Tooth decay is one of the most prevalent ailments that people deal with on an annual basis.
Tooth decay, sometimes more generally referred to as cavities or caries, afflicts mouths everywhere. Plaque, a sticky substance that builds up on teeth, interacts with sugars from our food to cause tooth decay.
Acids that can weaken and harm tooth enamel gets produced by this mixture. There are many dental treatments available for tooth decay, and there is a virtual medical scribe to help you. Let’s talk more specifically about tooth decay.
What is tooth decay?
A tooth’s surface, or enamel, is damaged by dental decay. It takes place when oral bacteria produce acids that destroy the enamel. Dental caries sometimes referred to as cavities, are holes in your teeth that can happen as a result of tooth decay.
Leaving dental decay untreated can lead to pain, an infection, and even tooth loss.
How is tooth decay identified?
To identify tooth decay, your dentist or virtual medical scribe will:
- Ask about your earlier dental and medical issues and the treatment you had.
- Utilizing a pointed instrument and a small mirror, examine your teeth.
- To detect tooth decay that is invisible to the naked eye, take X-rays of your teeth and mouth.
Treatments for tooth decay
Early-stage tooth decay can be stopped before a hole (or cavity) forms in the tooth by:
- Lowering the quantity and frequency of sugary foods – and beverages you consume
- Use fluoride toothpaste to wash your teeth at least twice a day
Your dentist could treat the tooth with a fluoride paste or gel. Fluoride protects teeth by fortifying the enamel and – might raise resistance to the acids in plaque that can lead to tooth decay.
Treatments for tooth holes
If a tooth has a hole, treatment options include:
Sealants: The chewing surfaces of a patient’s teeth are painted with slim – dental sealants and plastic coatings to stop or reduce tooth decay. The sealant forms a solid bond with the tooth’s depressions and grooves, safely engulfing the tooth enamel.
A crown or filling: The procedure entails eliminating the dental rot and either filling the hole in the tooth or covering it (read about what NHS fillings and crowns gets made of)
Root canal therapy: It could be required to remove tooth decay that has reached the tooth’s core, where the blood and nerves get located (the pulp)
Removing all or a portion of the tooth: A partial denture, bridge, or implant may get used to replace the missing tooth if it is severely damaged and cannot get healed by your dentist.
Detecting cavities early: The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 27 percent of Americans have untreated tooth decay and that 91 percent of all Americans have some form of the cavity in their teeth.
Most cavities are easily curable with appropriate treatment if caught early enough. But when treatment gets put off with expensive, drawn-out procedures are frequently required.
Additionally, there is a chance of getting hurt or infected. It is why it’s crucial to have frequent dental examinations to identify any potential problems before they become significant and expensive dental issues.