Things You Need To Know About Cavities
When the problem of tooth decay advances, it transforms into cavity. The factors which can result in cavities include lifestyle, eating habits, carelessness towards oral care, and lack of presence of fluoride in water and toothpaste.
Normally, children are considered more prone to cavities. However, the risk is not lower for the adults too. There are three types of cavities to talk about.
- The most common type of cavities involves the ones called coronal cavities. These cavities exist on the chewing surfaces or between the teeth.
- Another type includes the root cavities. Root cavities develop when gums recede and the vulnerable part is exposed against germs and bacteria. The area under the gums then develops cavities.
- Another type is known as recurrent decay. This decay occurs around the fillings and crowns due to the fact that these areas give good spot to the bacteria which develop plaque.
Lack of saliva, also known as mouth dryness, can result in the condition which can lead to cavities. There can be many reasons for mouth dryness. The most common ones include medication, illness, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The condition of mouth dryness can be temporary as well as permanent.
It is worth mentioning that cavities can be pretty serious. If you leave them untreated, you may end up having dead nerves inside the affected teeth. Cavities can also result in infection in the tooth pulp. This infection can travel down towards the tooth root and cause tooth abscess. This problem of tooth abscess can be treated only with the help of a root canal surgery.
How to know if you have cavity?
Your dentist is the person to tell you if you have cavity. The reason is that a cavity usually developers under the tooth surface and it may not be visible. When you eat foods rich in carbohydrates and sugar, the sugar and carbs are eaten by the bacteria present in your mouth. As a result, these bacteria release acids which eat away tooth enamel. When enough of tooth enamel is gone, the layer beneath enamel is exposed against infectious bacteria. The infection in that layer results in cavity.
Cavities are usually developed in the pits and grooves of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. They may also appear between the teeth and near gum line. No matter where they occur, you need to consult your physician in order to get your cavity treated.
Prevention
While you can get the cavities in your teeth treated by your dentist, the best way remains to be the prevention of cavities. For this purpose, the first thing that you have to make sure is that you are taking care of your dental hygiene by brushing and flossing your teeth on regular basis. Preventative care also includes routine dental checkups. Make sure that you are not missing any. The products you use for your dental hygiene should include fluoride which serves as major protection against cavities.