When people think of cavities, they often think of sugary foods as the culprit behind them. While this is frequently the case, it doesn’t mean you have to avoid that late afternoon cookie. It does involve taking a moment to learn how cavities are formed, and what you can do to help prevent them. Our main goal is to assure our valued patients get the information and services they need to achieve a healthy and confident smile. Today, Dr. Jane Puskas, your dentist in 30305, is going to tell you a little more about something you’ve heard about since you were a small child: cavities.
What is a cavity and how does it form?
Believe it or not, there are many different kinds of bacteria in our mouths that occur naturally and do us no harm. The problem with cavities starts after we eat something sugary and it interacts with this bacteria. This combination of sugar and bacteria together promotes acid production. Acid can become corrosive to the protective elements found in your teeth and begin to erode the enamel. Once this weakening has happened, your teeth become vulnerable and this often leads to cavities.
Cavity Treatment
The type of treatment depends on how far the damage extends. For cavities caught in their earliest stages, a treatment of remineralization can be very effective. This involves treating the tooth with calcium or fluoride to help strengthen the enamel. It can also help to use toothpastes that contain fluoride or have a dentist administer a fluoride treatment.
If a cavity has not reached the tooth’s nerve, a filling may be all that is needed. This involves removing the decay and then covering the hole with a resin composite, which looks tooth colored, or an amalgam of alloys such as mercury or silver. When the decay has spread to the nerve, a root canal or pulp capping might be necessary. A root canal is performed when the pulp is badly damaged or the nerve is infected. If there is no significant damage to the nerve, a pulp capping might be the best option. In the most extreme cases of decay, a tooth can simply be extracted.
Cavity Prevention
It isn’t always convenient to brush and floss after each meal, so the most common method of cavity prevention is to avoid eating sugars that might help to form acid in the mouth. This includes limiting your consumption of beverages that contain high amounts of sugar like sodas and juices. A diet rich in calcium and other supplements can help replace lost minerals from too much acid build up. It is also a good idea to carry mouthwash or a sugar-free gum that helps eliminate the natural bacteria found in your mouth.
Being proactive and erring on the side of prevention is far easier and more cost effective than having to endure unnecessary treatment. Your family dentist in Peach Tree Hills wants you to know what the best practices are. We believe that utilizing a simple oral hygiene routine is a small price to pay for a healthy smile.
If you’d like to know more about what you can do to prevent cavities, or believe you already have one, please give our office a call today.