Is Tooth Decay Genetic?
Do you get it from your parents?
How often have you heard someone say, “my mom had lot’s of cavities and I have lots of cavities too” or “my dad gave me his bad teeth”? Is there any truth to this? The short answer is NO…. and yes. Have I confused you yet? Let me try to explain.
We now know that the bacteria s. mutans causes tooth decay, or cavities. They eat sugar and secrete acid, which eats away at teeth. We also know that some bacteria are more virulent, or acid forming, than others. Numerous studies have shown that when babies are born they don’t have s. mutans in their mouth. Other studies have shown that people who wear dentures also don’t have s. mutans. The reason for this is that s. mutans lives in plaque that forms on teeth. Without teeth the plaque won’t form and s. mutans can’t be found. Therefore, since babies aren’t born with teeth and s. mutans isn’t found in their mouth tooth decay isn’t genetic. Just because your mom had lot’s of cavities doesn’t mean you will have lots of cavities.
Studies on bacteria have shown that children have the exact same genetic form of s. mutans that their parents do. In other words, children have the same bacteria in their mouth that their parents have. But I just told you tooth decay wasn’t genetic. How is this possible?
Picture this… mom is feeding her infant child and trying to get it to eat. She dips the spoon into the baby food and feeds it to the child. Then out of curiosity she tastes the baby food too. In that instant she has infected the spoon with the bacteria in her mouth and moments later feeds the child with the infected spoon. Later that day she is loving on the child and kissy kissy, smoochie smoochie again infects her child with the bacteria in her mouth.
Babies aren’t born with the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Therefore tooth decay isn’t genetic. Yet the exact same genetic form of bacteria found in parent’s mouths are found in the mouths of their children. So therefore it is genetic. Above I mentioned that some bacteria are more virulent than others. Now you know why some people blame their parents for their bad teeth. Their parents gave them the bacteria that cause tooth decay. If our parents had a lot of tooth decay are we doomed to pass this on to our children?
The answer is a resounding NO! We now know that if mother’s mouths have healthy gums and no active tooth decay they will significantly lower their bacterial counts. This means they will be less infectious and less likely to pass on the bacteria to their children.
If you know anyone who has just had a baby, is currently pregnant, or thinking about getting pregnant make her read this article. Just as it is important to visit your doctor and take pre-natal vitamins it imperative to see a dentist and get your mouth healthy. And moms, if dads like to feed and kiss their babies make sure they see the dentist too.
Ryan K. Doyle, DDS