All Abut Dental caries
Dental caries are something that people get every now and then. You may know them as well, cavities, but they are a bit more than that. in this, we’ll discuss what dental caries are, and a bit more about them.
To start, dental caries are basically the term that’s used for tooth decay, along with cavities too. It’s caused by specific kinds of bacteria, which produces an acid that destroys the enamel of the tooth, along with the dentin underneath it. There are many different types of bacteria within the mouth, and from there, the decay builds up in a plaque film. This does contain the saliva, the food, and other substances. It oftentimes can happen in the back of the teeth, between your teeth, and of course near dental work and the gum line. The bacteria from there will turn it into sugars and carbs in the foods that we eat. This forms acids, and in there, they dissolve the minerals in the hard enamel that will cover the crown part, which is what you see. The enamel from there erodes, or even creates pits. They are oftentimes too small to see, but they do get larger over time.
The decay can be removed, but the acids can sweep through the pores in the enamel, which is how decay begins in your dentin, which is the main area of the tooth, and oftentimes, as the enamel breaks further down, cavities are created. If the cavity isn’t removed, the bacteria will continue to grow and produce acids that will get to the inner layer, which contains the nerves and the pulp there as well.
Tooth roots are exposed by this, and this does develop decay. The root outer layer is also nowhere near as thick as your average enamel, which means that plaque will start to dissolve it in a rapid sense.
Caries all have different symptoms, and when the decay has gotten into the enamel, the teeth will also be more sensitive to foods that are sweet, or even foods and drinks that are hot or cold.
So, how do you find out about these? Well dentists will look at your teeth, probe them, and use this to fund grooves or pits that contain the damage. However, they don’t catch it when it’s just formed, usually when too late. They use x-rays as well to figure out if there is a problem, or even a probe is used if it’s suspected, which is good for finding the newer decay, and also shows more advanced decay as well.
Newer devices also can be used, which include a dye that’s painted onto your teeth, and if it stains the teeth, then there you go, that’s a cavity. You can also use lasers to find these as well.
If they are caught early on, you can actually get fillings on this, or even a treatment of the gumlines too.
If they’ve already destroyed the enamel, they won’t be able to be reversed, since many times, they will grow and go in deeper than it should. Over time, the tooth might decay to the root. How long this takes does vary, but oftentimes, it’s usually within months, or years if it’s a bigger tooth.
The best way to prevent this is to watch your diet, get some water and make sure to rinse your water, and from there, always brush and floss your teeth. See your dentist regularly, and make sure that if there is one, you get that handled right away for your own personal health and benefits.
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