C'mon, Learn More About Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is damage that occurs in tooth enamel (the outermost layer of teeth), which can catch up r to the dentin layer or even the dental pulp which has many nerves and blood vessels. This condition can be experienced by anyone, including babies.

Tooth decay can cause pain and swelling around cavities. In addition, chewing food will feel very uncomfortable. In fact, you can experience tooth loss which certainly affects the appearance.

This Causes Tooth Decay

Tooth decay does not necessarily appear just like that. Initially, the bacteria found in your teeth will use sugar from the food you consume to produce acids. The acid then attaches and erodes tooth enamel, which in turn results in a small cavity in the tooth.

When there is a cavity in tooth enamel, acid can enter the next tooth layer called dentin. This layer is not as hard as tooth enamel and is more susceptible to acids. When dentin is exposed to acids produced by bacteria, it can open new pathways for acids and bacteria to enter deeper parts of the teeth called dental pulp.

In the dental pulp, there are many nerves and blood vessels. If the pulp is infected, swelling and inflammation will occur. Due to the lack of space in the teeth, swelling makes the blood vessels depressed, causing pain.

You have a high risk of tooth decay if:

• Rarely clean teeth with toothpaste containing fluoride.
• Often eat foods or drinks that contain lots of sugar and acids.
• Often eat foods that can stick to your teeth for a long time, such as ice cream, milk, honey, dried fruit, sweets, and cakes.
• Not drinking enough water.
• Using improper dental fillings.
• Suffer from certain conditions, such as GERD and anorexia.

If you feel you have a high risk for tooth decay, you should immediately consult a doctor, because at the beginning of the development of this condition, some people do not feel any symptoms. As a result, they did not know that their teeth were damaged.

By checking yourself regularly to the doctor, tooth decay can be known early, and prevention can be done, so you avoid the various adverse effects of tooth decay.

Inspection to Ensure Tooth Decay

Before treatment is performed, the dentist will examine your teeth and mouth, while asking about your dental health history. Your doctor may also ask about your diet and habits in cleaning your teeth.

A number of drugs have the potential to cause tooth decay. So, make sure you tell your dentist about all the medicines you are taking, whether they are over-the-counter medicines or those that are prescribed by a doctor.

To ensure the condition of your teeth, your doctor can also recommend supporting examinations, such as dental x-rays. With this examination, the doctor can see holes in the teeth, abnormal tooth structure, and possibly bone loss.

How to Treat Tooth Decay

Treatment for patients who experience tooth decay will be different from one another. This depends on the condition and severity. The following are some treatment methods that doctors can do when dealing with tooth decay:

1. Dental fillings

Dental fillings are often the first choice when damage from tooth decay has begun to pass through the erosion phase. So that the hole does not increase in depth, the doctor will fill or patch the cavities with special material.

There are many choices of materials for filling cavities, but dental composites made from composite resin are more desirable than other types. One reason is because dental fillings made from composite resin look more natural and almost resemble natural teeth.

2. Installed brown

Crown crown installation can be a solution if you have a hole in a relatively large tooth. In the process, the doctor will scrape and remove the damaged tooth, then leave a few teeth to be the foundation of the crown or artificial teeth.

Besides patching, this artificial crown can also be used to improve the shape, size and appearance of teeth that are not normal.

3. Root canal treatment

If the damage has reached the inside of the tooth (pulp), the doctor will suggest a method of treating root canals (root canal) to deal with it. This method is usually performed by doctors to repair teeth that have been infected or badly damaged.

The part of the pulp that is damaged will be removed, then patched with special cement. The doctor will also clean the infected tissue so that it doesn't get damaged.

4. Tooth Extraction

In very severe cases, doctors can pull out damaged and rotten teeth. Revocation process usually does not take long. Before the tooth is extracted, the doctor will inject an anesthetic in the gum area so that you don't feel pain when the tooth is extracted.

Steps to Prevent Tooth Decay

In addition to knowing treatment options for rotten teeth, you are also advised to maintain healthy teeth so that they can prevent tooth decay. There are several steps that can be done, namely:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day in the morning after breakfast and at night before bed.
• Use a soft bristled toothbrush with a brush head that fits in the oral cavity.
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral that is useful to protect, while maintaining the strength of tooth enamel.
• Clean your teeth with floss to clean between your teeth, at least once a day after brushing your teeth.
• Also clean your tongue regularly to prevent the accumulation of food debris on the surface of the tongue.
• Gargle with water or mouthwash after eating food and snacks.
• Drink plenty of water, in addition to preventing dry mouth, drinking water can also help clean up food debris in your teeth and mouth.
• Limit foods and drinks that are sweet or sour, and eat foods that are nutritionally balanced.

Having rotten teeth is certainly not a pleasant experience. Therefore, make sure your dental health is always maintained by going to the dentist, at least every 6 months. With routine dental examinations, damage to the teeth that can trigger tooth decay can also be detected early.

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