The cavity in teeth is the most common dental problem in people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Holes in teeth are known as cavities, dental decay, and caries. They develop when acids erode the teeth’s hard enamel. The enamel, the tooth’s outermost layer, is where tooth decay begins. It eventually reaches the dentin, the tooth’s inner layer. A dental cavity starts to form at this moment.
Maintaining your teeth’s hygiene and dental health needs discipline, commitment, frequent tooth brushing, and flossing. You should also make routine dental appointments with your dentist at least twice a year. Even so, plaque and tartar accumulation is still a probability, particularly in difficult-to-reach parts of your mouth. To prevent cavities on teeth and future harm, you should avoid bacteria and germs that cause tooth decay as soon as possible.
What is a Cavity?
A cavity is a little hole in a tooth’s hard surface called enamel. Cavities develop when typical oral bacteria, often known as plaque, create a sticky film on the teeth’s surface and break down the sugar in our diet to produce acid. The minerals that provide our enamel strength are stripped away by this acid, which erodes and wears down our teeth. Once the barrier protecting enamel breaks, the acid will begin eroding the dentin layer underneath, creating a cavity on side of the tooth.
Signs of Tooth Decay
The signs of tooth decay include:
- Gray, brown, or black patches growing on your teeth
- Halitosis
- An unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Toothache – either chronic, awake discomfort or random, intense pain without apparent explanation of tooth sensitivity
- Feeling discomfort and pain while eating something hot, cold, or sweet.
How to Stop Tooth Decay?
Cavities and other dental abnormalities can be found during routine exams before they worsen or start to create more serious issues. You have a better chance of correcting early tooth decay and stopping its progression if you tooth decay treatment as soon as possible. You generally won’t require a thorough procedure if a cavity is taken care of before it starts to hurt.
Avoid Sugary Diet
Diet, especially free sugars, is one of the major causes of cavities. Sugar consumption should be limited, and eating a balanced diet is very important. In the mouth, sugar and oral bacteria interact to produce an acid that erodes tooth enamel.
Fluoride Treatment
If a cavity has just started, fluoride treatments may be able to stop the process. The enamel of your teeth can repair with the use of fluoride treatments. Fluoride concentrations in professional fluoride treatments are higher than those in toothpaste, mouthwash, and tap water. Fluoride treatments can be administered to your teeth directly with a brush, inside a little tray that fits over them, or as a liquid, gel, foam, or varnish.
Filling
After degradation has progressed past the early stage, a filling, often referred to as a restoration, is the main course of treatment. Porcelain, tooth-colored composite resins, and dental amalgam, a mixture of several materials, are some materials utilized to create fillings.
Crown
You could require a crown, a specially fitted covering that replaces the entire natural crown of your tooth if you have teeth with significant decay or weakening. Your dentist’s drill removes a sufficient amount of healthy tooth structure along the entire decayed area. The dentist uses Gold, high-strength porcelain, resin, porcelain fused to metal, and other materials to make crowns.
A Final Word
One of the best family dentists to see if you suspect you have a cavity or even just want to schedule an exam and cleaning to check for pre-cavities or other risk factors is Dr. Robert H. Thornton. He is experienced, and compassionate, and treats his patients with care.