What Causes Cavities Besides Sugar?
- Khristina Maureen
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Causes of Cavities: The Real Story Behind Tooth Decay
As a Registered Dental Hygienist with nearly two decades of experience, I’ve seen it all, from the die-hard flossers to the “I swear, I brushed this morning” crew.
And let’s be honest, we’ve all heard it: “Don’t eat too much sugar or you’ll get cavities.”
Sure, there’s a nugget of truth there. But if sugar were the only culprit, how do we explain this?
That one friend who lives on sour candy but never has a single cavity? Meanwhile, someone with pristine brushing habits suddenly has three?
Spoiler alert: Cavities aren’t just about sugar. They’re about balance.
The Real Causes of Cavities
Balance between:
Minerals and acids
Your oral microbiome and your immune system
And yes, even your gut and your mouth
Let’s take a look through the functional nutrition lens (because your body doesn’t work in silos, and neither should your dental advice).
When it comes to understanding the true causes of cavities, we have to zoom out.
Poor brushing and sugar matter, but so do stress, pH, saliva quality, and even your gut health.
Your Teeth Are Alive. Like, Really.
Your enamel isn’t just some hard outer shell that cracks under pressure (although yes, popcorn kernels are still the enemy).
It’s constantly in a tug-of-war between:
Demineralization (losing minerals)
Remineralization (gaining them back)
This daily battle is influenced by:
Your mouth’s pH (the more acidic, the worse it gets)
How many minerals are available to rebuild
And yes, even your spit game (saliva quality matters!)
That’s why so many cavity prevention strategies focus not just on brushing, but on remineralizing through nutrition and pH balance.
It’s Not Just About Calcium (Sorry, Milk)
Everyone loves to hype calcium. But she doesn’t work alone. She’s got a whole team:
Phosphorus – Builds enamel structure
Magnesium – Keeps calcium in check (and out of your kidneys)
Vitamins D3 & K2 – Direct minerals where they belong
Trace minerals – Like boron, silica, and their underrated cousins
If you’re running on stress, caffeine, gut issues, or diet gaps, your body may start robbing your teeth to keep your blood chemistry stable.
Sugar Isn’t the Only Problem, Acid Is
Sugar gets the blame, but it’s really the acid-producing bacteria in your mouth that are the drama queens.
These bacteria LOVE sugar. When they eat it, they throw a little acid party… and your enamel doesn’t get invited back.
Want more acid? Try:
Lemon water (especially if you sip it all day)
Sparkling drinks (yes, even “healthy” ones—carbonation = carbonic acid)
Coffee, wine, and other adult beverages
Mouth breathing (yep, especially at night)
When your mouth’s pH drops too low, it’s like pulling the welcome mat out from under your enamel.
Your Mouth and Gut Are on the Same Group Text
What’s going on in your gut shows up in your mouth. Got gut inflammation? Struggling with absorption? Feeling rundown or nutrient-deficient?
It may appear as:
Bleeding gums
Recurring decay
Breath that could clear a room
Your mouth is part of your immune system. It’s often the first place deeper dysfunction starts to whisper (or scream). When we ignore digestive health, we miss a big part of what causes cavities and chronic oral symptoms.
What Can You Do to Support Tooth and Gut Health?
Let’s move beyond the “just brush and floss more” advice, shall we?
Try this instead:
Eat mineral-rich foods: Leafy greens, bone broth, grass-fed dairy, sea veggies.
Support absorption: Don’t fear stomach acid, support it. Heal the gut. Get your D3 + K2.
Balance your pH naturally: Hydrate, reduce constant snacking, and breathe through your nose like a calm sea turtle.
Rethink your toothpaste: Look for hydroxyapatite, and skip the foaming stuff that’s all show, no support.
Supporting your oral environment from the inside out is one of the most powerful ways to prevent decay and promote lifelong oral health.
Real Talk
Your teeth don’t exist in a vacuum—and neither should your oral health strategy.
So next time someone says, “Cavities come from sugar,” you’ll be ready to say:
"Actually, it’s about minerals, pH, and the fact that my mouth and gut are having a long-distance relationship."
Understanding what causes cavities gives you the power to make choices that work for your mouth, your gut, and your whole body.
—Khristina Maureen
Your Functional Nutrition Ally
Want to Go Deeper?
Curious what else your body’s been trying to tell you? My Health Root Reboot mini-course is a great next step to explore the deeper connections between your gut, your energy, and your symptoms, starting with digestion, inflammation, and genes.
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