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Tooth Decay – Know The Symptoms And Stop It Before It Happens!
Tooth decay takes place in a tooth when the tooth's enamel has been
damaged or has dissolved, resulting in a hole or tooth cavity. Causes
of tooth decay vary, but overall the damage is caused by bacteria
living in the mouth as a result of poor dental hygiene. These bacteria
eat the same food as we do and thrive on sugars in our food and drinks.
These same bacteria release acids, responsible for the breakdown of
minerals in our teeth.
Mild and Severe Tooth Decay
Depending on the seriousness of the tooth decay process, tooth decay
needs different kinds of treatment. Holes formed by mild tooth decay
are experienced by nearly every person, at least once in their life.
The holes are filled by your dentist, and the tooth can be used again.
Severe tooth decay might result in having the tooth capped with a
crown, to protect the damaged part of the tooth. Root canal treatment
is also an option. In root canal treatment the infected core of the
tooth (the pulp) is removed, thus removing the infection inside the
tooth.
Extraction of the tooth is the last option if severe tooth decay has
damaged the tooth to a point where it cannot be treated anymore.
Types of Tooth Decay
There are different typed of tooth decay as listed below
Occlusal Caries
Occlusal caries is a form of dental carries in fissures on the surface
of the tooth that we use to chew food. This area is called the occlusal
surface of the tooth. This process of tooth decay starts slowly and
can remain unnoticed for over a year. The tooth is attacked by bacteria
living on sugars and the enamel of the tooth is damaged.
Facial Caries
A late or untreated tooth decay process may lead to complications
such as facial swelling and the passing on of pus coming from an infection
in the mouth, to another area in the body, usually the face or a cavity
in the facial area.
If tooth decay, or caries, is not treated properly, it may lead
to other painful side effects such as inflammation of the pulp inside
the tooth and the bacteria in pus coming from infections could possibly
spread to organs in the body.
Signs and Symptoms of Tooth Decay
Tooth decay can be identified by the various signs and symptoms mentioned
as follows
Halitosis
Halitosis is another word for bad breath. The unpleasant smell that
so many people suffer from comes from bacteria caused by decaying
remnants of food in the mouth, causing caries. Tooth decay will cause
bad breath and poor dental hygiene is another reason why people suffer
from bad breath. The decaying food and bacteria produce a sulphur
compound, causing bad breath
Toothache
One of the results of tooth decay can be a severe toothache. As tooth
decay develops and remains untreated, an infection will occur in the
soft tissue inside the tooth (the pulp). As the infection grows and
pus is formed, you will experience a throbbing and very uncomfortable
pain.
Causes of Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is caused by different reasons, but most of them stem
from poor dental hygiene or neglect. Caries can take up to 7 years
to cause a cavity in a tooth and can therefore go unnoticed for a
long period of time. Tooth decay prevention is of the utmost importance,
from a young age onwards. The most common causes for tooth decay are:
Food Containing Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates coming from sugars or foods high in starch content,
leave traces on and in between teeth, and settle in cavities. They
are broken down by bacteria, feeding on these sugars. Acids, created
by the bacteria in this process, attack and damage the teeth, damaging
them severely.
Accumulation of Plaque and Bacteria
Plaque contains up to 400 different kinds of bacteria, and starts
to form on and in between teeth when bacteria and food and sugar remains
are not effectively cleaned from the teeth. This accumulation of bacteria
is one of the main causes of tooth decay, and will slowly break down
the enamel of the tooth, after which it will attack the pulp in the
tooth.
People who suffer from diabetes are, due to ever changing blood
sugar levels, more prone to dental caries. For these people it is
overly important to take good care of the teeth and gums to prevent
any accumulation of plaque.
