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Even though cavities allow dental professionals like me to stay in business, I do wish that scientists can soon find a solution to this million-year-old problem. I have had a lot of dental work done over the years and fully understand what kind of physical, emotional, and financial pain cavities can cause. Until that solution becomes available, we should focus on cavity prevention, which will save all of us a lot of time, money, and frustration in the long run.
A cavity is what you get from tooth decay- damage to a tooth. It CAN be prevented. However, it usually gets bigger, and intervention is needed to prevent further progress.
The symptoms of a cavity will depend on how large it is and where it is in your mouth. Small cavities most likely won’t cause any pain or symptoms. However, you may notice the following with big cavities:
Children usually get cavities on the biting surface while most adults get cavities on both the biting surface and between teeth. Among elderly people, cavities on the tooth root are common because gums often shrink and because saliva production decreases. I will talk more about the relationship between saliva and cavities later.
News flash! In everyone’s mouth, there are bacteria that can cause cavities. You may think your mouth is a sterile environment, but everyone has the cavity-causing bacteria. Those bacteria break down food debris or sugar on the tooth surface, and they produce acids afterward (think of them as excretions). The acids are what lead to tooth decay and damage. The bacteria particularly love sugar, as sugars are their main energy source. Therefore, people who consume a lot of sugar-rich foods get a lot of acids produced by the bacteria and are susceptible to cavities.
The good news is that saliva in your mouth often protects your teeth from this damage because it is somewhat alkaline/basic and prevents food debris and sugar from sticking to your teeth. If you spend more money than what you have or make, you will become broke. If you produce more acids than what your saliva can buffer, you will get tooth decay.
Studies have shown that frequent snacking gives your teeth and saliva less time to recover from the damage caused by acids, so this is something to be mindful of.
These are what I strongly recommend you to do:
I use X-Ray images to find cavities forming between teeth (Look at the image above). Biting surface cavities are found with a probing instrument that looks like a hook. If there is a sticky spot, I know there is a cavity. Most dentists recommend a dental visit every 6 months because it takes several months for a cavity to become noticeable and because it is best to address the issue when it is small.
Treatment depends on how bad the cavity is. Every tooth has multiple layers. Small cavities contained within the outermost layer (or enamel) can sometimes be reversed with fluoride and improved oral hygiene.
If the cavity gets to the dentin layer, which is right underneath the enamel, then I need to take out the decayed portion of the tooth with a drill. The type of restoration to be placed after removing the decay depends on the amount of the remaining tooth structure:
It is my duty as a health care provider to not only treat dental cavities but also raise awareness of the public. Next week, I will talk about what causes bad breath and what you can do to be more attractive to your partner or your date. 🙂
