Cavity 101: What is a cavity?

Tooth decay is softening Tooth enamel and indicates damage to the tooth structure caused by acids that are created when bacteria in the plaque break down sugar in the mouth. If this mineral loss of enamel is not treated, a Cavity or hole may develop in the teeth. Without treatment, these holes can grow over time, and entire teeth can be destroyed.

If you have deviations in the gums and exposed roots, the acids in the plaque can attack ivory and cause what is known as the root cavity. As a result, the nerves in your teeth become exposed, and you may feel pain when eating or drinking. If you feel pain near the root of a tooth, you may be suffering from some tooth decay, and you should see a dentist.

Taking good care of your tooth is an essential part of maintaining your overall health and well-being, and this includes preventing the dreaded tooth decay. Dental caries is one of the most common consequences of dental caries and can be a sign of poor health and oral hygiene.

What are the Causes of Cavities and Tooth Decay?

There are a variety of steps necessary for the development of cavities, starting from the removal of tooth minerals (demineralization) to chewing all the way through the tooth to create the cavity. Tooth decay also happens when carbohydrate-containing foods get stuck between teeth and are not properly removed by brushing and flossing.

The principal causes of tooth decay are Sugar, sticky food, and beverages. The more sugar it consumes, the more acid it generates, leading to decay. To weaken the enamel, sugar combines with a plaque to make you vulnerable to tooth decay. Your teeth are prone to acid damage over the next 20 minutes each time you sugary snack. It is essential to understand the causes of tooth decay, so you can know the best way to look after your teeth and wellbeing. Factors for tooth and denture to be observed:

• Bad oral hygiene: Do not regularly brush your teeth, causing plaque to build up and damage the tooth’s enamel.
• Plaque Formation: Plaque is everywhere in the mouth caused by a combination of bacteria, salt, food particles, and saliva. The plaque binds to the teeth and builds up over time. Plaque acid attacks the enamel of your tooth and may eventually cause holes in your tooth structure, better known as the cavity.
• Dry Mouth: The saliva enables residue to be cleaned at the teeth. When you have a dry mouth which contains too little saliva, the plaque will build up more easily.
• Eating and drinking: This is when everything begins. Because we all have to eat and drink to live, this is not stopped, so it plays a major role in the formation of cavities. Carbohydrates live on your teeth when you are chewing or drinking until you have to scrub. You may not even be able to extract any of the food particles or sugars after the brushing from your teeth. Foods that tend to stick to your tooth may increase your risk of developing a cavity in your tooth. Be sure to brush your teeth daily, particularly after drink milk or soda, or after eating dried fruit, dry cereals, hard candy, sugar, taffy, raisins, sucrose cereals, cookies, and breath mints.
• Bacteria and acid: While most people don’t want to talk about it, bacteria do actually exist in your mouth. Acid forms as these bacteria eat leftover carbohydrates on the teeth and mouth.
• Health problems: having allowed stomach acid to flow back into your mouth can lead to a tooth cavity. Likewise, bulimia raises the likelihood of an oral cavity as the teeth are exposed to stomach acid during excessive vomiting. In addition, some types of cancer treatment that expose the neck and head to radiation can cause a tooth cavity by changing the saliva make-up to promote bacterial production.

Related: 15 Reasons Why You Need Good Dental Hygiene

Symptoms and Signs of Tooth Decay and Cavities

As tooth decay continues, cavity symptoms tend to pop up. Upon getting any of the may cavity symptoms, see the dentist as early as possible. The earlier symptoms are found, the faster and simpler the cavity procedure is to be. Tune your teeth and search for these signs of the cavity:

• Pain: A toothache is among the most common symptoms of the cavity.
• Pressure: Both an increased sensitivity to the tooth and pain can suggest a cavity when biting down.
• Pits: Signs of a cavity can include a visible hole or pit within the affected tooth. The holes are Sometimes apparent only on a dental X-ray.
• Pus: A pus around a tooth is one of the most severe and visible signs of the cavity.

Some typical symptoms of a cavity you’ll likely find on your own include toothache or sensitive teeth — especially when you’re eating sweet, hot, or cold food or drinks. Such cavity symptoms usually associated with advanced tooth decay and therefore require immediate attention from a dental professional.

How to Prevent Tooth Decay and Cavities

As you heard from your dentist at an early age, prevention is the only way to avoid a cavity. There are a number of measures should be taken to help avoid the creation of a dental cavity or other types of decay and damage to your teeth. The first step in the prevention of teeth cavity is to start and keep up with a great oral hygiene routine. While this may sound overwhelming, as soon as it becomes a habit, you’ll be happy to enjoy a healthy mouth and a lovely smile that comes with good oral hygiene. There are many options for oral hygiene these days, here is a simple checklist of key items that you will need to add to your daily routine to help prevent a dental cavity.

Take this handy list to help you get started on the road to good oral health and hygiene — and to prevent a dental cavity.

• Toothbrush: Everybody knows that you need a toothbrush to keep your teeth clean, but many people don’t think about the variety of toothbrushes. Although there are hundreds of choices, search carefully to find a toothbrush that can touch all the surfaces of your teeth. It’s also smart to find a brush that has a textured tongue cleaner because bacteria that create oral malodor sometimes reside on your tongue. Specialized toothbrushes such as the Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health Brush Heads use bristles engineered to get into hard-to-reach areas and relax gums.
• Toothpaste: This is a vital part of the oral hygiene routine for dental cavity prevention. Although thousands of products are available, most dentists recommend that you pick a product that is approved by the American Dental Association ( ADA).
• Dental floss: It is very important to flossing regularly. The flossing will help avoid dental cavities by removing food contaminants from your teeth. Many people find that flossing, particularly in tight spaces, is facilitated with a floss-like Oral-B Glide floss.
• Mouthwash: Mouthwash is always the last step in an efficient oral hygiene routine for regular use. Use a topical mouth rinse not only leaves your mouth feeling clean and your breath healthy, but it also kills the bacteria that cause plaque and gingivitis. While many people don’t like using an alcohol-containing mouth rinse due to the alcohol burn.

Cavity and Tooth Decay Treatments

Even the healthiest, most committed fanatics in oral hygiene are more likely to get at least one or two tooth cavities during their lifetime — and the dentist would probably get a cavity at some point. So while avoiding tooth cavities is best, if you get diagnosed with tooth cavities don’t worry too much. The key is to find them early and be quick to treat them.

Although it is best not to get them altogether, cavities are fairly easy to treat. A filling is the most basic form of treatment for a cavity when the decayed portion of the tooth is drilled and replaced by a strong filling made from either composite resins, porcelain, silver, gold, or amalgam. Treatment for larger cavities includes advanced techniques, such as root canals and crowns. Fillings stop the cavity growing any bigger. So if you experience any signs of tooth decay or a cavity, it’s very important to see a dental professional for treatment immediately.

Related: Bad Breath (Halitosis): 17 Reasons Why Your Breath Smells Bad and How to Get Rid of It

Final Thoughts

Perhaps one of the most hated words a kid can hear a dentist say is “You have a cavity” during a routine check-up. Most of us learned about oral health, avoiding tooth decay, and cavities at a very young age. Adults can also get cavities though. Although people typically think of cavities that are mainly affecting children, adults often get cavities over the years as their teeth mature and decay. Learn what causes a cavity, what a cavity is and the effect even a single cavity can have on your long-term oral health, to keep your mouth safe throughout your life.

Questions Related to Cavities and Tooth Decay

Q: What kind of filling should I be getting?

A: Various types of materials are used to treat a cavity. Amalgam and composite are the most common types. Ask your dentist what they’re thinking, and do your research to find out what you would prefer.

Q: What kind of treatment will my dentist take to help me avoid discomfort?

A: Depending on the complexity of the cavity treatment you need, your dentist may simply be given a local anesthetic to numb your teeth and gums, or may choose to be given nitrous oxide gas. In the case of really complex procedures, the dentist may even sedate you completely.

Q: Can the cavity be fully treated on one visit?

A: Heavy decay teeth may require more than traditional cavity filling. These include inlays, on-lays, veneers, crowns, and bridges. Your first visit will include a fitting for the treatment of the cavity and your second appointment is for the actual procedure.

Q: How long is the treatment going to take?

A: The duration of your visit will vary greatly depending on the type of cavity treatment and the type of sedative or anesthetic you are given. Speak to your doctor about how long the procedure is going to last.

Q: How much will it cost?

A: Costs will also vary greatly depending on your insurance coverage, type of cavity treatment, and type of anesthetic. Before treatment, you can work with your dentist and insurance provider to get an estimate of the total cost.