Is Tooth Decay Contagious?
Contributed by the Children’s Dental Health Project
Believe it or not, tooth decay can be contagious, and here’s why. Research shows that one of the major forms of decay-causing bacteria can be easily spread from a mother or caregiver to a small child. Dr Jane Soxman, a pediatric dentist in Pennsylvania, says the bottom line is that tooth decay is a bacterial infection. “It’s as if you had a bad cold and were kissing your child, you would spread the cold virus,” she explains. Dental health experts have concluded that several acts performed by well-meaning parents can transmit decay-causing bacteria to young children.
