Cavities are a common dental issue that affects several people of all ages, including babies, teenagers, and adults. While the symptoms of a cavity on your tooth can be bothersome, the good news is that it is a preventable and treatable dental issue. Taking proactive approaches can lessen the risk of developing cavities and keep your teeth strong and healthy for a lifetime.
In this article, we will explore various causes of cavities, common remedies or treatments, and share helpful tips for reversing and preventing this dental issue.
What is a Dental Cavity?
Dental cavities are the tiny holes that form on the surface of your teeth (enamel) due to continuous erosion by acidic excretes released by bacteria that thrive in your mouth or untreated tooth decay. The most common culprit for cavities is a bacterium scientifically known as "Streptococcus mutans," which forms a sticky film on the surface of your teeth (plaque).
When tooth decay is left untreated, this erosion caused by the acidic excretes released by the bacteria will spread to the next layer of your tooth, also known as dentin, leading to a cavity. At this stage, you will know you have a tooth cavity because you will experience several symptoms, including:
- Sensitivity when drinking warm or cold beverages.
- Sensitivity when eating salty or sour food.
- Sharp pain when biting down.
- Brown, black, or white stain on the surface of the affected tooth.
- Spontaneous pain.
- Swelling gums or toothache.
- Visible holes in your tooth (cavities).
Generally speaking, the symptoms caused by cavities will depend on how many you have on your teeth. In most cases, during the early stages of cavity development, you will not experience any symptoms. However, once the tiny holes on the surface of your teeth deepen or extend to the dentine, which is nervous, you will detect that you have a cavity.
That is why it is advisable to schedule frequent dental visits to give your dentist a chance to determine whether you are at risk of cavities and other dental issues.
Helpful Tips That Can Prevent or Reverse Cavities
The phrase "prevention is better than cure" is true, particularly in dental health. Preventing cavities is an integral part of maintaining excellent oral and dental health. Fortunately, preventing this bothersome dental issue does not have to be a major worry or chore. Explained below are a few tips that can lessen your chances of developing tooth decay and cavities:
Brush Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth is one of the easiest remedies to help prevent or reverse cavities. No wonder our parents insisted that we should brush our teeth regularly when we were growing up. Aside from improving the aesthetic appearance of your smile, brushing your teeth at least twice daily for two minutes helps prevent plaque formation on the surface of your teeth, keeping cavities at bay.
For best results, most dentists recommend brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste, which strengthens your teeth' enamel.
Floss and Clean the Spaces Between Your Teeth
Food particles that stick between the spaces of your teeth provide the cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth with an ideal environment to thrive. Since a toothbrush cannot remove these food particles from the gaps between your teeth, your dentist will recommend using an interdental cleaner or dental floss like Sulcabrush.
Removing food particles stuck between the spaces in your teeth ensures that cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth have nothing to feed on, minimizing or stopping the erosion of your teeth enamel.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Great nutrition is important not only for your body and well-being but also for your dental health. Your daily food choices or diet can boost your dental health or put you at risk of dental health issues like cavities. If you are unsure what foods are best for your dental health, your dentist can help, especially if you are on a special diet or have food restrictions.
Generally speaking, the following are examples of foods that can help boost your dental health, keeping cavities at bay:
- Milk and other dairy products, like cheese.
- Fatty fish and lean meat.
- Leafy greens.
- Green tea.
- Carrots.
- Nuts.
- Apples.
Since sugar is the catalyst that boosts the growth of cavity-causing bacteria, lessening sugary foods like candy, doughnuts, soda, and sweets can help reverse or prevent tooth cavities. Remember to thoroughly brush and rinse your teeth when you snack on these sugary foods.
Use Fluoridated Mouthwash
Another important tool you need in your dental hygiene kit is fluoridated mouthwash. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps strengthen and remineralize your teeth. Using fluoridated mouthwash to rinse your mouth twice daily, especially after brushing your teeth, can help prevent cavities.
Aside from strengthening your teeth, fluoridated mouthwash can also help lessen cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth for the healthy smile you deserve. Tap water is also another great source of fluoride that you need for stronger teeth.
Stop Smoking
Many are aware that smoking is bad for their overall body health, but some do not know it is also an enemy of their dental health. Smoking is a culprit in many dental and oral health problems like cavities, teeth discoloration, oral cancer, and halitosis (bad breath).
If you would like to embark on the journey to stop smoking or using tobacco-related products, you should speak with your dentist for guidance. Your dentist can help you tailor a plan to help you stop this unhealthy habit and avoid dental issues like cavities.
Undergo Fluoride Treatment
Undergoing a fluoride treatment would be a great idea if your home tap water is non-fluoridated and your mouthwash and toothpaste do not provide your teeth with sufficient fluoride to help prevent cavities. During fluoride treatments, your dentist will apply fluoride directly to the surface of your teeth to boost their health and lessen the risk of cavities.
Chew Sugar-free Gum
According to research, chewing sugarless gum can help remineralize your teeth, reversing or lessening the chances of developing cavities. Sugarless gum contains a chemical compound known as xylitol, which stimulates saliva production, which is very important in your mouth.
Aside from helping prevent dry mouth issues, saliva helps neutralize acidity and wash away food particles that linger in your mouth after eating.
Have Dental Sealants Placed
A dental sealant is a protective coating that your dentist applies to the biting or chewing surfaces of your back teeth because they are hard to clean. These sealants protect your teeth from developing cavities by making it challenging for plaque to build up on the surface of your teeth.
Although they are more common among children, adults could also benefit from having dental sealants placed on their back teeth to keep cavities at bay.
Schedule Regular Dental Appointments With Your Dentist
Regular dental check-ups and exams are a crucial part of preventative dental care. Preventative dental care helps prevent dental health problems like cavities, enamel wear, and gum disease before they emerge, saving you pain, discomfort, time, and money.
Generally speaking, most dentists recommend scheduling regular dental check-ups and exam appointments with your dentist at least twice a year or after every six months. During your routine dental appointments, you will receive a thorough teeth cleaning to remove persistent stains and discolorations that you could not remove using home-based dental hygiene routines.
Regular dental appointments also allow your dentist to conduct dental exams to help him/her determine whether there is any emerging dental or oral health issue that requires intervention. If you are at risk of cavities, your dentist will inform you and provide the necessary treatment to reverse the problem.
Treatment Options for Cavities
Cavities are reversible dental issues, especially when detected at the onset of the demineralization process (the first step of tooth decay). During this stage, excellent oral health practices like brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste can help remineralize the tooth to prevent the progression of decay.
Unfortunately, cavities are irreversible in some situations, even with improved dental and oral hygiene practices. In this case, immediate professional treatment is necessary to halt the progression of decay. Depending on how deep your cavities are, your dentist could recommend any of the following treatment options:
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Fillings
For smaller cavities, your dentist can restore the shape and structure of your teeth using composite fillings or resin to prevent further decay and restore your tooth functions.
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Inlays and Onlays
Also known as porcelain or gold fillings, inlays and onlays could help fix large cavity issues if fillings are not an ideal solution for the problem. Fortunately, inlays and onlays are tooth-colored, meaning they are not conspicuous when you smile.
However, unlike dental fillings, more than one dental appointment could be required to complete the treatment because inlays and onlays require fabrication and customization in the laboratory.
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Crown Placement
If the cavity affects a large portion of your tooth, your dentist will recommend crown placement. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that helps restore the shape of a damaged or decayed tooth. Some of the materials your dentist can use to make a dental crown include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Porcelain.
- Metal.
- Ceramic.
- Composite resin.
- Zirconia.
The specific material your dentist will use to make your dental crown will depend on the affected tooth's location, your preferences, and several other factors. Once it is in place firmly, a dental crown can protect a vulnerable tooth, prevent cavities, and restore your chewing functions.
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Root Canal Therapy
If your cavity affects the inner part of your tooth, the pulp chamber, which contains numerous nerves and blood vessels, your dentist will recommend root canal therapy to fix the issue. Root canal therapy involves the removal of the infected, dead, or otherwise compromised pulp materials to prevent the progression of the infection.
An endodontist or general dentist can perform this procedure under local anesthesia to prevent pain and discomfort. Once your dentist removes the compromised pulp materials, he/she will cover the area with an antibiotic to kill the cavity-causing bacteria and prevent re-infection.
After applying antibiotics and disinfecting the canal thoroughly, the dentist will fill and seal the canal (the hollow space on your tooth) using a rubber-like material known as gutta-percha to restore the shape and function of your tooth.
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Tooth Extraction
If it is impossible to save your affected or severely decayed tooth through root canal therapy, tooth extraction will be the last viable and permanent solution to the problem. Tooth extraction or removal is a non-invasive in-office procedure that will require one dental appointment to complete.
Once your dentist extracts the damaged tooth, a dental implant and crown could be necessary to fill the gap and restore your teeth's functions. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that your dentist will surgically fix on your jawbone to hold a dental crown or artificial tooth.
Takeaway Points
Cavities are common dental issues that you could experience at least once in your lifetime. While it is a treatable dental condition, proactive approaches like brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste and eating healthy can help reverse it and prevent cavities from developing in the first place.
The sooner you detect a cavity in any of your teeth, the better your chances are of reversing it for the healthy smile you deserve. That is why regular dental appointments with your dentist are crucial to catching these dental issues at their onset and preventing their progression.
Find a Dentist Near Me
In a worst-case scenario, an untreated cavity could lead to tooth loss, affecting your smile appearance and ability to chew food properly. Fortunately, this common dental issue is preventable through various dental hygiene practices and lifestyle changes.
If you believe you or your loved ones are at risk of cavities, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist for a check-up and professional advice. Aside from offering you the necessary treatment once a decay or cavity is detected, our dentists at Northridge Advanced Dentistry can give you crucial guidelines to help prevent these dental issues among your family members.
We invite you to call us at 818-701-3010 to discuss your oral and dental health concerns with our courteous and understanding team of dentists. We have a relaxing environment to calm and soothe you as our reliable dentists do their best to reverse or treat your cavities.
