Description

Cavities are areas in the hard surface of the teeth that are damaged. These areas of decay in the teeth become small openings or holes that can lead to a serious toothache, infection and tooth loss. There are various causes of tooth decay, including bacteria in the mouth, eating, sipping sugary drinks and not cleaning your teeth.

Cavities and tooth decay are among the most common health problems. They are especially common in children, teenagers and older adults. But anyone who has teeth can get cavities, including infants.

If cavities aren't treated, they grow and affect the deeper layers of the teeth. Regular dental visits and good brushing and flossing habits are the best ways to protect your teeth from cavities.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cavities vary, depending on the amount you have and where it is located. When a cavity is just the beginning, you may not have any symptoms. As the decay gets larger, it can cause symptoms such as:

  • The pain of toothaches and pain.
  • The sensitivity of the teeth.
  • Mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold.
  • The holes or gaps in the teeth you can see.
  • Brown, black, or white spots on the surface of a tooth.
  • Pain when biting.

When to see a dentist

You may not be aware that a cavity is forming. That is why it is important to have regular dental checkups and cleanings, even when your mouth feels good. But if you have a toothache, or pain in the mouth, see your dentist as soon as possible.

Causes

Tooth decay causes cavities. This is a process that occurs over time.

Here's how tooth decay happens:

  • Formation of plaque. Dental plaque is a clear sticky film that coats the teeth. This is due to the consumption of a large amount of sugars and starches, and not the cleaning of the teeth. When you don't clean the sugars and starches in the teeth, the bacteria quickly begin to feed them, and the formation of plaque. The plaque that remains on the teeth can harden below or above the gum line into tartar. Tartar makes plaque more difficult to remove and creates a shield for the bacteria. A dental professional should delete this board.
  • The plate attack. The acids of the bacteria to remove minerals in the teeth, the enamel outside. This erosion causes the small openings or holes in the enamel of the first stage of the decay. Once the areas of enamel is worn away, the bacteria and acid can reach the next layer of the tooth called dentin. This layer is softer than the enamel and less resistant to acids, making your teeth more sensitive.
  • The damage continues. As tooth decay happens, the bacteria and the acids move through their teeth on the inside of the tooth material (pulp) that contains nerves and blood vessels. The pulp is inflamed, and the irritation of the bacteria. Because there is no place for the swelling to expand into the interior of a tooth, the nerve becomes pressed, causing pain. Sometimes the pain and the damage can extend outside of the root of the tooth and the bone, causing the bone loss around the teeth, and even coming to the adjacent teeth.

Risk factors

Anyone who has teeth can get cavities, but these factors increase the risk:

  • Tooth location. The decay most often occurs in the back teeth — your molars and premolars. These teeth have a lot of grooves, holes, and cracks, and several roots that can collect food particles. That is why they are more difficult to clean than its more smooth, more easy to come to the front of the teeth.
  • Certain foods and drinks. Foods that stick to the teeth for a long time, are more likely to cause the decomposition of the foods that are easily washed away by saliva. These foods include milk, ice cream, honey, sugar, soft drinks, dry fruits, cakes, cookies, candies, and mints, dry cereal, and chips.
  • Snacking or drinking a lot. When you snack, or drinking sugar-sweetened beverages a lot, given to you by the mouth of bacteria more fuel to form acids that attack the teeth and wear. And drinking soda or other acidic beverages during the day helps to create a continuous bath of acid on your teeth.
  • The time of sleep of the baby food. When babies are given the bedtime bottles filled with milk, formula, juice or other liquids that contain sugar, these drinks remain on your teeth for hours while they sleep. This feeds the bacteria that can cause tooth decay. This damage is often called "baby bottle tooth decay". Similar damage can occur when young children to walk to drink from a sippy cup full of these drinks.
  • Not brushing your teeth. If you don't clean your teeth immediately after eating and drinking, the plate forms quickly, and the early stages of caries and gingivitis can begin.
  • Not getting enough fluoride. Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, helps prevent cavities. You can also invest in the early stages of tooth damage. Due to its benefits for the teeth, the fluoride is added to many public water supplies. It is also a common ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwashes. But bottled water does not usually contain fluoride.
  • Younger or older of age. In the united states, the cavities are common in very young children and adolescents. Older adults are also at greater risk. With time, teeth wear away and the gums recede, making teeth more susceptible to cavities. Older adults can also use more medications that reduce saliva flow, which increases the risk of tooth decay.
  • Dry mouth. The dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva. The Saliva helps prevent tooth decay, wash away food and plaque from the teeth. Substances that are found in saliva also help to counteract the acid produced by bacteria. Certain medications, medical conditions, radiation to the head or neck, or certain chemotherapy drugs may increase the risk of tooth decay by reducing the production of saliva.
  • Worn fillings or dental devices. Over the years, dental fillings can weaken, begin to break down or get the rough edges. This allows plaque to build more easily and makes it more difficult to remove. Dental devices can stop fitting well, which allows for the disintegration of begin below them.
  • Heartburn. Heartburn, a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can cause stomach acid to flow into your mouth. This is called reflux. You can wear down the enamel of the teeth and cause a lot of damage. This exposes more of the dentin to the bacteria, to the creation of dental caries. Your dentist may recommend that you talk with your health care professional to see if GERD is the cause of your loss of enamel.
  • Eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia can lead to a large amount of tooth erosion and cavities. The stomach acid from repeated vomiting, called purge, brushing teeth and begins to eat away at the enamel. Eating disorders also can get in the way of the production of saliva.

Complications

Cavities and tooth decay is so common that you can't take seriously. And you may think that it doesn't matter if the children have tooth decay in their milk teeth. But the cavities and tooth decay can have serious and lasting complications, even for children who do not have their permanent teeth yet.

Complications of caries may include:

  • Pain.
  • Abscess is a bacterial infection that causes a pocket of pus that form on the teeth.
  • Swelling or pus around a tooth.
  • Damage or broken teeth.
  • Chewing problems.
  • The positioning of the shift of teeth after tooth loss.

When the decay and decline that suffering is severe, you may have:

  • The pain that makes it difficult to live your daily life.
  • Weight loss or nutrition problems, because it is painful or difficult to eat or chew.
  • The loss of the teeth, which can affect your appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
  • In rare cases, a dental abscess, which can lead to more serious or even life-threatening infections.

Prevention

Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent tooth decay. Here are some tips to help prevent cavities. Ask your dentist which tips are best for you.

  • Brush with fluoride toothpaste after eating or drinking. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, preferably after every meal, use a toothpaste with fluoride. To clean between the teeth, use dental floss or use an interdental cleaner. This cleaner helps you to reach the areas where the toothbrush can't reach.
  • Rinse out your mouth. If your dentist feels that you have a high risk of tooth decay, a fluoride mouthwash may be recommended.
  • Visit your dentist regularly. Professional dental cleanings and regular oral exams, which can help prevent problems or to detect early. Your dentist can recommend a program that is best for you.
  • Consider dental sealants. A sealant is a protective plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of back teeth. Seals the grooves and cracks that tend to collect food, protecting the enamel of the teeth from plaque and acid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends sealants for all school-age children. Sealants can last for several years before they need to be replaced, but that need to be checked regularly.
  • Drink a little water from the tap. The majority of public water supplies have fluoride added, which can reduce dental caries in a large extent. If you drink only bottled water that does not contain fluoride, you will lose the benefits of fluoride.
  • Avoid eating and drinking too much. When eating or drinking beverages other than water, you help your mouth bacteria create acids that destroy the enamel of the teeth. If you snack or drink throughout the day, your teeth are under constant attack.
  • Eat tooth-healthy foods. Some foods and beverages that are better for your teeth than others. Avoid foods that are stuck in grooves and pits of your teeth for long periods of time, or a brush soon after eating them. Foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables to increase the flow of saliva, and unsweetened coffee, tea, and sugar-free chewing gum helps to remove the food particles.
  • Consider fluoride treatments. Your dentist may recommend periodic fluoride treatments, especially if you are not getting enough fluoride through fluoridated drinking water and other sources. Your dentist may also recommend a custom trays that are placed over the teeth to apply the prescription of fluoride if the risk of tooth decay is very high.
  • Ask about the antiseptics and disinfectants treatments. If the decay is likely — for example, due to a medical condition — your dentist may recommend special antiseptic and disinfectant mouthwash such as chlorhexidine or other treatments to reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth. Unless your dentist tells you otherwise, mouthwash, also called the mouthwash, it is generally not recommended for children under the age of 6 years to not to swallow too much of it.
  • The combined treatments. Chewing sugar-free gum along with the prescription of fluoride and an antibacterial rinse can help reduce the risk of tooth decay. But for some people, xylitol, which is often found in sugar-free gum or sugar-free candies, may cause gas or diarrhea if eaten in large amounts.

Diagnosis

Your general dentist can detect tooth decay:

  • Asking about tooth pain and sensitivity.
  • Looking around at the inside of your mouth and teeth.
  • The survey of the teeth with dental instruments to check for soft areas.
  • Looking at dental X-rays, which can show where the decay and decadence are.

Your dentist can also say that of the three types of cavities are: smooth surface, pit and fissure, or the root.

Treatment

Regular checkups can find cavities and other dental problems before they lead to more serious problems. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of reversing the early stages of tooth decay, and stop it before it gets worse. If the cavity is treated before it begins to cause pain, you probably don't need a lot of treatment.

The treatment of the cavities depends on the severity and situation. The treatment options include:

  • Fluoride treatments. If your cavity is just beginning, a fluoride treatment can help to restore the tooth enamel and can sometimes reverse a cavity in the very early stages. Professional fluoride treatments contain more fluoride than the amount found in tap water, toothpaste and mouth rinses. Fluoride treatments can be liquid, gel, foam or varnish brushed on teeth or placed in a small tray that is placed on your teeth.
  • Fillers. Fillers, also called restorations, are the main treatment option. The fillers are made of various materials, such as tooth-colored composite resin or porcelain, or of dental amalgam is a mixture of several materials.
  • Crowns. If you have a lot of decay or weakened teeth, you may need a crown and a custom fit cover that replaces the tooth of all of the natural crown. The crown helps protect the soundness of the teeth and lowers the risk of fracture. Your dentist drilled the decay area and enough of the rest of your tooth to ensure a good fit. Crowns can be made of gold, high-strength porcelain, resin, porcelain-fused-to-metal or other materials.
  • The root canals. When the decay reaches the inner material of the tooth, called the pulp, you may need a root canal. This is a treatment to repair and save a damaged or infected tooth instead of removing it. The disease of the pulp of the tooth is removed. The medicine is sometimes put in the root canal to remove any infection. Then, the pulp is replaced with a filling.
  • Extractions of teeth. Some teeth become so seriously down in the dumps, which can not be restored and must be deleted. To have a tooth can leave a space that allows your other teeth to shift. If possible, consider getting a bridge or a dental implant to replace missing teeth.

Preparing for your appointment

If you are having pain or sensitivity in your teeth, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

Preparing for an appointment

Before your appointment, make a list of:

  • All the drugs, vitamins, herbal remedies, or other supplements you are taking and the dose.
  • Any allergies to medications or adverse reactions you have had to the local anesthetics.
  • Bring in any mouth guards or oral appliances that you use.
  • Questions to ask your dentist.

Basic questions to ask your dentist may include:

  • I have a simple cavity, or do I need a crown or a root canal?
  • How many visits will take to treat this tooth?
  • When will the pain go away?
  • What can I take for the pain?
  • How long should I wait before eating or drinking after this procedure?
  • There are other steps you can take to prevent cavities?
  • Does my local water supply contains fluoride added?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your dentist

Your dentist may ask you some questions. Be prepared to respond to save you time to review the topics that you want to focus on. The questions may include:

  • Do the ends on the temperature of the food or sweet foods cause pain?
  • Made bite the pain worse?
  • How often do you brush your teeth?
  • How often do you floss your teeth?
  • How to use toothpaste that contains fluoride?
  • Do you eat a lot of sweets or drink sugary drinks or sodas?
  • Have you noticed that the dryness in the mouth?
  • What medications do you take?

What you can do in the meantime

While you're waiting for your appointment, you can take some steps to control your toothache. For example:

  • Take a pain reliever available without a prescription if your healthcare provider has told you it is ok for you.
  • The use of an anesthetic is available without a prescription that is designed to soothe painful teeth.
  • Use warm water to wash the teeth.
  • The use of toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth.
  • Thoroughly clean all parts of the mouth and teeth. Don't avoid the painful areas.
  • Stay away from foods or beverages hot, cold, or sweet enough to cause pain.
Symptoms and treatment of dental Caries and cavities