Tooth Decay: Prevention and Management Techniques

It's no secret that the best way to keep your smile free from tooth decay is with good oral care. By seeing a dentist for routine checkups, maintaining an effective oral hygiene regimen at home, and staying away from food or drinks high in sugar, you can significantly reduce your risk of cavities. While 60-90% of children worldwide and nearly 100% of adults have dental cavities, tooth decay is, in large part, preventable.

What Exactly is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay, also known as dental caries, develops because of an infectious process that causes progressive damage to tooth structure. It begins because of a sticky film, known as plaque, that accumulates on the surfaces of your teeth. As the harmful bacteria in dental plaque metabolize the sugars in your diet, they produce acids, which, over time, can eat away at healthy tooth structure.

Without proper care, a cavity can lead to significant damage to tooth structure, irreversible damage to the nerve of the tooth, a dental infection, tooth loss, and even more severe consequences to your overall health and well-being.

What Factors Contribute to Tooth Decay?

There are several factors that can contribute to your risk of developing tooth decay:

• Inadequate Oral Hygiene Practices: By not regularly brushing and flossing your teeth or seeing a dentist for periodic dental cleanings and care, dental plaque will accumulate and lead to the formation of cavities and gum disease.
• Improper Nutrition: A diet high in sugars, frequent snacking as well as acidic food and drinks creates an oral environment that promotes tooth decay.
• Dry Mouth: When adequate dental saliva, due to medical conditions or as a side effect of some prescription drugs, is not available to constantly bathe the teeth, cavities are more likely to develop.
• Bruxism: Chronic teeth grinding strips away the outer protective layer of enamel and makes the teeth more vulnerable to decay.
• Enamel Defects and Deeply Grooved Teeth: Deep crevices or defects in the dental enamel harbor plaque, and are likely areas to develop cavities.
• Receding Gums: Exposed tooth roots due to receding gums do not have the added protection of an outer layer of dental enamel. With the accumulation of dental plaque, these roots are susceptible to decay.

Tooth decay prevention involves a combination of maintaining excellent oral hygiene practices and regular professional dental care. Our practice provides top-notch care to help reduce your risk for tooth decay and diagnose cavities early in their onset when they are typically the easiest to treat.

Maintaining Excellent Oral Hygiene

Excellent oral hygiene, a nutritious diet low in sweets, routine dental cleanings, checkups, and care are the best ways to protect the health of your smile. Our professional team provides essential dietary guidance and will demonstrate the best home care methods to help patients of all ages maintain optimal oral health. By brushing and flossing your teeth each day as recommended, you can help prevent the buildup of dental plaque, which is responsible for dental disease.

Regular Dental Visits

Even for the best brushers and flossers, plaque can still hide and harden in spots too difficult for a toothbrush to reach. For this reason, we advise professional teeth cleaning twice a year at checkup time. In this way, our hygienist can remove any residual plaque you may have missed while brushing and guide you on better practices for maintaining optimal oral hygiene at home.

Early Detection and Treatment of Tooth Decay

While being proactive is the best way to prevent tooth decay, there's no need to despair if a cavity does develop. With early detection and care, our dentist will gently and precisely excavate the diseased and damaged tooth structure and place a long-lasting filling to rebuild the integrity of your tooth. We use the latest generations of biocompatible tooth-colored materials to expertly restore the appearance and function of your tooth. Your new restoration will be durable, attractive, and blend seamlessly with your smile. For deep tooth decay, we may recommend a full-coverage crown and additional treatment as indicated.

By combining excellent oral hygiene practices at home with regular dental checkups, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing tooth decay. Our dedicated staff is here to guide you on the best practices for maintaining optimal oral health, so don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. Remember, a healthy smile is just a call away!

Don't wait until it's too late! Call us today and take the first step towards a brighter, healthier smile.