Cavities/tooth decay - Symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment

Tooth decay and cavities are one of the most common dental problems, especially among children. Tooth decay is a dental disease that damages the tooth enamel and later it starts to affect the inner part of the tooth. Tooth decay is mostly caused because of poor dental hygiene. Food stays stuck between your teeth when you don’t regularly brush and floss. Bacteria starts growing here and starts to affect your teeth. This later makes your tooth to starts decaying. When these decays are ignored, they damage the hard upper layer of teeth which makes holes in the teeth, which we refer to as a cavity.

Anyone with teeth can get cavities. Cavities can cause severe dental problems because they are the result of infections, and infections grow. Tooth decay can cause severe toothache and you can even lose your tooth. A decayed tooth destroys the smile’s aesthetics because it is visible as a black spot on the tooth.

Tooth decay and cavities need professional dental care. Over some time, these infections can develop into an abscess. An abscess is when the infection gets worse and starts to form pockets of pus. These abscesses can also affect your gums or even your throat. Abscesses are far worse than tooth decay and cause much more pain and a foul smell.

Symptoms for tooth decay or cavity can vary depending on their position and location. Sometimes you will not feel any symptoms and still have rotting teeth. Minor tooth decay does not cause any symptoms most of the time. But when the cavity will get bigger you will see the following symptoms.

1. Sudden and spontaneous toothaches.
2. Tooth sensitivity.
3. Brown or black stains on the tooth.
4. Rotting smell when you breathe.
5. Pain in the teeth while chewing.
6. Loose fillings.
7. Food frequently getting trapped in teeth

1. Poor dental hygiene can be the reason for bacterial growth in the mouth. These bacteria cause tooth decay. These rotting teeth develop cavities. Cavities are cleaned and filled with a cavity filling.
2. The use of poor-quality toothbrushes and toothpaste can also be the reason. Using overused or dirty toothbrushes can do more harm than good.
3. Plaque is a thin clean layer than starts to coat your teeth if you consume high amounts of sugar and starch. Excess consumption of sugar results in the formation of this thin layer of starch over the teeth. This layer becomes a feeding ground for bacteria. These bacteria later start to affect the teeth and cause tooth decay.
4. The high amounts of sugar can also become the reason for tooth decay. Cavities are most common among children because they eat a lot of candies and sweets.
5. Sticky food is not always cleaned properly after it gets stuck in your teeth. This causes bacterial growth and later tooth infections.
6. A dry mouth can also cause a risk of tooth infections.
7. Poor genetics is often the cause of rotting teeth because weak genetics cause weak enamel and the immune system.

Depending upon the severity of the problems dentists recommend different treatments to different people. Some of the most common treatments are -

Fluoride treatment

Dentists use fluoride in various ways like gel, varnish, foam, or solution. Fluoride is a quick treatment that takes only minutes. Fluoride is applied directly on the teeth. Fluoride not only protects teeth from damage but also recovers damage already done.

Fillings

Fillings treatment is used in the treatment of cavities. Affected tooth is drilled and the decay is removed, then the tooth is filled with cavity filling. The cavity filling is made from amalgam or composite.

Crowns

A crown is a cap that fits on the tooth. After removing the cavity or the decayed part of the tooth, some outer part of the tooth is also removed. Then a crown is fit on the top of the tooth. Crown are great protection for damaged teeth because they provide a lot of strength to them.

Root canals

A root canal is used when the infection affects the pulp of the tooth, which is the innermost part of the tooth. The whole infected pulp is removed and medicine is used to completely clean the tooth from any bacteria. Then a rubber-like substance is filled inside the tooth and a crown is fitted on the teeth.

Tooth extraction

When the tooth is severely affected, tooth removal becomes necessary. First, the patient is given anesthesia so he doesn’t feel any kind of pain. Then the tooth is removed using simple extraction or surgical extraction. If the tooth is visible, a simple extraction is used and if the tooth is impacted, surgical extraction is used.

Even after being the most common dental disease, tooth decay and cavities are completely preventable. You can follow these steps to prevent rotting teeth and tooth decay.

1. Maintaining good dental hygiene by brushing and flossing daily.
2. Use good quality dental products.
3. Change toothbrush every 1-2 months.
4. Keep the toothbrush clean.
5. Eat low-sugar foods.
6. Drink enough amount of water to avoid dry mouth.
7. Avoid sticky foods.
8. Getting regular dental checkups.

Children, teenagers, and even adults can develop tooth decay. If these rotting teeth are not treated properly, they can leave very unattractive damage to your smile. But you can protect yourself from lost tooth, decaying tooth, or stained tooth just by getting regular dental checkups. Book your appointment today to get your dental checkup done by expert dentists.