Why does one of my children have lots of decay but the other children have few cavities?

Tooth decay is a disease that is caused by bacteria and affects the teeth. Many factors contribute to each persons risk of tooth decay. Some of these factors are listed below:

• Oral hygiene
• Diet or frequency of sugar/acid intake
• Number of decay causing bacteria your child has (usually passed from parent with risk occurring in families)
• Amount of saliva – Quality of saliva (how well it buffers acids)
• Quality of the tooth structure

As you can see there are many factors and these are but a few. It is possible for twins to have different risks of tooth decay even when they eat the same diet!

It is important to understand that tooth decay is a disease and it needs to be managed. The management for one child may differ markedly from the needs of your other children. In time your child will grow up to understand how to manage their own dental health. 

Baby teeth fillings and older kids teeth fillings should be avoided as much as possible by ensuring your children take good care of their dental health and hygiene.