Many people place a high priority on their oral hygiene, and luckily there are a variety of options for doing so. Flossing may be the single most critical aspect of dental hygiene, although it is routinely ignored in favour of more visible practises like brushing and using mouthwash. Flossing helps prevent tooth decay by removing plaque sometime between my teeth and massaging your gums.
You can pick the best floss for your needs among the many varieties available today, some of which even have special features like removing plaque or whitening your teeth. If you want to know more about maintaining a beautiful and healthy smile, read this post.
Visual Decay Stages
Cavities, dental abscesses, and eventual tooth loss are all possible outcomes of tooth decay. It’s triggered by germs that make their home in dental plaque.
Sugars in your food can be broken down into acids by the bacteria in plaque. Plaque contains acids that can erode tooth enamel if left unchecked.
For this reason, maintaining a regular routine of proper oral hygiene is essential in warding against cavities.
There are numerous phases of tooth decay. In the sections that follow, we’ll delve deeper into each of these phases, explain how periodontitis is treated, and offer some preventative measures you may take.
Stages of tooth decay
Tooth deterioration relies heavily on dental plaque. Plaque is a thin layer of bacteria and food particles that forms on the teeth and gums and stays there. Bacteria, remnants of digested food, and saliva are its main components. Plaque forms on teeth if they aren’t cleansed routinely. As time passes, it can potentially harden into tartar. Tartar’s protective qualities can make microorganisms more difficult to eradicate. The deterioration of a tooth progresses via five distinct stages. Let’s take a closer look at each of these in turn.
Stage 1: De-mineralization at the outset
Enamel is the hard, protective tissue that covers your teeth. The mineral components of enamel make it the body’s toughest tissue. Enamel loses its minerals, nevertheless, as a tooth is subjected to acids created by plaque bacteria. In this case, a white spot could appear on each of your teeth. To begin with, tooth decay manifests itself in this area with mineral loss.
Stage 2: Caries in the teeth
More enamel will be worn away if periodontitis is allowed to progress. Because of this, a white spot on such a tooth could start to seem brown. Cavities, also known as dental caries, arise when tooth enamel breaks down and allows bacteria to enter the tooth. A visit to the dentist is necessary if you have cavities.
Stage 3: Loss of dentin
Dentin is the layer of tissue beneath a tooth’s enamel. Because of its softer nature, it is more susceptible to acid erosion than enamel. This is why tooth decay moves more rapidly into the dentin. There are passageways within dentin that connect to the tooth’s nerves. Since the dentin is the layer beneath the enamel, tooth decay can induce sensitivity if it reaches it. The temperature of your food and drink may bring this to your attention.
Stage 4: Affected pulp
There’s a living tissue at the centre of your tooth, and it’s called the pulp. It is vital to the health of the tooth since it houses the nerves and blood arteries that nourish the tooth. Touch to the tooth is also provided via nerves in the pulp. In the event of pulp damage, the pulp may become inflamed and swell. In teeth, nerves can be compressed if the surrounding tissues swell without being able to expand. Because of this, discomfort may result.
Stage 5: Abscess
When germs infiltrate the pulp from decayed teeth, an infection can result. Additionally, an abscess, a pockets of pus that forms at the base of your tooth due to increasing inflammation, can occur. Abscesses infected teeth can cause excruciating discomfort in the jaw. Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck, a fever, and enlargement of the gums, face, or jaw are also possible signs.
The infection from a tooth abscess needs to be treated quickly before it spreads to the jawbone or anywhere else in the head or neck. The damaged tooth may need to be extracted as part of the treatment plan.
Preventing Tooth Decay
Cavities destroy tooth structure, including the protective enamel and the softer dentin beneath it.
Symptoms
Depending on the severity and location of the decay, several symptoms may present themselves. In the early stages of a cavity, you might not notice anything wrong. Signs and symptoms like these may emerge as the deterioration progresses:
- Discomfort that appears out of the blue or pain that has no obvious source
- Pain in the teeth
- Experiencing mild to severe discomfort when consuming sweet, spicy, or cold foods or beverages.
- Teeth with obvious flaws, such as pits or holes
- Any discoloration of a tooth’s surface, whether brown, black, or white
- It hurts to bite down
When to see a dentist
The formation of a cavity might be undetected by you. That’s why, even if your teeth and gums don’t seem to need it, you should still visit the dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. But if you have a toothache or other oral pain, you should visit your dentist right once.
Causes
The gradual breakdown of tooth structure known as dental decay is what ultimately leads to cavities. The breakdown of teeth occurs as follows:
- Plaque develops. Plaque on the teeth is a transparent, sticky film. Because of consuming a diet high in sugars and carbs and not taking good care of one’s teeth. Bacteria easily feed on leftover sugars and starches to produce plaque when they are not removed. Plaque that does not get removed from teeth can solidify into tartar, which can form below or above the gum line. Plaque becomes more challenging to remove due to tartar’s protective barrier that it provides for germs.
- Bad case of the plague. Minerals in your teeth’s tough outer enamel are worn away by the acids in plaque. Little holes or openings form in the enamel as a result of this erosion, which is the initial stage in the development of cavities. The dentin, the layer of tooth beneath the enamel, is vulnerable once the enamel has been worn away. This coating is not as hardy against acid as enamel. Sensitivity is also caused by the small tubes in the dentin that connect directly to the nerve of the tooth.
- Devastation keeps on occuring. When tooth decay progresses, bacteria and acid go further and deeper into the tooth, eventually reaching the pulp, which houses the tooth’s blood vessels and nerve. Because of the germs, the pulp swells and becomes inflamed. Since there is nowhere for an infection or swelling to go inside a teeth, the nerve is squished and pain ensues. Pain may radiate from the tooth root all the way to the underlying bone.
Risk factors
Cavities can affect everyone with teeth, however some circumstances can make them more likely:
- Poor dental hygiene. It’s easier for cavities to form in the back of your mouth’s teeth. There are many places for food to become stuck in the roots and pits of these teeth. Thus, they are harder to keep clean than the anterior teeth, which have been flatter and more convenient to reach.
- It may also be used to describe specific dishes and drinks. Consuming milk, candy, syrup, sugar, Soda, dried fruit, pastries, cookies, sweet treats and lozenges, drier cereal, even chips increases the risk of tooth decay since these foods and drinks remain on the teeth for long periods of time.
- The practise of regularly consuming tiny amounts of food or liquid. The acid produced by oral bacteria, which is constantly fed sugar from snacks and sugary drinks, assaults and wears down our teeth. If you drink and other acidic beverages frequently throughout the day, their teeth will be washed in acid for a long time.
- Unthinking brushing. In the absence of prompt removal with dental brushing and flossing, plaque can rapidly build up after meals and drink, potentially leading to the onset of tooth decay.
- There is not enough fluoride in the water supply. Naturally occuring fluoride is used to prevent tooth decay and mend minor tooth damage. For the sake of their citizens’ dental health, many cities and towns have begun adding fluor to their water sources. You can also find it in many brands of toothpaste and mouthwash. Contrarily, fluoride is rarely added to bottled water.
- Age doesn’t matter. The prevalence of cavities among American children and adolescents is very concerning. Of all, it’s not just kids that are more vulnerable; the elderly are, too. Gum tissue wears away with age, increasing the risk of root rot. Older people are more prone to take medicines that reduce saliva production, increasing their risk of dental decay.
- Cracked and peeling lips. Inadequate saliva production is the cause of dry mouth, and since saliva washes food and bacteria off teeth, it is an important factor in preventing tooth decay. Saliva has chemicals that counteract the acid these bacteria produce. People whose spit production is reduced as a result of taking certain medication, having a medical problem, undergoing radiotherapy to the head or neck, or even using certain cytotoxic agents are at a higher risk of developing cavities.
- a dental restoration that has cracked. Dental fillings can harden, disintegrate, and even sharpen up with age. Now that plaque can form more quickly, it will take more effort to remove it. If dental prosthesis aren’t fitted properly, cavities might form below them.
- Heartburn. Extreme dental erosion can result from stomach acid that runs into the mouth due to heartburn or reflux gastroesophageal reflux disease. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria invade the dentin layer of a tooth. Your dentist may recommend seeing a professional to see if gastric distress is to blame for the erosion of your tooth enamel.
- Eating disorders refer to a spectrum of conditions characterised by abnormal eating behaviours. Anorexia and bulimia have both been associated to extreme tooth wear and decay. When you purge, stomach acid washes over your teeth, wearing away the enamel. The amount of saliva produced could also be impacted by issues with eating.
Complications
Considering how commonplace tooth decay and cavities are, you may not even give them enough thought. A child losing a baby tooth from decay might not bother you, but that’s just your opinion. Cavities and tooth decay can have serious and long-lasting implications even in children who have not yet formed their permanent teeth.
Caries can also lead to the following complications:
- Abscessed tooth pain
- Gum disease or inflammation Tooth decay or loss
- When missing teeth need to be extracted, it can cause problems with chewing.
If your tooth decay and cavities are severe:
- Pain severe enough to interfere with daily life
- Painful or unpleasant eating or chewing can cause you to lose weight and become malnourished.
- The tooth loss can get an adverse effect on one’s self-esteem and general attractiveness.
- Pustules caused by tooth infections, known as abscesses, have the potential to spread to other organs and kill the patient.
Preventing tooth decay in adults
Even though cavities are extremely common, most cases can be prevented. Best practises for maintaining healthy teeth and gums include:
- Maintain your regular dental checks; your dentist will tell you how often you should go based on the condition of your mouth, gums, and gums.
- It’s especially crucial to limit your consumption of unhealthy and starchy beverages and food in the time right before night and in the time between meals. Make sure that the labels on any drugs you take do not list sugar as an ingredient.
- open choices at any time they are located
- maintain a healthy mouth by: If you experience persistent dry mouth, even after brushing twice daily with fluoride and flossing and using an adjacent teeth brush at least once a day, you should consult your dentist or doctor.
Conclusion
When applied at the first sign of tooth decay, fluoride treatments help prevent further damage and pain. Miniscule craters, or cavities, can develop in the tooth’s protective enamel. Maintaining a routine of dental exams and flossing will greatly reduce your risk of developing cavities. Acids in your mouth create a sticky coating called plaque by breaking down the calcium and phosphate in your enamel. Cavities form when the enamel wears away and allows acid to reach the dentin below.
If your teeth have become powdery white, demineralisation may be at blame. There is a chance that the decay in your teeth is now more obviously visible. The outer enamel is the part of the tooth that is protected by fluoride treatments, but the dentin is not. However, early intervention is essential for avoiding fillings. Teeth discolouration can be brought on by a variety of diseases that weaken the tooth’s protective enamel and dentin.
Teeth discoloration can result from using tobacco products like cigarettes and chewing tobacco. In addition to consuming too much fluoride, being exposed to too much fluoride in the environment can also cause tooth discoloration. If you see any black spots on your teeth, you should get them checked out straight away because they are probably cavities. However, the cavity’s size may restrict the treatment alternatives that can be used. Flossing, brushing, and using a good mouthwash are all great ways to combat cavities early on.
What needs to be done to fix a rotting tooth depends on how far along the cavity formation process it is when the problem is identified. Children should regularly wash their teeth and consume at least 1 pint of fluoridated water each day to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Content Summary
- Tooth decay symptoms may not show up until months to years after the deterioration has already started.
- If you start using fluoride treatments as soon as you notice a cavity forming, you can avoid further complications and pain.
- Poor dental hygiene is linked to some of the world’s most pervasive health problems, including tooth decay and cavities.
- Maintaining a routine of regular dental exams and maintenance, including meticulous brushing and flossing, is the greatest method to prevent caries and gum disease.
- If your teeth have become powdery white, demineralisation may be at blame.
- This is why keeping an eye out for the appearance of slight brown spots on your teeth is crucial.
- There is a chance that the decay in your teeth is now more obviously visible.
- It’s important to call the dentist as soon as possible if you’re experiencing any sort of tooth pain, no matter how mild or severe it may be.
- Teeth discolouration can be brought on by a variety of diseases that weaken the tooth’s protective enamel and dentin.
- One possibility is that the black spots are actually stains.
- Diet Teeth decay can be reversed by eating a balanced diet high in minerals and vitamins.
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a week to keep cavities at bay.
- It’s recommended that you consult your dentist concerning taking boron supplements to safeguard your teeth.
FAQs About Tooth Decay
Can you fix tooth decay?
Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.
How do you get rid of tooth decay?
There is no possible way to cure a cavity once it has reached the inner dentin layer of a tooth. The only sure method to remove a cavity and keep it from spreading is by visiting your dentist and having them remove the damaged area for you by performing a filling procedure.
Is tooth decay a serious problem?
However, cavities and tooth decay can have serious and lasting complications, even for children who don’t have their permanent teeth yet. Complications of cavities may include: Pain. Tooth abscess.
What happens when tooth decay is not treated?
Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Untreated cavities can lead to abscess under the gums which can spread to other parts of the body and have serious, and in rare cases fatal, results.
How long does tooth decay develop?
It can take three years for a cavity to form in the strong outer layer of tooth enamel. Decay progresses more quickly through the dentin (middle layer) to pulp (innermost layer). Pulp contains a tooth’s nerve endings and blood supply.
