries
Placement of fillings
Filling a carious cavity is the main method of treating caries. Before this, the dentist carefully removes the affected tooth tissue so that caries does not develop further.
Filling materials come in different types, but the most common and popular option at the moment is heliocomposite. They are the most durable, durable and aesthetically pleasing: you can choose a material that will be as close in color as possible to the tooth tissue and therefore unnoticeable. Of course, material manufacturers are also very important. GUTA CLINIC uses products from Japanese companies GC and Tokuyama Dental C, and French Septodont (including materials that have special permission for use in pediatric dentistry).
Unfortunately, absolutely all fillings are placed only temporarily. Their service life is on average 5 years (although it can be longer if the mineral density of the tooth tissue is high enough). Over time, the material shrinks, which can result in thin tooth walls breaking off or secondary caries developing. The color also changes over time, so that the filling becomes noticeable.
The filling needs to be changed if:
- it is destroyed;
- the filling material does not adhere tightly to the tooth, this increases the likelihood of recurrent caries;
- the filling hangs over the gum - this causes inflammation, pain and bleeding;
- the filling does not restore the anatomical shape of the tooth (in particular, the surface of the filling is heavily erased), which leads to a change in the bite;
- Root canal treatment of a filled tooth is necessary.
Complications of caries
If you delay treatment of caries, this will inevitably lead to unpleasant consequences, sometimes even tooth loss.
Typical complications of caries:
- Pulpitis
is an inflammation of the neurovascular bundle of the tooth, which causes severe pain. If you miss the moment, the pulp dies (necrotizes), and the tooth tissues stop receiving the necessary nutrition from the inside. - Periodontitis
– inflammation around the roots of the tooth (periodontal); - Periodontal abscess
- the formation of a purulent cavity at the roots of the tooth. - A cyst
is another consequence of periodontitis. Destruction of bone tissue with the formation of a cavity where a cyst is formed, usually filled with pus. - Flux
is the detachment of the periosteum and the filling of the resulting space with pus.
The first signs of caries
- Stains on teeth.
The first signs of caries are spots on the enamel - they can be white, brown or even black. However, even such spots can be difficult to see on your own. - Pain from caries.
If you feel that a tooth has begun to react to sweet foods, cold and hot, then you should consult a dentist. - Hole due to caries.
If you can feel the hole in the tooth with your tongue, it means that caries has already developed into a more severe form and requires immediate treatment. - Bad breath due to caries.
When a person does not rush to the dentist, experimenting with caries treatment at home, teeth begin to rot and decay. The result is bad breath.
Symptoms of caries
Caries will not be long in coming in the following cases: if you pay little attention to daily dental hygiene; with reduced immunity, for example, due to a long-term cold; if you eat a lot of fast carbohydrates.
Carious bacteria and the acid they secrete are very insidious - in the initial stages, caries is practically asymptomatic. That is why it is so important to regularly attend preventive examinations, during which the dentist has the opportunity to diagnose caries in the initial stages.
Children are most susceptible to dental caries
It's a delusion. Children, of course, are more susceptible to pathogenic bacteria than adults, but older people are more susceptible to caries, especially root caries. With age, the gum muscles weaken and the edges of the gums “retreat” from the tooth. A gap appears, and it is easier for bacteria to penetrate directly to the root.
In addition, the chemical composition of saliva and its quantity play an important role in the natural protection of our teeth from caries. Saliva has antibacterial properties and can neutralize acids that destroy teeth. It flushes out food debris from the mouth and supplies the teeth with essential minerals. With age, the composition of saliva changes, dry mouth appears, indicating a decrease in the activity of the salivary glands. Teeth are washed less well, and carious processes are more active.
Signs that can help identify a tendency to caries
The first symptoms, which may indicate a predisposition to carious lesions, appear in a child at a very young age:
- saliva is too viscous;
- delay in the eruption of baby teeth or incompletely erupted teeth;
- improperly formed dental units;
- numerous plaque on tooth enamel, which accumulates very quickly.
As a child gets older, he or she may begin to complain of a sour taste in the mouth that gets worse after eating.
