Understanding about Tooth Decay and How to prevent it.

[Tariq Drabu]

Tooth decay can happen to anyone but it is quite common for children and young adults. If left untreated dental cavities can become infected and eventually tooth decay can lead to loss of teeth. Tooth decay begins with the normal bacteria feeding on food particles left in your mouth and the byproduct of this activity is acid. When this acid combines with food debris, acid and saliva forms plaque, and if it is not removed promptly, that’s the start of tooth decay. The more you consume food without brushing and/or flossing, it forms to a harder layer called tartar. The final result is gum diseases.

In addition to gum diseases, plaque and tartar leads to teeth cavities. At the start, cavities are not painful at all but if they are left untreated for a while, they become larger and they eventually compromise the sensitive nerves within the tooth. Addition infection of the tooth results to its destruction or even loss.

Carbohydrates are known to be one of the main causes of tooth cavities. Sugary and sticky foods also contribute to development of cavities since the plaque will be formed quite fast and frequently. With age, the rate of gum diseases increases and they appear more frequently than tooth decay. Damage of the gum exposes the teeth roots to excess plaque thus more vulnerable to cavities. Also, older fillings deteriorate and the bacteria are able to accumulate thus higher chances of getting tooth decay.

When you visit reputable dentists, such as Josey Lane Dentistry, they are able to detect cavities at their early stages; sometimes they can note them before they are even visible by naked eyes. One of the ways that you can know if you have cavities, is the sensitivity while consuming sweet, hot or even cold foods and drinks. Should you feel such symptom, it is time to visit a dentist.

Once the cavity is located, there are several options for treating cavities such as; you can get a filling, crown or even undergoing the procedure of root canal. The option recommended by the dentist depends with how serious your tooth decay is. The most common treatment option is filling. This is removing of decayed tissue from your tooth and then filling the tooth with composite resin, gold, alloy or porcelain material.

If your cavity is serious, it would be necessary to reinforce the damage of the tooth by use of a crown. Once the damaged tissue is removed, it is replaced by a crown which is placed over the remaining the dental tissue.

A root canal procedure would be appropriate if the cavity has spread to the root of the tooth. The nerve tissue and blood vessels are removed and the canal is then disinfected and allowed to heal. Once it is healed, a permanent filling is placed and a crown maybe necessary as well.

Curing is always expensive than preventing and all this can be avoided by practicing good oral hygiene. That is by brushing and flossing regularly, visiting a dentist and so on. As soon as you detect a dental problem, you should visit your dentist as it will be easier to treat.

[Steffany Mohan, DDS]

Well defined article on how to prevent your tooth from decaying. I would also like to add few points to prevent tooth decay. Basically it is the result of bacteria in the mouth and can be avoided by brushing and flossing teeth regularly, seeing dentist regularly and avoiding foods high in sugar. Nice sharing.