This article from the American Academy of Family Physicians may help identify problems.
What is dental caries?
Dental caries (CARE-eez) is an infection caused by certain bacteria (germs) in your mouth. It destroys the enamel (the hard outer layer) and dentin (the bone-like tissue under the enamel) of your teeth. More common names for dental caries are cavities and tooth decay.
How can I prevent dental caries?
Taking care of your mouth is important. You and your family should visit a dentist each year, starting at one year of age.
You should brush and floss twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride (FLOOR-ide). You can start teaching children to brush with a small amount of low-fluoride toothpaste when they are two years old. After six years of age, children can use regular fluorid…