5 Keys to Avoid Tooth Decay
Dental health is one of the most important points to be able to feel good every day, not only physically but also in our self-esteem and, believe it or not, it is one of the most deficient points among people. For this reason we leave you 5 keys to avoid tooth decay or cavities and have an impeccable dental health.
What is tooth decay?
Tooth decay an infectious disease of the hard tissues of the tooth (enamel, dentin, dental cementum), which occurs on the tooth surface and can extend deep into the pulp.
It is characterized by the destruction of tooth tissues due to demineralization caused by acids generated by bacterial plaque.
Plaque, a sticky and barely visible layer generated by saliva, bacteria and the accumulation of food debris, is constantly forming on the teeth.
When eating or drinking foods containing sugar, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. Due to the strong adhesion of plaque, if it is not removed from time to time, the acids remain in permanent contact with the teeth, eventually leading to the erosion of the enamel.
If the infection is not treated in time, the process advances towards the interior of the tooth, destroying the dentin, the pulp and may damage the nerve, and may even make it necessary to extract the tooth.
The causes of tooth decay
There are many reasons why tooth decay occurs, however, the main one is that deficiency in oral hygiene.
This does not mean that a person does not brush his or her teeth, simply that there are many tips and ways to brush teeth that people tend not to do and are very necessary.
Among some of the reasons why tooth decay occurs are:
- Consuming a lot of sugary drinks or foods and foods rich in acids.
- Poor oral hygiene: Either by poor brushing or insufficient dental care, especially related to the lack of use of interdental cleaning methods such as floss or interdental brushes.
- A low oral pH: People with a low oral pH are more likely to have more tooth decay in their mouth so it is important to maintain better dental hygiene than usual.
- Having teeth too close together or mounted: This can be avoided with dental floss as food debris tends to remain between the teeth.
- Having periodontitis: Patients with this condition are at a higher risk for root caries.
Common symptoms of dental caries
To know if we have dental caries, we can evaluate if we have some of these symptoms:
- Toothache
- Sensitivity in the teeth or gums
- Tooth sensitivity when consuming hot, cold or sweet foods, or spontaneous sensitivity.
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
- White, gray, brown or black spots on the teeth
- Bad breath
What are the treatments for cavities?
The solutions we offer at Lamicq Dental Care for the treatment of dental caries depend on the level of damage suffered by the affected tooth.
- Dental shims: In the early stages or not too advanced stages of the destruction process caused by caries, the problem can be solved by placing dental shims made of resins. The part affected by caries should be removed, and the material chosen should be used to reconstruct the tooth.
- Endodontics: If the decay has already reached the pulp of the tooth, the procedure is different. The dentist will remove the pulp of the tooth and seal the pulp canal.
- Extraction and replacement by implant: In the most advanced cases, with very damaged and irrecoverable pieces, the only option may be to extract the tooth and replace it with a dental implant, which will provide the same functionality as the natural tooth. This treatment is called post-extraction dental implants.
5 keys to avoid tooth decay
Based on what we know, dental caries is generated by the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth so, in order to prevent them, it is necessary to avoid this.
1. Brushing teeth after every meal
This process should be done daily to be effective. We must brush each tooth and molar on all sides, being aware of each movement so as not to miss any space.
It is advisable to brush from bottom to top on the lower teeth and from top to bottom on the upper teeth, guaranteeing an ideal brushing.
2. Avoid consumption of sugars
Sugars such as sticky sweets have the particularity of getting stuck between the teeth, causing bacteria to develop and attack the tooth enamel. Sugar consumption should be moderate and, as recommended in the previous point, we should brush our teeth afterwards.
3. Do not eat between meals
It is advisable not to eat between meals since we do not usually brush our teeth after this type of food. In this case, we can chew sugarless gum, which will help us to increase the flow of saliva to deal with bacteria.
4. Flossing
This is one of the keys to avoid dental caries, although it is one of the ones that people fail more because of "laziness".
Dental floss allows cleaning the area between the teeth which is one of the main areas where more bacteria are generated because the toothbrush fails to reach these deep areas.
With regular brushing, it is possible to clean 40% of the areas, so flossing is necessary to obtain a complete cleaning.
If dental floss is used, it is likely that we will avoid dental caries in our teeth.
5. Visiting the dentist regularly
If we visit the dentist regularly, he or she will be able to examine the condition of our teeth, check for cavities and treat them in time to avoid major complications that can lead to tooth extraction.
The sooner caries is treated, the better, as this will prevent it from reaching the dental nerve.
It is always advisable to visit the dentist twice a year and to have at least one dental cleaning during that period, we must not forget to perform a professional dental hygiene that will help us to eliminate it completely.
Treating tooth decay in Costa Rica
To recapitulate what we have previously indicated, depending on the severity of a dental caries, there are several treatments to eliminate and treat them.
In case it is a deep cavity that is affecting the nerve, it is necessary to undergo an endodontic or nerve treatment to eliminate it and save the tooth.
However, in case the decay has already affected the root, it is likely that the tooth can not be saved so it is very important to be visiting the dentist to identify these risks in time.
In Lamicq Dental Care, we specialize in the treatment of nerve or endodontics and in seeking treatments to save teeth so if you have any condition do not hesitate to contact us or visit us in San Francisco de Dos Rios in Costa Rica.