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How long does a cavity take to form?

Kml1998

Kml1998

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2021
Messages
207
Location
England
I am wondering how long a cavity takes to form
Thanks
 
There are so many variables it's utterly impossible to answer.
 
@Gordon okay thanks, can they develop in a matter of weeks?
 
No, you're talking in the order of months, if not years (depending on lots of variables, especially diet/sugar intake, but also things like health conditions or habits which cause dry mouth, the bacteria that are present, genetics, fluoride, child vs. adult, etc., and then the question of whether these conditions/behaviours are consistently present or only intermittently... hence Gordon's comment about it being impossible to answer, I presume!).

To get a general idea, have a look here:


I also came across this handy infographic which doesn't require as much reading:

infographic.jpg
 
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