Latest news with #cavities
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Most common causes of cavities in the teeth — and how to prevent them
Cavities are incredibly common, affecting 90% of adults between the ages of 19 and 64 — but they are often preventable. Also known as "dental caries," cavities are damaged areas in the hard parts of the teeth caused by tooth decay, according to Mayo Clinic. These areas become tiny openings or holes that can lead to toothaches, infections and even tooth loss. When a cavity is just starting, you may not have any symptoms at all. That's why it's important to be checked regularly at a dentist, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Even if your mouth feels fine, a professional may be able to pick up on smaller signals before the decay grows. Is Ozempic Ruining Your Teeth? What To Know About Impact On Dental Health Read On The Fox News App Once the decay gets larger, there may be symptoms like toothaches, sharp pains when eating, visible holes in the teeth, staining on the surface of a tooth or pain when biting. Dental plaque forming in the mouth is what leads to tooth decay, the process that creates cavities. Plaque forms when bacteria in the mouth mixes with "sugary or starchy food" like milk, juice, bread and pasta, according to Cleveland Clinic. Fluoride Exposure Linked To 'Detrimental Effects' On Health Of Pregnant Women, Infants If those sugars and starches are not removed from the teeth through healthy habits, like regular flossing and brushing after meals, bacteria begin feeding on them, the above source states. The acids from bacteria strip away tooth enamel, leaving tiny openings that mark the beginning stages of a cavity. Bacteria and acid can enter through these holes and reach the vulnerable inner parts of the teeth, causing pain and more severe problems. Fox News Digital previously spoke to Dr. Ricky Marshall about the impact of stomach acid and saliva production on dental health. "The amount of acid coming up and contacting the teeth will absolutely contribute to increased tooth decay," said Marshall, who is the owner of Stratland Dental in Glendale, Arizona, and a dentist at Wolff Family Dentistry & Orthodontics in Queen Creek, Arizona. "A combination of dry mouth and increased stomach acid can be detrimental to teeth," he said. Brush, Floss, Mouthwash: Dentists Reveal What They Believe Is The Correct Order Dry mouth, linked to causes like snoring and potentially certain medications, can increase the risk of tooth decay due to reduced saliva production. "Your saliva clears away the acid and helps to repair the enamel," the CDC states on its website. "If the repair isn't fast enough, bacteria get inside your tooth and make cavities." Cleveland Clinic recommends brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled brush twice a day, and ideally after every meal. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Experts also recommend cutting back on sugary, starchy foods and drinks. As mentioned above, these can mix with bacteria and promote the buildup of dental plaque. For more Health articles, visit "You should visit your dentist every year, especially to find any cavities," the CDC advises. For small cavities, your dentist may recommend using fluoride or other products. Large cavities may require fillings or even root article source: Most common causes of cavities in the teeth — and how to prevent them
Fox News
3 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Most common causes of cavities in the teeth — and how to prevent them
Print Close By Khloe Quill Published May 31, 2025 Cavities are incredibly common, affecting 90% of adults between the ages of 19 and 64 — but they are often preventable. Also known as "dental caries," cavities are damaged areas in the hard parts of the teeth caused by tooth decay, according to Mayo Clinic. These areas become tiny openings or holes that can lead to toothaches, infections and even tooth loss. How to know if you have a cavity When a cavity is just starting, you may not have any symptoms at all. That's why it's important to be checked regularly at a dentist, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Even if your mouth feels fine, a professional may be able to pick up on smaller signals before the decay grows. IS OZEMPIC RUINING YOUR TEETH? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT IMPACT ON DENTAL HEALTH Once the decay gets larger, there may be symptoms like toothaches, sharp pains when eating, visible holes in the teeth, staining on the surface of a tooth or pain when biting. What causes a cavity? Dental plaque forming in the mouth is what leads to tooth decay, the process that creates cavities. Plaque forms when bacteria in the mouth mixes with "sugary or starchy food" like milk, juice, bread and pasta, according to Cleveland Clinic. FLUORIDE EXPOSURE LINKED TO 'DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS' ON HEALTH OF PREGNANT WOMEN, INFANTS If those sugars and starches are not removed from the teeth through healthy habits, like regular flossing and brushing after meals, bacteria begin feeding on them, the above source states. The acids from bacteria strip away tooth enamel, leaving tiny openings that mark the beginning stages of a cavity. Bacteria and acid can enter through these holes and reach the vulnerable inner parts of the teeth, causing pain and more severe problems. Fox News Digital previously spoke to Dr. Ricky Marshall about the impact of stomach acid and saliva production on dental health. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "The amount of acid coming up and contacting the teeth will absolutely contribute to increased tooth decay," said Marshall, who is the owner of Stratland Dental in Glendale, Arizona, and a dentist at Wolff Family Dentistry & Orthodontics in Queen Creek, Arizona. "A combination of dry mouth and increased stomach acid can be detrimental to teeth," he said. BRUSH, FLOSS, MOUTHWASH: DENTISTS REVEAL WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE CORRECT ORDER Dry mouth, linked to causes like snoring and potentially certain medications, can increase the risk of tooth decay due to reduced saliva production. "Your saliva clears away the acid and helps to repair the enamel," the CDC states on its website. "If the repair isn't fast enough, bacteria get inside your tooth and make cavities." Ways to prevent cavities Cleveland Clinic recommends brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled brush twice a day, and ideally after every meal. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Experts also recommend cutting back on sugary, starchy foods and drinks. As mentioned above, these can mix with bacteria and promote the buildup of dental plaque. For more Health articles, visit "You should visit your dentist every year, especially to find any cavities," the CDC advises. For small cavities, your dentist may recommend using fluoride or other products. Large cavities may require fillings or even root canals. Print Close URL
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
Rethink, but don't ban, fluoride in drinking water
There's a legitimate debate to be had about adding fluoride to drinking water. The practice has long been lauded as a victory for dental health because the chemical can strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. But too much of it presents real health risks. In other words, the issue is complicated and calls for nuance and respect for science. Unfortunately, many politicians — cheered on by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — have opted for over-the-top rhetoric and ham-fisted bans.
WebMD
22-05-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Fluoride Is Under Fire. Should You Be Concerned?
— Until recently, you probably hadn't thought much about fluoride. It's been added to public water supplies since the 1940s to help prevent cavities. The CDC named water fluoridation one of the ' 10 Great Public Health Achievements ' of the 20th century. Now headlines are calling its safety into question. In January, a large study review linked high doses to lower IQs in children. This spring, Utah and Florida banned fluoride in drinking water. And last week, the FDA announced it would remove prescription fluoride supplements — for children at high risk of tooth decay — from the market. Suddenly, the cavity-fighting mineral has seemingly been deemed dangerous. What's going on? Newly Controversial Activists have warned for decades about potential risks of fluoride, even though research shows harmful effects only at very high doses. With the Trump administration, those voices have been amplified, starting with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Before the election in November, he called fluoride an ' industrial waste ' linked to numerous health risks — claims that have been widely discredited by scientific research. His campaign against fluoride follows similar uproars over vaccines and autism. 'We need to be judicious about the evidence and not just throw science out the window,' said Kevin Klatt, PhD, a research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. 'If you do, you get, essentially, the biases of an administration deciding what policy and regulations will be. It can lead to health claims that aren't true.' This public confusion can have a chilling effect. If you read only the headlines, you might assume that fluoride is simply dangerous. 'We're seeing more and more people looking for non-fluoride toothpaste, refusing topical applications in dental offices,' said Scott Tomar, DMD, DrPh, the American Dental Association's spokesperson on community water fluoridation. 'They don't know what the issue is. They just know they heard something, somewhere, about fluoride being bad.' And then there's the question of what harms might come if we move away from fluoride, said David Andrews, PhD. He's the acting chief science officer at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization. Community fluoridation tends to be most helpful to children without access to regular dental care — but 'the focus is on the fluoride and not the dental care and dental coverage,' Andrews said. 'I'm very concerned about the impact of ending fluoridation without also increasing support for dental coverage.' It's All About the Dose Much of the debate about fluoride comes down to how much you're exposed to. Over the years, recommended fluoride levels in water have been lowered. Today the CDC considers 0.7 milligrams per liter to be optimal, while the World Health Organization's guideline is 1.5 milligrams per liter (mg/L). January's big review of studies, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found a clear link between fluoride levels in water and lower IQ in children starting at concentrations of 1.5 mg/L — more than twice the CDC recommendation. Researchers did see effects below 1.5 mg/L, wrote lead author Kyla Taylor, PhD, in an email, but the trend at those lower levels was less clear. That's because there were relatively few data points for water fluoride, making it harder to find statistically meaningful effects. Many more data points existed for fluoride in urine, which reflects total exposure from all sources — not just water but also toothpaste and things like black tea and coffee. All this makes it harder to detect a reliable pattern between water fluoride and IQ, especially at lower levels. A monograph produced by the National Toxicology Program in 2024 had similar findings: Exposure at higher levels, above 1.5 mg/L, was consistently linked with lower IQ scores in children. The report stressed that there wasn't enough data to determine if low levels in water posed a similar risk. Almost 12 million Americans drink public water with naturally occurring fluoride above 0.7 mg/L. This is a cause for concern, but there are no large-scale efforts to lower those levels. What to Do As an adult, you're safe — there's no evidence that shows fluoride poses any risk to you. And unless your family's water supply contains significantly more than 0.7 mg/L of fluoride, your children's risk is low, too. But there are two circumstances that call for a closer look: If you worry about naturally occurring fluoride in your tap water, contact your local water provider for details. The EPA requires community water systems to alert their customers if levels hit 2 mg/L or higher. Using well water? Get a sample tested —check with your local health department to find a state-certified lab near you. Should the results be worrisome, you can install filters to remove the fluoride. (Home test kits are available, but research suggests they may not be accurate.) If you're formula-feeding an infant and concerned about fluoride in your tap water, use fluoride-free water (such as purified or distilled) to mix it. Breastfeeding? Drinking fluoridated water is fine — concentrations in breast milk are so low, they're sometimes undetectable.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA moves to take fluoride supplements for children off the market
U.S. health regulators announced they are beginning to remove ingestible fluoride supplements for children from the market, the latest move by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to target the tooth-strengthening mineral. Fluoride – a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, air, and various foods – helps prevent dental cavities and tooth decay. The mineral has been added to public water supplies for decades in the United States and to dental products, such as toothpaste, as a dental cavities prevention measure. In a news release on May 13, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the Food and Drug Administration is starting to phase out "concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products" from the market. Fluoride supplements are typically prescribed to children at high risk of dental cavities and tooth decay, or who live in areas where their drinking water is not fluoridated. The agency noted that the supplements, taken orally with tablets or drops, are not approved by the FDA. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary also suggested the supplements may alter a child's gut microbiome, and cited studies that show a possible link between ingested fluoride and "thyroid disorders, weight gain, and possibly decreased IQ." "Ending the use of ingestible fluoride is long overdue," Kennedy said in a statement. "This decision brings us one step closer to delivering on President Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again." Kennedy's push against fluoride is part of his controversial Make America Healthy Again movement, which is centered on ending what he calls the "chronic disease epidemic." Scientists and dental health organizations have repeatedly warned that the HHS secretary's recommendations against fluoride are disastrous for public health. "Rationales for limiting use should be based on evidence, and there is no scientific evidence that fluoride at low levels affects gut microbiota," American Dental Hygienists' Association President Erin Haley-Hitz said in a statement following the FDA's announcement. Removing fluoride resources will create "unprecedented challenges for oral disease prevention" in underserved areas, Haley-Hitz added. The American Dental Association has also reiterated its support for community water fluoridation to help prevent tooth decay, according to Reuters. The FDA has set a goal date of Oct. 31 for completing a safety review and public comment period on the measure. Health in America: As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US Fluoride works by strengthening the tooth's enamel, its hard outer surface, making it more resistant to the acid produced by bacteria in the mouth that causes tooth decay, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Fluoride also reverses early tooth decay by replacing and preventing the loss of minerals. Before the start of community water fluoridation, dental decay and cavities were widespread and impacted the entire population of the United States, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Public health officials later recommended water fluoridation after research showed fluoride could reduce tooth decay. The CDC has called the fluoridation of drinking water one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, during which Americans' life expectancies rose by 30 years. More than 100 health organizations, including the CDC, American Medical Association, World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Dental Association, maintain that water fluoridation is safe and effective. Studies show that community water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by more than 25% in children and adults, even in an era with widespread availability of fluoride from dental products, according to the American Dental Association. 'Greatly take offense': RFK Jr. wants to find 'cause' of autism. Here's what people in autism community think Kennedy has endorsed claims that fluoride is behind a host of health conditions, from ADHD and hypothyroidism to lowering IQ. Dentists and epidemiologists have hit back at those accusations as scientifically unproven, and have warned that removing fluoride from water systems could take a serious toll on public health. In April, the Kennedy said he would tell the CDC to stop recommending that cities and states add fluoride to public water systems. Adding fluoride to water is not required by law. Utah became the first state in the United States to ban fluoride in public water systems after Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation in March. The law went into effect May 7. Florida is set to become the second state to ban fluoride from being added to public water supplies after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on May 6 that he planned to sign the bill into law. The new law is expected to take effect July 1. Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, and Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FDA to remove fluoride supplements for children off the market
