How to Prevent and Treat Cavities?

Cavities are caused by the permanent damage to the hard shell of our teeth that develop into minute holes or openings. 

After consumption of foods or drinks having sugar, the bacteria present in our mouth turn sugar into acid and this is quite common as everyone has bacteria in their mouth. Plaque formation begins on your teeth instantly after drinking or eating anything sticky. That’s the reason, regular brushing of teeth is very crucial. 

 Enamel is a hard defensive coating on the teeth, that protects your tooth against decay. Plaque sticks on the teeth, causing the acid in plaque to erode your tooth enamel sluggishly, and as the tooth enamel weakens, eventually the threat of cavity formation and decay increases. 

How To Prevent Cavities?
1. Avoid Food With Excessive Sugar. 

 Consuming sugar is considered as of the biggest risk factors for developing cavities by the World Health Organization (WHO). Bad bacteria develop dental plaque by feeding on the sugar present in your mouth. However, brushing or flossing your mouth can prevent your mouth from becoming acidic and cavity formation.

The WHO insists on reducing your sugar input to lower than 10 percent of your overall caloric intake. However, you want to avoid nibbling throughout the day, if you do eat sugar. Once the sugar is gone, your enamel has a chance to remineralise but this can’t happen if you consume high quantities of sugar in your day-to-day diet. 

 Try to consume water more often in a day to keep your mouth clean rather than just slurping on acidic and sugary drinks like tea and coffee.

2. Use a Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride plays a vital part in oral health care, as detailed researches have shown that regularly brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste helps remineralise enamel and prevent cavities.

3. Increase The Intake of Vitamin D. 

Milk and yoghurt are very good sources of Vitamin D. Also you can rest under bright sunlight for a direct Vitamin D intake.

Calcium and phosphate get absorbed from the food you eat with the help of Vitamin D. Also, an inverse relationship is found in studies between Vitamin D and cavity formation.

 4. Prefer Sugar Free Gum

Dentists have proved that biting sugar-free gum after having food can support remineralising enamel. Especially gum containing xylitol has been tested completely for its capability to raise the pH of plaque, stimulate saliva flow, and decrease S mutans, the most usual form of oral bacteria. Casein phosphopeptide- amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP- ACP) has also shown the capability to reduce S mutans. You can get both these gums quite easily in stores.

Treatment of Cavities:
Use of Fluoride: Fluoride in the initial stages of tooth decay is one of the most effective ways of suppressing and restricting the spread of tooth decay. Fluoride can be found in certain fish and some foods and is also present in toothpaste. Toothpaste containing synthetic fluoride is considered one of the reliable sources of fluoride. Apparently, fluoride prevents the development of plaque and the production of bacterial acids. Fluoride also helps strengthen the tooth enamel and covers it against the acid erosion that leads to decay in the early stages of tooth decay, fluoride also repairs damaged enamel. Fluoride may be applied over the decayed tooth in the form of a fluoride gel or paste. 

Artificial Tooth Crowns: Another way of treating teeth with cavities is fitting them with an artificial tooth crown. A crown in the shape of the original tooth is placed over the remaining tooth after the decayed part of the tooth is removed. This crown is generally made using porcelain, gold, ceramic or glass and is attached to the tooth using dental cement. 

Cavity Fillings: A dental stuffing can be used, when cavities are formed in the enamel without affecting the inner pulp. The filling is used as a substitute for the natural enamel of the tooth. It is made of amalgam, which is coloured silver or the colour of a tooth composite. The stuffing is sealed onto the tooth using dental cement. Inlays and onlays made of tougher and longer substances such as gold may also be used to fill cavities. 

Root Canal Treatment: Root canal treatment is initiated when the inner pulp of the tooth containing the nerves and blood vessels is affected, causing extreme pain in contact with hot or cold food or drink. In root canal treatment, the original pulp is removed and replaced with an artificial pulp called gutta-percha. This is one of the last attempts to save the tooth.

Extracting The Tooth: Critically damaged and decayed teeth may require removal, essentially in order to resist complications similar to the spread of decay to other teeth. To maintain the cosmetic appearance the removed tooth may be replaced with a tooth implant, dental ground or artificial partial denture.

Conclusion:

Vitamin D, licorice lollipops, oil pulling, sugar-free gums, and other home remedies won’t give you relief from prevailing cavities on their own. Although, these methods may certainly help in the prevention of the occurrence of new cavities and also not letting the existing cavities grow bigger. To the top of their potential, they can help remineralize softened or weakened areas of your enamels before a cavity can develop. 

Regular dental check-ups and good oral hygiene are very important for preventing cavities. Latest dental treatments, compromising dental sealants and fluoride rinses, have decreased the fatality of cavities in teens and children. Grown-ups who have dental fillings from their childhood may have a risk of getting cavities around the edges of their old fillings. Aged adults may also get cavities in roots that are exposed to receding gums. Consult your dentist about ways you can cover your oral health and help prevent cavities.

Experiencing tooth pain while eating or drinking something? It might be tooth decay. Rouse Hill Smiles provides a complete treatment of tooth cavities, with the expertise and guidance of professional and experienced dentists! Visit our website for bookings or consultations.