Dental patients could develop cavities for various reasons, and the cavities could become painful and uncomfortable. They are most common during childhood and adolescence. Still, older patients can develop cavities because of the medication they take for a chronic condition. A review of cavities shows the patient what to expect.
What Patients Should Know About Cavities
Dental patients could develop cavities for various reasons, and the cavities could become painful and uncomfortable. They are most common during childhood and adolescence. Still, older patients can develop cavities because of the medication they take for a chronic condition. A review of cavities shows the patient what to expect.
What Are Cavities?
Dental patients may ask, “what is a tooth cavity?” A cavity is a hole that forms in the tooth after the tooth enamel has become damaged. In the hole is tooth decay that can spread until it reaches the pulp and nerve. If the cavity isn’t corrected, the tooth decay will advance to surrounding teeth.
What Are The Causes of Dental Cavities?
The common causes of a dental cavity include higher-than-average consumption of acidic or sweet foods and beverages. In addition, the patients will have a high-fat diet, consume too many sweets each day, and have poor oral hygiene. Patients who do not brush and floss their teeth twice daily are at a greater risk of developing a dental cavity.
Patients that grind their teeth when sleeping are at risk of developing a tooth cavity because of tooth damage. If they grind their teeth, the patients will need to undergo a dental examination to find any tooth damage.
Overcrowding of the teeth can lead to cavities, too. It isn’t easy to brush and floss effectively if the teeth are too close together. In addition, overcrowding prevents the patient from removing all the plaque and bacteria from their teeth and decreasing the risk of cavities.
What Are The Types of Dental Cavities?
The types of cavities include smooth surface, pit and fissure decay, and root decay. Smooth surface cavities are white spots found on the teeth. Since they haven’t dissolved the tooth enamel, they can be stopped by brushing the teeth twice a day. The most common location of these cavities is between the teeth. These cavities are caused by irregular brushing or using tobacco products.
Pit and fissure decay cavities are found on the top portion of the chewing surface of each tooth. Therefore, it is essential to use dental bonding to repair the tooth and prevent the decay from spreading when discovered.
Root decay is common among patients with existing periodontal disease and receding gums. In addition, the patients may have gingivitis that has caused the gum recession, and the exposure to acidic foods and plaque build-up causes the tooth to rot. Therefore, at the first sign of a dental cavity, the patient must set up an appointment with their dentist.
What Are The Signs of Cavities?
The signs of a dental cavity start with bad breath and a foul taste in the mouth. The patient may have bleeding gums and existing periodontal disease. If the cavity has developed an infection, the patient may have facial swelling. In addition, they will experience pain, discomfort, and tooth sensitivity. The patient may also have redness in or around their mouth. Dental cavity pain is usually the first sign that patients notice.
How Are Cavities Treated?
To treat a dental cavity, first, the dentist must determine what kind of cavity the patient has. If they have a smooth surface cavity, the patient must start brushing their teeth more often and avoid further damage. If they have pit and fissure decay, the dentists perform dental bonding or fillings. With root decay, the patient will need a root canal.
Dental patients can develop cavities for a variety of reasons, including their diet and improper hygiene. If they develop a cavity, the patient needs to get fast dental repairs. Patients can learn more about the cavities by visiting their dental professional now.