What are dental caries?
Dental caries is one of the most common oral diseases. Dental caries, known to most people as tooth decay or cavities, affect people all over the world. Untreated caries in adult teeth is the most common health condition according to the Global Burden of Disease Study (WHO, 2017). Untreated caries can lead to pain, suffering, and sometimes tooth loss and infection. Caries occur in different stages, with more or less damage to the tooth. With knowledge along with healthy habits, caries is preventable.
How can caries be prevented?
Bacteria are always present in your mouth, and that’s normal. What’s not great is when they come together and stick to your teeth (or bridges, crowns, or orthodontic appliances). Simply put, we don’t want them in abundance, and we don’t want too many of the harmful ones. Don’t let that dental plaque build up! Balance is a keyword here. That balance is created by healthy eating habits and good oral hygiene.
What causes caries?
When bacteria break down food deposits, in particular carbohydrates (sugars), they produce acids that attack the teeth. The acids dissolve the mineralized, hard tissues of the teeth. If this happens only a few times every day, the saliva has time to wash away excess food and neutralise the acids. Minerals in the saliva and fluoride help build up the hard tissues. However, if the acid attacks occur frequently, the hard tissues will suffer a permanent breakdown and a cavity will form.
Five tips to prevent caries
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Fluoride strengthens the tooth enamel and can heal early signs of tooth decay. Clean between your teeth once a day, preferably in the evening. During the night, the production of saliva is reduced, facilitating bacterial growth.
Eat no more than three main meals and two snacks a day – frequent snacking, especially on carbohydrates, is a major risk factor for tooth decay.
Remember that water is the best thirst-quencher. Sweet drinks, such as sports drinks or soda, contain sugar and are also acidic. Go for regular dental check-ups.
How are caries detected?
Caries can, if located on the outside surfaces, first be seen as a white spot on a tooth. This occurs due to the loss of minerals in the enamel, the outer layer of the tooth, and is an initial sign of decay. If allowed to progress into the dentine, the material under the enamel, the lesion will turn to a yellow/brownish colour.
If caries start between the teeth, which is more common, it’s difficult to discover yourself. That’s why it’s so important to go for regular dental check-ups. Your dental professional will examine your teeth and, if indicated, take X-rays.
Often, caries progresses slowly and do not cause any pain. If you experience sensitive teeth, toothache, or an unpleasant taste in your mouth, these might be symptoms of caries.
How are caries treated?
If discovered in the initial stage, when it’s only the outer layer of the tooth that’s affected, caries can be stopped by ensuring balance through good oral hygiene, the use of fluoride, and a reduced intake of sugar. TePe Gingival Gel contains fluoride and chlorhexidine and can be used as extra caries protection. Ask your dental professional about how to use it.
In case the balance is not restored, the decay can progress and reach the inside of the tooth, the dentine, whereas a filling is usually required. If the cavity is too large, a crown can be an alternative. Should the decay reach the pulp, the centre of the tooth, a root canal treatment is needed.
Remember, prevention is much better than treatment. The cost of caries is high, from a health perspective but also an economical perspective. The best filling is the one that’s not needed.
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