Are you suffering from dental caries and looking out for effective remedies to get rid of this problem?
Then you need to follow some dental care suggestions that can help you in minimising these risks in the future!
Growing problem of dental caries
Dental caries is a problem that causes holes or cavities in the teeth and is the most common dental healthcare problem found among both young and adults alike. Most of us show lot of negligence towards proper oral healthcare and hygiene which often leads to tooth decay, if prolonged over a long period of time.
In fact, you may end up paying a heavy price by losing your precious tooth due to dental caries. Therefore, it is extremely important to take all possible measures to prevent tooth extraction.
Underlying causes for dental caries
Dental caries is nothing but harmful bacteria that causes oral infections quite often, leading to tooth decays. Bacteria or plaque starts accumulating on the surface of the tooth if it is not cleaned and flossed regularly. The main culprit causing dental caries are substances containing sugar that results in an acidic reaction where bacteria are present to the maximum extent.
Other than that, food particles like candies and sweets accumulated on the surface of the tooth can result in tooth decays, if not rinsed properly. Of all the sugar forms, both glucose and fructose are considered to be extremely harmful, posing a greater risk for dental caries.
It is the acidic reaction which is the primary cause of all the tooth decays. Normally, when the PH balance (acid-alkaline balance) is less than the specified level, the tooth enamel tends to lose essential minerals and calcium, which results in cavities.
Essential signs and symptoms of dental caries
- White spots that can be spotted on the tooth can be the first indication of a possible dental decay.
- Cavity formation on the tooth often leading to toothaches.
-Pits or holes that can be observed on the tooth.
-Discolouration of tooth or fillings that have either broken down or not fitted properly.
This can often result in food particles to be trapped in-between the space left by the fillings and causes dental caries.
Diagnosis of dental caries
A dentist can diagnose dental caries through proper clinical examination and prescribe the right kind of treatment to reduce further damage to the affected tooth.
Many a times, it is easy to physically spot out dental caries over the surface. However, at times, it is difficult to find out if it is hidden between the grooves of the teeth or covered by the gum surface. The dentist may use clinical instruments like explorer to probe the affected area, to see if there are any cavities present on the tooth.
If there is a discolouration of the tooth which is either brown or black in colour, it could be due to dental caries. But it is necessary to eliminate any possibilities of discoloration caused due to staining of the tooth or accumulation of tartar over it.
Treatment of dental caries
There are few ways which the dentist may recommend as a treatment in case you are suffering from dental caries.
- Using fillings for reducing the damage
Many a times, your dentist may prescribe the use of fillings to fill the cavities that are due to tooth decays. There are different kinds of fillings that are may be used for this purpose like ceramic fillings, amalgam fillings, composite or glass ionomer fillings.
-Crown caps for weak tooth
In case your dentist determines that you have a higher degree of decay, he may recommend using a crown cap fitting. This will help in giving strength to the weak tooth and offer more protection unlike the fillings which may only be temporary helpful. Crown caps are made from both porcelain material and at times even gold is used to cover black teeth.
-Root canal treatment
Most of the nerve endings and blood vessels are located in the root canal which may be prone to high infection in case of tooth decays. To restore the tooth for further decay and reduce the chances of spreading more infection, root canal treatment is often required.