Januari 13, 2017
when a team of archaeologistsrecently came across some 15,000 year-old human remains, they made an interesting discovery. the teeth of those ancient humanswere riddled with holes. their cavities were caused by the samething that still plagues us today, specific tiny microbes that live in our mouths. these microbes are with ussoon after birth. we typically pick them up as babiesfrom our mothers' mouths. and as our teeth erupt,
they naturally begin to accumulatecommunities of bacteria. depending on what we eat, and specifically how much sugarwe consume, certain microbes can overpopulateand cause cavities. diets high in sugary foods causean explosion of bacteria called mutans streptococciin our mouths. like humans, these microorganismslove sugar, using it as a molecular building blockand energy source. as they consume it,
the bacteria generate byproductsin the form of acids, such as lactic acid. mutans streptococci are resistantto this acid, but unfortunately, our teeth aren't. while each human tooth is coatedin a hardy, protective layer of enamel, it's no match for acid. that degrades the armor over time,leaching away its calcium minerals. gradually, acid wears down a pathwayfor bacteria into the tooth's secondary layercalled the dentin.
since blood vessels and nervesin our teeth are enclosed deep within, at this stage, the expanding cavitydoesn't hurt. but if the damage extends beyond the dentin, the bacterial invasion progresses causing excruciating painas the nerves become exposed. without treatment, the whole toothmay become infected and require removal all due to those sugar-loving bacteria. the more sugar our food contains,
the more our teeth are put at risk. those cavemen would hardlyhave indulged in sugary treats, however, so what caused their cavities? in meat-heavy diets, there would havebeen a low-risk of cavities developing because lean meat contains very little sugar, but that's not all our early humanancestors ate. cavemen would also have consumedroot vegetables, nuts, and grains, all of which contain carbohydrates. when exposed to enzymes in the saliva,
carbohydrates get broken downinto simpler sugars, which can become the fodderfor those ravenous mouth bacteria. so while ancient humans did eatless sugar compared to us, their teeth were still exposed to sugars. that doesn't mean they were unableto treat their cavities, though. archaeological remains show thatabout 14,000 years ago, humans were already using sharpened flintto remove bits of rotten teeth. ancient humans even maderudimentary drills to smooth out the rough holes left behind
and beeswax to plug cavities,like modern-day fillings. today, we have much more sophisticatedtechniques and tools, which is fortunate because we also needto contend with our more damaging, sugar-guzzling ways. after the industrial revolution,the human incidence of cavities surged because suddenly we had technological advances that made refined sugar cheaperand accessible. today, an incredible 92% of american adults have had cavities in their teeth. some people are more susceptible to cavities due to genes
that may cause certain weaknesses,like softer enamel, but for most, high sugar consumptionis to blame. however, we have developed other waysof minimizing cavities besides reducing our intake of sugarand starch. in most toothpastes and many water supplies, we use tiny amounts of fluoride. that strengthens teeth and encouragesthe growth of enamel crystals that build up a tooth's defensesagainst acid. when cavities do develop,
we use tooth fillings to fill and close off the infected area, preventing them from getting worse. the best way to avoid a cavityis still cutting down on sugar intake and practicing good oral hygiene to get rid of the bacteria and their food sources. that includes regular tooth brushing, flossing, and avoiding sugary, starchy,
and sticky foods that cling to your teethbetween meals. gradually, the population of sugar-lovingmicrobes in your mouth will decline. unlike the cavemen of yesteryear, today we have the knowledge requiredto avert a cavity calamity. we just need to use it.
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