Researchers Discover Cavities Are Contagious, Children Most
Susceptible  11:20 AM, Jun 30, 2010   |    comments   • Share
• Print   • - A A A +  They are transferred from one person to
another explained the University of North Carolina's Dr. William
Vann. "We understand how children get the bacteria, they get
them from the primary caretaker, most of the time the Mom," Dr.
Vann said. All children are susceptible, but research shows
there is a window which is especially critical in little ones,
from six to 36 months of age. So what is a parent or caregiver
to do, aside from put a child in a bubble? "You hear stories
about, well, you shouldn't share utensils, you shouldn't taste
your baby's food, and those things are true, but the reality is,
you can't break the chain of transmission," said Dr. Vann.
Still, parents and caregivers can help reduce the risk by taking
care of their own mouth, which keeps the number of decay causing
germs low so that fewer are passed on. "As soon as the teeth
come in, the bacteria