Rampant Caries

Dear Patients,

“All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” Winston Churchill

Rampant caries is a term dentists use when we refer to a condition where a patient has an excessive amount of tooth decay. We often see this in patients who had or are having head and neck radiation, but can also see it in patients who either have poor diets, or patients who practice little or no oral hygiene. The biggest culprit in those cases is sugar or some fermentable carbohydrates. In the many years of practice, I have seen rampant caries in young people who consume a lot of soda pop, or sweetened drinks. However, recently I have seen a rise in rampant caries in more mature adults who have developed a propensity for sucking on hard candy, mints, or throat lozenges. Many of these patients suffer from dry mouth as a result of the medications they are taking for high blood pressure or cardiac irregularities. This constant bathing of their teeth with sugars causes an astonishing increase in tooth decay. Be aware that saliva not only lubricates our mouths, but acts as a tooth washer and acid buffer, so salivary insufficiency can be contributory to rampant caries.

If you or someone you love has had problems with rampant caries, please contact our office for a complimentary consultation.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Dagostino, DDS

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