Can caries be transmitted through a kiss and can they be so infected?

It is widely known that poor oral hygiene, as well as a lack of calcium, phosphorus and fluorine in the body, which are the main building blocks of hard tooth tissues, are among the main factors in the development of caries. However, there is also an opinion that caries is transmitted through a kiss and you can literally get them from another person.

Is it really so, is caries contagious, or is it a myth - let's try to understand these issues in more detail ...

To begin with, the root causes of carious changes are directly related to the biochemical processes that occur under plaque and in its volume due to the activity of microorganisms. The presence of a huge number of bacteria in plaque leads to active fermentation of carbohydrates (eg, sugar), which are converted into organic acids.Under the action of acids, the pH on the surface of the tooth enamel is reduced and its demineralization occurs - in other words, the washing out of calcium and phosphorus from the tooth enamel.

As a result, we come to the preliminary conclusion that caries is in fact directly related to the vital activity of bacteria. And if so, then the natural question arises: is caries infectious and can it be transmitted through a kiss?

 

Is caries contagious?

Studies have shown that the bacteria Streptococcus mutans have the greatest cariogenic activity in the oral microflora. This is one of the few specialized microorganisms (along with, for example, Streptococcus sobrinus), which have special formations on the cell wall that provide a strong attachment to the tooth enamel - the so-called receptors.

It is also reliably established that Streptococcus mutans can be transmitted during a kiss, for example, from parents to children. They are also transmitted from an adult to an adult, but this is not so critical, as will be discussed below.

It is interesting

Streptococcus mutans is a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that converts sucrose to lactic acid. In addition to such a breakdown of sucrose, the bacterium also synthesizes a polysaccharide extracellular and similar in chemical nature to dextrans, an adhesive compound from which plaque is formed.Interestingly, sucrose is the only carbohydrate from which the microorganism is able to create this polysaccharide.

However, you should not be too afraid, seriously fearing to get caries through a kiss. If you are over 3 years old, then in your mouth there are already these most cryogenic bacteria, which are present in the mouth of almost every adult person.

Another thing is that their destructive activity in relation to the enamel of the teeth can be manifested in someone stronger, and in someone weaker - depending on many factors. For example, on whether a person cleans his teeth regularly, how much sugar he consumes, if there is enough calcium in his diet.

But parents can easily “pass caries” to the child through a kiss: infection of children with the above-mentioned bacterium usually occurs when the child is 1-3 years old.

 

The danger of infecting children with caries through a kiss by their parents

First of all, it is worth noting that caries is a pathological process leading to the destruction of hard tooth tissues. One can become infected only with a bacterium, but not with caries, because it is far from a fact that as a result of the vital activity of a microorganism a carious cavity is formed in the tooth.

In other words, it is important to keep in mind that such a concept as “caries infection” is a big simplification, bordering on absurdity from the point of view of a professional dentist. However, since such terminology is quite understandable and close to an ordinary person, it is in this simplified understanding that we will continue to talk about “caries infection”.

So, is caries transmitted through a kiss from parents who are carriers of Streptococcus mutans in the mouth to small children who do not yet have this bacterium? The answer is unequivocal: yes, it is transmitted. But how dangerous is it? .. After all, sooner or later, infection will occur anyway.

This is where the whole essence of the problem lies - better later than before. Let's see why late infection with a bacterium is less dangerous:

• an older child can already take solid food (which itself, to a certain extent, mechanically cleans plaque);
• children have a habit of brushing their teeth and rinsing their mouth after eating;
• normal saliva buffer capacity is established (ability to neutralize acid), immunoglobulins and other factors protecting against caries appear in the saliva.

In other words, the later the baby gets acquainted with the carious bacteria, the better it will be for his still emerging milk teeth.

It should be understood that caries is not as contagious (infectious) as, for example, the virus of the flu or chickenpox. You can not be afraid to infect them baby airborne droplets. But you can infect, for example, through kisses, or licking a spoonful of a child, or if you try tea from his mug.

On a note

Within a few minutes after a meal rich in sugar, under the action of acid-forming streptococci and lactobacilli, the pH of the medium on the surface of the teeth decreases from about 6 to 4. In addition to lactic acid, formic, propionic, butyric and some others are also formed in smaller quantities.

The destruction of enamel begins already at pH 4.5, and at 4 it accelerates even more. The tooth enamel, consisting of about 96% of minerals, actively loses calcium.

 

What can be done to prevent a child from getting caries from mom, dad or grandmother?

To protect the baby from too early acquaintance with the bacteria responsible for dental caries, you need not so much - follow the basic rules of hygiene:

• you do not need to eat from the baby’s spoon (sometimes parents try the food themselves first, checking its temperature, and then feed it with the same baby spoon);
• if the nipple has fallen or just become dirty - it should be washed, not licked (also a common situation);
• ideally, the child should have its own tableware - a mug, a plate, a spoon;
• and even more so the child should have his own toothbrush, which other older children do not use.

Feedback:

“Caries is an infection, and very contagious, as it is a harmful bacteria. That's why, mummies, you do not need to lick the baby pacifier - you launch your carious monsters in a poor children's mouth this way. And then you are surprised that the baby teeth of a child are all black and caries. ”

Marina, Moscow

However, in your attempt not to transmit caries to a child, you should not go to extremes. For example, you do not need to treat the baby’s dishes or their pacifier with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide each time; you shouldn’t prevent grandparents from communicating with them, even if they have some dental problems.

Remember that even if the corresponding bacteria appear in the baby’s mouth, it’s far from a fact that it will lead to caries. As noted above, there are many factors responsible for the appearance of caries on the teeth, and the presence of carious bacteria - this is just one of them. Much more important factor is the wrong care of teeth or its absence.

 

Is caries infection possible through someone else's toothbrush?

Now, when you already imagine that caries is not transmitted through a kiss (with the exception of the above-mentioned nuances for young children), the question of the possibility of contracting caries through the use of someone else's toothbrush also clears up. That is, it is theoretically possible to “pick up” a completely live bacterium, but for an adult, who has long been in the mouth of the most full of carious bacteria, it will mean nothing.

Another thing is that besides relatively harmless Streptococcus mutans, there may be much more dangerous bacteria or viruses on someone else's toothbrush ...

Feedback:

“Maybe it looks absurd, but I accidentally, without looking, brushed my teeth with someone else's toothbrush! Just in the morning I was in a hurry and grabbed a brush, as it turned out later, with my mother-in-law (she is almost the same as mine).It seems that she has no terrible infections, such as AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, etc. And she is so pretty positive in general an elderly woman. Now, to the fact that it’s just unpleasant for me, that it happened so terribly, I’m afraid that suddenly I got infected with something ... She had something like oncology, although relatives told me that it wasn’t transmitted. I want to ask, do you think I need to pass some tests now? .. "

Sagalova Daria, Krivoy Rog

In the aforementioned recall, a pretty funny situation is described, of course, and the girl is unlikely to be in any danger. However, each family member must have their own toothbrush. To use someone else's toothbrush is unacceptable, and not at all from the point of view of possible caries infection (this is impossible), but for general hygienic reasons.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that there are many much more significant factors affecting appearance of caries in an adult and baby than commonplace kisses. And the fear of contracting caries or passing it on to someone should not be a reason to refuse to kiss at all.

Take care of your teeth, care for them and live a full life!

 

An interesting video: is it possible to get caries and how it happens

 

How to treat caries without a drill

 

Effective methods for the prevention of carious processes