A dental cavity is a hole in the tooth that occurs as a result of tooth decay. A dental cavity refers to the deterioration of a tooth or teeth because of acids that are naturally present in the mouth as a result of bacteria. These cavities can range in colour, but are most commonly dark or black. Should you experience symptoms such as difficulty eating, swallowing, or speaking and can feel pain in your gums, then you may well be experiencing dental cavity as a result of tooth decay. Dental cavities should be avoided at all costs as they can lead to a number of further issues such as severe inflammation, infection, and in extreme cases, loss of teeth. When the enamel and dentin of the tooth in question is destroyed by acids, the tooth is at high risk of damage since it has no form of protection whatsoever. While before the decay your teeth may have been able to handle sugar in sensible quantities, with tooth decay and dental cavities any form of sugar poses an extreme risk.
A huge variety of bacteria naturally reside in the human mouth – on the teeth, on the tongue and surrounding the gums. Not all bacteria are bad, but those that cause tooth decay and resultantly dental cavities are most certainly bad. Tooth decay does not occur on its own, but as a result of poor care and therefore infection. The more sugar that you consume, the more likely you are to fuel those bacteria’s that make damaging acids within your mouth. If you continue to consume these sugars and provide these acids with what they need to cause damaging effects, then you will undoubtedly experience dental cavities at some point in your life. Generally speaking, a standard family dentist can help resolve these issues.
There are things that your mouth wants, and there are things that it most certainly doesn’t. In an ideal world of the mouth, it would contain only healthy saliva and quantities of fluoride. However of course, this is impossible if we are to eat. Whenever something that has sugar or starch is put into the mouth, the bacteria that reside in the mouth are encouraged to produce acids that are harmful to the enamel and dentine on our teeth that protect them. The best things for the mouth are healthy saliva as well as fluoride which occurs naturally in toothpaste and tap water – if you have damaged your teeth, all is not lost should you notice it and start consuming more of these that will help that damage to be repaired. This process can happen all day every day, with the teeth being attacked and repaired constantly.
When thinking about what techniques prevent tooth decay, it is important to learn about how tooth decay and cavities develop in the first place! If your teeth are continually exposed to the harmful acids that we spoke about earlier in the article, the constant damage and then fixing by fluoride causes the enamel on the teeth to become drained, damaged, and to lose minerals as a result of being tired. One tell-tale sign of a decaying tooth is a white spot anywhere on the tooth – this white spot is a mark of a loss of minerals by the enamel. At this point it is possible to prevent further damage to the tooth since the protective coating on the teeth can be repaired with fluoride. However, should this damage be continuous and repair not be given enough time to take place, the enamel will be constantly thinned and drained of minerals that it needs. The white spot will then turn into a cavity as a result of the tooth decay – cavities cannot be repaired and are permanent. They usually have to be filled.
So, what dentistry techniques are the best that will help you prevent the occurrence of dental cavities? Getting fluoride! Fluoride is what good teeth and mouth health thrives on! As previously stated, it occurs naturally in tap water as well as toothpaste. It protects teeth by halting mineral loss from the enamel of the teeth, as well as putting back those minerals that were lost as a result of attacks from harmful acids caused by sugars. Not only does fluoride help to repair the enamel, it also makes harmful bacteria in the mouth less able to produce harmful acids. If it is found that you are not obtaining enough fluoride via natural sources such as water and toothpaste, products such as fluid gels and tablets are available. There are also fluoride mouthwashes for helping with this shortage.
Dental sealants – sealants are an alternative way to reduce your chances of getting a tooth cavity as a result of tooth decay. A dental sealant is a fine plastic coating that is applied to the parts of the teeth that are most used for chewing and breaking down food. In order to break down food and chew it properly, the tops of the molars at the back of the mouth have different shapes. The downside of this is that bacteria and sugars can often become lodged there for an extended period of time since it is considerably more difficult to access these areas with generic cleaning techniques. A good dental sealant could cover these areas whilst still retaining proper chewing ability.
If you are thinking about getting dental sealants for your child, then it is important to consider the age at which you should have this procedure done at. If you choose to do this, it is best to have it done at the development of the permanent molars – usually the first set around the age of 6, and the second around the age of 12 or 13.
Most importantly to avoid dental cavities, always attend the dentist regularly, even if you do not experience pain or discomfort. This is important since dentists can see any potential problems before you – they will also remove any plaque and give you advice on how to properly maintain your dental health.
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