You brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time religiously, and you make sure to floss every morning. Your spouse only brushes once a day and rarely flosses. Then, at your next dental appointment, you were the one with the cavity! What gives? Is there a chance that some people are just more susceptible to cavities?
Thank Genetics
If you find that you are getting cavities despite a great oral hygiene routine, you may be able to thank your genetic makeup. About 97% of people in the world will have at least one cavity in their lifetime, but other people seem to get many more. Cavities are a result of plaque buildup that contains bacteria. The bacteria assault the enamel, causing it to break down and potentially resulting in a hole on the surface of the tooth.
So, if you are taking really good care of your mouth, but seem to still be getting cavities, it could be due to a couple of factors. First, the pH in your mouth could be different than most people, and this is probably a hereditary issue.
You should check with your siblings, parents, and grandparents to see if they tend to get more cavities than other people. Additionally, the grooves in your teeth could be deeper than normal, which is also a hereditary condition. This could allow the bacteria in your mouth to have a nice place to hide out from your floss and toothbrush, giving them the chance to stay in your mouth to produce cavities.
If you feel that you are caring for your teeth the best that you can but still have problems with cavities, contact our office. He might recommend additional steps to boost your oral hygiene routine, or more frequent cleanings might be the answer to your problem.