The Startling Truth about Tooth Decay: How to Overcome It

Dental caries is quite common; on a global scale, millions of people face this dental issue, and quite often than not, it tends to creep up on them. This progressive dental issue can cascade into more complicated dental conditions if left unchecked.

But how exactly does it occur, and how can it be prevented, managed, and treated? Let’s take a look at all there is to know about this dental issue.

How Does Tooth Decay Occur?

Dental caries is a dental disease that begins with the destruction of the enamel, the outer layer of the teeth. This disease is progressive in nature and, if left untreated, evolves into other dental conditions such as cavities as the decay spreads into the other layers of the affected tooth.

Dental caries occurs when you consume foods rich in sugars or carbohydrates and fail to clean your teeth afterward. The food left on your teeth is then digested by bacteria in your mouth, releasing acids.

The bacteria, residual food particles, acids, and saliva then combine to form a sticky substance known as plaque that coats your teeth. The acids now present in the plaque film then begin to corrode and dissolve your enamel leading to the formation of cavities over time.

This is why at our Calgary dental clinic, we emphasize to our patients how important it is for them to practice proper oral hygiene daily because it may be the very thing to protect and safeguard their smiles from the adverse effects of decay.

Who Is at Risk for Tooth Decay?

Dental caries can occur across all age groups, and almost anyone is at risk of developing dental decay. Several factors may make you vulnerable to dental decay. Most people who are at risk for dental decay:

• Have poor oral hygiene habits- do not brush and floss their teeth every day, particularly after meals
• Consume foods loaded with sugar and starch, such as candy, sodas, cake, cookies, and juices
• Have a habit of frequently snacking throughout the day
• Do not get or have access to enough fluoride- fluoride is a natural element that fortifies our enamel and is found in some water sources and toothpaste. Fluoride can eradicate dental caries in its initial stages
• Have a dry mouth condition
• Have any eating disorder like anorexia
• Suffer from acid reflux

How Dental Crowns Can Help Protect the Tooth

Dental crowns in Calgary are used to restore teeth and protect vulnerable teeth against dental caries. This is because these cap-shaped prosthetics can be customized and placed over decaying vulnerable teeth to prevent them from sustaining further damage and eventually being extracted.

Dental crowns can protect vulnerable teeth ideally because they are made from materials such as porcelain, metal, and composite resins resistant to tooth decay.

Crowns cannot be eroded by the acids found in plaque and can therefore act as a shield for the vulnerable teeth they protect. However, you need to remember that without practicing proper oral hygiene, the tooth underneath the crown will still suffer from decay.

Dental crowns in Calgary can also be used to reinforce decayed teeth with fillings and protect them from further damage or from breaking apart due to lack of structural integrity.

How Is Tooth Decay Treated?

Dental decay does not show any alarming symptoms initially, and it is quite easy for you to overlook this dental issue. The decay would be more extensive when you have glaring symptoms such as a persistent toothache.

The perfect way to avoid this dental issue is to practice preventive measures. This may include visiting our Calgary dental clinic regularly for your scheduled checkups. Doing so will ensure that decay is caught at an early stage where treatment will not be as extensive.

Various treatment options are available for dental decay and are selected based on the severity and extent of the decay being treated. These treatment options are;

• Fluoride applications- this treatment option is effective when decay is in its initial stage. Fluoride can fortify the affected tooth and reverse any signs of enamel erosion within this stage.
• Fillings- this treatment option is applicable when a cavity has been observed
• Crowns- this treatment option is used in cases where the decayed tooth has been structurally compromised and needs to be reinforced to stay intact and avoid further damage
• Root canal- this treatment option is used when decay affects the affected tooth’s pulp section. During root canals, the decayed portion of the tooth, infected tissue, and diseased pulp is removed, and the affected area is cleaned out and filled before being restored using a crown
• Extraction- this treatment option is reserved for severely decayed teeth that cannot be restored

Contact us today at Poplar Dental; we offer prevention and treatment options for dental decay.