Maintaining good oral healthand a shareable smile requires you spend time caring for your teeth and gums on a daily basis. Yet tooth decay can slowly build up to a point that it causes issues and problems that need attention right away. Here is the lowdown on tooth decay, including what it is, how you can prevent it, and what treatments are available should it gain the upper hand.
What is Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay results from mouth bacteria and plaque and creates darkened holes within the hard surfaces of your teeth. This decay can form on natural teeth and also around or underneath dental restorations, such as crowns.
The decay usually forms when a sticky coating is left behind after you eat starchy or sugary foods. Bacteria in the mouth flock to these coatings, and soon a layer of plaque develops. This plaque is acidic and, if left unattended, can harden above or below your gum line and become shielded by tartar, making it harder to get to and remove. Things don’t get any better from there.
To break it down even further, consider the following stages of tooth decay.
1. Demineralization
With the exposure to acids created by bacteria and plaque, the tooth enamel, that hard, protective surface layer, begins to lose essential minerals. White spots can develop across the affected teeth, and this is often the first visible sign you are experiencing tooth decay.
2. Breakdown of Tooth Enamel
Tooth enamel begins to break down further and starts to weaken. Small cavities or holesbegin to form and may show as brown spots on your teeth. You may also experience tooth sensitivity.
3. Damage to the Underlying Layer (Dentin)
Dentin is the substance layer directly beneath the tooth enamel and contains tiny tubes that connect and communicate with the nerves. It is softer and at higher risk of erosion from the acids created as you eat. Once it reaches this underlying layer, tooth decay can speed up, and you will notice teeth becoming extremely sensitive when you consume hot or cold beverages or foods.
4. Irritation and Damage to the Tooth Pulp
If not halted at the dentin layer, the bacteria and acid will continue to the pulp of the tooth, the region where blood vessels and the nerve reside. It is the pulp that provides sensation to the tooth itself and keeps it healthy. Once damaged, however, the pulp can swell and press on or irritate the nerve, making the tooth painful.
5. Infection
Once the tooth decay reaches the pulp, infection can set in, and the resulting inflammation can form an abscess, a pus-filled pocket at the tooth’s base. You can also experience discomfort due to the swelling in the face and lymph nodes. When it reaches this stage, you may find you need a root canal or the extraction of the tooth altogether.
How to Treat Tooth Decay
Once tooth decay is identified, your dentist will need to remove it as soon as possible. This removal process involves first numbing your mouth in the area of the decay, then using a drill. Afterward, you will have an open hole in your tooth, requiring a solution based on the size of the hole and the amount of natural tooth left.
With a small hole or cavity, a tooth-colored filling may do. The bigger the filling, the less strength and durability your tooth will have. For these larger holes, a dental crown will be a better option.
How to Prevent Tooth Decay
Staying proactive to prevent tooth decay from developing is also essential. To do so, consider the following tips.
Be diligent in your daily dental hygiene habits. Brush twice each day and floss at least once per day.
Limit or avoid certaintypes of foodand beverages, including starchy (e.g., breads, pasta, crackers, potato chips, etc.) and sugary ones (e.g., sodas, candy, cookies, hard candy, etc.).
Consider adding fluoride. As a mineral helpful for repairing and strengthening tooth enamel, fluoride can help you combat excessive tooth decay. Ask your dentist about professional fluoride treatments and look for mouthwashes or toothpastes containing this mineral.
Drink lots of water. Sipping on water after meals and throughout the day can help wash away lingering bacteria that cause plaque and tartar and also remove any leftover food particles.
Schedule regular dental cleanings. Make bi-annual appointments for cleanings by a professional dental hygienist. Such cleanings can help remove plaque and decay on the surface of teeth and in those hidden areas that are difficult to reach by brushing alone.
Schedule an Appointment with Lifetime Dental Health Today!
Caring for your teeth and gums can go a long way in keeping your mouth and smile healthy. The team at Lifetime Dental Health can also help by providing professional cleanings to keep tooth decay from developing or progressing deeper and causing issues. Contact our Columbus office today at 614-321-1895 to schedule your next appointment.
One of the most common dental issues in patients of all ages is the development of cavities or tooth decay. Causes for this vary, but the most common are bacteria, sugary drinks or foods, certain health conditions, and the lack of brushing or flossing. You may experience symptoms such as pain or sensitivity or have no idea that one is forming until you visit your dentist for a bi-annual cleaning and exam.
A cavity essentially is a damaged section of tooth enamel that shows up as tiny holes or openings. If left untreated, these openings can grow larger and begin to affect the underlayers in your tooth. As a result, you may experience an increasingly painful toothache, swelling, and infection, or even eventual tooth loss.
One of the best-proven ways to keep cavities away is by practicing good oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing daily accompanied by regularly scheduled visits with your Columbus, OH dentist can help keep your dental health at its best. And when you experience any symptom of a cavity forming, your dentist will know how to detect it. Such detection can be confirmed in a few different ways, including the following.
Visual Inspection and Oral Exam
The first step a dentist will take is to visually inspect your teeth, gums, and the soft tissue of your mouth. Your dentist is looking for any discoloration or damage to your tooth’s enamel. In some instances, cavities can be seen right away. Usually, this occurs with larger cavities in prominent areas.
If no evidence of a cavity is identified, or if your dentist suspects a certain tooth or area may be affected, the next method to detect a cavity is by using a dental explorer or probe. This probe is maneuvered around your teeth and specifically into the crevices between teeth. Any soft spots or sensitivity found to indicate a cavity is most likely present. At this point, the severity of the cavity is difficult to determine, so the next steps of detection may be taken.
Dental X-rays
Many times, a cavity is not detectable by a visual inspection or probing exam alone. The next step a dentist may take is the snapping of dental x-rays. A cavity in an x-ray appears as a darker shadow or spot on a tooth, while a regular filling will be brighter.
Dental x-rays, a method that has been around for years, help to remove any guesswork on the part of the dentist. Images of the inner and outer tooth are captured, and this helps your dentist discover the cavity and determine how severe it is. Dental x-rays are also a good way to determine when a cavity exists between teeth.
Typically, your dentist will obtain bitewing x-rays, where a small x-ray film is inserted between your teeth, and you bite down, holding it in place. An x-ray image is created, producing an image of that particular part of your mouth. These images include your teeth, soft tissues of the mouth, and your jaw, providing your dentist with information on the overall health of your teeth. Hidden structures, such as wisdom teeth and any bone loss, may also be revealed.
For identifying cavities deep in your back molars are other difficult-to-access areas, some dentists may use a Dental Cone Beam CT. The use of this device can provide more thorough x-rays of your jaw, teeth, and overall facial structure, creating a three-dimensional head image for further evaluation.
Laser Cavity Detection
Cavities can start out as microscopic defects under the tooth’s tough enamel. Oral exams and x-rays can’t always diagnose decay on the subsurface level of your tooth. For this, your dentist may turn to the use of a laser cavity detection device.
With this device, lightwave refraction is used. A wand scans the surface of your teeth within seconds. For areas where you have healthy teeth enamel, the light will pass through easily. If decay is present, the light will bounce or reflect back. In turn, the exact location, size, and shape of the cavity can be determined. Your dentist will also see how large and deep the cavity is.
More accurate than x-rays, the laser cavity detection device is completely safe. It can provide a wider, more exact view of the cavity, helping the dentist determine the best treatment options going forward.
Your dentist may only need to use one of these cavity detection methods or a combination of them to obtain the most information possible. From there, together you can discuss whether a filling will suffice or if you need to consider other options such as replacing the damaged tooth with a crown or other measures.
Contact Lifetime Dental Health for all Your Dental Needs
The earlier a cavity is caught, the better. If you are currently suffering from any of the symptoms of a cavity, including toothache or sensitivity, contact our office at 614-321-1887 to schedule an appointment. If you haven’t had your bi-annual cleaning and exam, we can schedule that also. Our compassionate, professional staff look forward to helping with whatever dental needs you may have now or in the future.
Dental cavities, which dentists may refer to as caries, or tooth decay represent holes in the teeth forming when acid in your mouth (oral cavity), erodes your tooth enamel. Untreated cavities or tooth decay can not only cause toothaches, but they can result in infections and tooth extractions. Individuals of all ages can have tooth decay.
Having the proper dental care, including flossing, brushing, and regular checkups with a dentist in Columbus, OH, can help prevent tooth decay.
Causes of Tooth Decay
Our mouths are chock-full of bacteria. While some good bacteria are certainly helpful, others can be harmful, including those that play a tooth decay role. The food combines with these bacteria to form a sticky, soft film named plaque. The bacteria present in plaque use the starch and sugar in the foods and drinks we consume to produce acids.
The acids begin to erode the minerals in the enamel. Over time, the plaque can turn into tartar. In addition to damaging the teeth, plaque and tartar can also irritate your gums and cause gum disease. If you don’t take care of your teeth and/or eat and drink too much sugar or starch, your enamel will continue to lose minerals. This leads to tooth decay.
Symptoms of Cavities
At the onset of tooth decay, there are usually no symptoms. As tooth decay worsens, it can cause:
Toothache
Brown or white spots on the tooth’s surface
Sensitivity of the teeth to sweets, heat, or cold
A cavity
Diagnosis Cavities/Tooth Decay
Having dental checkups at least twice a year is the best way to detect cavities early when the dentist can save a large part of the tooth. A tooth with decay or a cavity will be softer when the dentist examines it. You can also do dental x-rays. X-rays show cavities before the decay becomes visible.
Our dentists can usually identify tooth decay in the following ways:
Asking about sensitivity or toothache
Examining your teeth and mouth
Using dental instruments to probe your teeth to check soft areas
Having a look at dental X-rays, which can show the extent of decay and cavities
Our dentist will also be able to tell you which of the three forms of cavities you have: pit and fissure, smooth surface, or root.
Treatments for Cavities/Tooth Decay
Regular checkups can help identify cavities and tooth decay before they lead to more serious problems. The earlier you seek help, your chances to reverse the early stages of tooth decay and prevent its progression are greater. If tooth decay is treated before it starts causing pain, you probably won’t need extensive treatment. Options for treatment include:
Fluoride treatment: If tooth decay has just started, fluoride treatment can help restore tooth enamel and reverse tooth decay in the early stages. Fluoride treatments contain more fluoride than the amount found in toothpaste, tap water, and mouthwashes. Fluoride treatments can be liquid, gel, or foam that are brushed onto your teeth or placed on a small tray that fits your teeth.
Dental Crowns: For weakened teeth extensive decay, a crown may be needed. This is a custom-made cover that replaces the entire natural crown of your tooth. Your dentist drills the entire damaged area and enough of the rest of the tooth to ensure a good fit. Crowns can be made of gold, high-strength porcelain, resin, metal-fused porcelain, or other materials.
Dental Fillings: Fillings, also referred to as restorations, are the primary treatment option when tooth decay has progressed beyond the initial stage. Various materials are used for fillings, such as porcelain, tooth-colored composite resins, or dental amalgam.
Root canals: When the cavity or decay finds its way to the pulp (which is inside the tooth), it may be necessary to have a root canal. Instead of removing a tooth, this treatment repairs and saves a tooth that is infected or damaged badly. The pulp of the diseased tooth is removed. Sometimes, a drug is inserted into the root canal to clear any infection. The pulp is then replaced by a filling.
Tooth extractions: Some teeth are so badly damaged that they cannot be restored and must be removed. Extracting one tooth can leave a gap allowing the other teeth to move. If possible, consider getting a bridge or dental implant to replace the missing tooth.
Good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups are essential to prevent tooth cavities or decay. New dental treatments, including fluoride rinses, and dental sealants, have reduced the risk of tooth decay in children and adolescents. Adults with dental fillings from childhood can develop cavities around the edges of old fillings. It is advisable to ask one of our dentists, Dr. Love, Dr. Barry, or Dr. DiDonato what steps you can take to protect your oral health and prevent tooth decay.
Book Your Dental Exam and Cleaning at Lifetime Dental Health
Are you due for a dental exam and cleaning? Along with brushing and flossing daily, visiting us twice a year for a dental exam and cleaning is one of your best defenses to prevent cavities. Don’t ignore your oral health. Call us at 614-321-1887 or book your appointment online.
or tooth decay. Causes for this vary, but the most common are bacteria, sugary drinks or foods, certain health conditions, and the lack of brushing or flossing. You may experience symptoms such as pain or sensitivity or have no idea that one is forming until you visit your dentist for a bi-annual cleaning and exam.