Prevention is one of the keys to oral health. To keep your mouth healthy, it is essential to keep good habits at home (a complete and consistent hygiene routine, a low-sugar diet, no smoking, etc.). You should also visit your dentist at Clinique dentaire Saint-Étienne regularly for an exam and a cleaning.
At these appointments, we will look after your oral health and suggest solutions and tips to help you maintain it.
How do cavities form?
Tooth decay is caused by bacteria naturally present in the mouth. They become harmful when they feed on sugary residue, which makes them multiply and produce acidic waste. When these microbes gather on the surface of a tooth, the acids they release can break through the enamel (the protective outer layer). That is how a cavity forms. If it is not treated, the bacteria can gradually work their way toward the centre of the tooth.
The stages of tooth decay
At this first stage, only the enamel is affected. The cavity is painless and shows only as a small dark spot that a careful examination of the tooth surfaces can detect.
At this stage, the bacteria have spread and reached the dentin, the bulk of the tooth beneath the enamel. This cavity causes sensitivity to hot and cold, or even mild pain. In most cases, it can still be treated with a filling.
The cavity has turned into pulpitis, an infection of the central part of the tooth containing the blood vessels and nerves (the pulp). It often causes sharp, persistent pain and requires a root canal treatment to stop it. Otherwise, a dental abscess may form.
Cavity care: prevention and treatment
Good habits to prevent cavities. The best way to prevent cavities is to control bacteria by limiting their food supply. To do so, avoid sugary foods and drinks as much as possible and keep a complete hygiene routine, including brushing after meals and flossing daily.
Treating cavities: possible solutions. If you have a cavity, your dentist will treat it properly, cleaning out the hole made by the bacteria before closing it with a composite (white) or amalgam (grey) filling. If the cavity has spread or the tooth is more fragile, a porcelain inlay may be chosen.
Cavity care: the importance of the routine exam. In its early stages, a cavity usually has no symptoms: only your dentist can clearly identify it and suggest suitable treatment. This keeps the infection from getting worse and needing more complex care. That is why we pay so much attention to it during the routine exam!
