1) Why it is caused?
Dental Caries is a very common dental problem that permanently damages the hard teeth surfaces which may lead to cavity formation teeth causing food lodgement.
- Poor oral hygiene: improper brushing &technique
- Location of teeth: malaligned teeth due to improper access during brushes causing decay
- Poor diet choices like sticky or acidic food & beverages
- Stomach acids
- Increase intake of carbohydrates, sweets, etc.
- Anatomy of tooth surfaces: deep pit and fissures
- Consistency of saliva like thick & mucous sticky saliva causes decay
- Genetics: inadequate fluoride
- Aging: Due to food lodgement in between teeth as gums recede with age
- Health conditions like diabetes, radiation therapy, GI problems, etc.
- Frequent snacking or sipping
- Bedtime infant feeding
2) How to prevent it?
- Brushing with fluoride toothpaste after eating or drinking
- Rinse your mouth after every meal
- Regular dental visits
- Sealants in deep fissures teeth surfaces
- Avoid frequent snacking & sipping
- Fluoride treatments
- Anti-bacterial treatments
3) When to go for treatment?
- Black or brown stains on teeth surface
- Food lodgement
- Pain
- A tooth abscess (pus discharge)
- Swelling(intraoral or extraoral)
- Fractured teeth surface
- Positioning shifts of teeth
- Cavity formation
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, sweets & food
- Bleeding from teeth
4) What Is treatment? what happens in treatment?
Depending on the depth of decay treatment varies:-
- Fluoride treatments: restore tooth enamel in very early stages of cavity
Use more fluoride-contained toothpaste, mouth wash, etc. at home
Use liquid, gel, foam, or varnish on the tooth surface - Fillings:-
Main treatment option
In the earliest (decay in vulning enamel dentine )
Decay is removed and filled with fluoride releasing filling material, composite, amalgam - Indirect pulp capping:-
Decay near to pulp of a tooth causes pain sometimes
An intermittent restorative material dycal is placed followed by a temporary restoration which is watched for a period and treated according to symptom
If pain persists then the root canal suggested
If no pain, a temporary restoration is replaced by a permanent restoration - Root canal treatment: when decay involves pulp or nonvital teeth. The infected pulp is removed, cleaned & restored with gutta-percha followed by crown preparation &crown placement
- Crowns: in brittle teeth. Only crowns are placed to prevent future damage to teeth
- Extractions: severely damaged teeth and broken teeth pieces are removed completely under local anesthesia.
Post-operative care:
1. brushing twice daily
2. regular dental visits
3. avoiding hard food after crowns
4. avoiding sticky foods on the side of treatment
5. use of fluorinated toothpaste
6. using floss or inter-dental aids