Ms. Tran, 30, frequently experienced restless sleep, waking two to three times nightly. To improve her sleep, she adopted a habit of drinking milk each time she woke up during the night. However, after only three months, she sought dental care for tooth pain and was diagnosed with "rampant caries," revealing seven new cavities. The cause of this condition is similar to "baby bottle tooth decay" in children, both stemming from consuming milk at night without cleaning the mouth before returning to sleep.

Following dental treatment and guidance on thorough rinsing after drinking milk, her oral health showed good recovery during a recent follow-up.

Doctor Lam Gia Dung, Head of Dentistry at Taichung Hospital, Taiwan, stated that "rampant caries in adults" is diagnosed when more than 10 new cavities appear, or when damage affects over one-third of teeth in areas typically at low risk for decay. This is a serious dental condition that progresses rapidly and impacts most teeth in the mouth.

Ms. Tran's case involved numerous cavities forming quickly, even in rarely affected areas like interdental spaces, tooth roots, and biting surfaces. This condition arose from her habit of drinking milk multiple times at night without cleaning her mouth. In addition to treating the cavities, the doctor provided a soft night guard and applied regular fluoride varnish to prevent further decay.

Dentist Lam Gia Dung reminds people to brush their teeth correctly and use dental floss to clean their mouths after every meal. Photo: Cai Shuyuan

Rampant caries is also common in patients who require tube feeding. Doctor Lam Gia Dung cited the case of a 72-year-old bedridden man, paralyzed by a stroke, who was hospitalized for cellulitis complications stemming from tooth decay.

Despite being fed via a gastrostomy tube and not eating orally, some milk and nutritional solutions pumped at night would reflux into his mouth during swallowing reflexes. Because the patient slept immediately afterward without oral cleaning, six cavities developed in three of his remaining nine teeth, leading to an infection that caused cellulitis.

According to the doctor, the main causes of rampant caries include poor oral hygiene, frequent consumption of sugary drinks or carbonated beverages, and dry mouth or reduced saliva secretion. These factors cause the mouth to maintain an acidic environment for extended periods, creating conditions for bacterial invasion. Saliva, which naturally protects and cleans the mouth, sees its acid-resistant and antibacterial capabilities severely diminish when its volume decreases, accelerating bacterial destruction of tooth enamel.

He added that rampant caries often destroys multiple teeth simultaneously, requiring urgent cleaning and root canal treatment to control inflammation and preserve salvageable teeth. If tooth structures are severely damaged, extraction and restoration are necessary.

Experts advise people to brush their teeth correctly after meals, use dental floss, and limit sugar consumption. Adults should have dental check-ups and cleanings every six months. For individuals over 65 or patients with severe medical conditions like stroke or cancer, fluoride varnish application should be done every three months to prevent decay and ensure timely detection and treatment of dental issues.

Binh Minh (According to TVBS)