Tooth Decay

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If you’re trying to protect the health of your child’s teeth, or want to make sure that your teeth are in good health, you’ll need to know more about tooth decay so that you will know which products and health habits are best for you.

Here is some information you’ll want to know about protecting your teeth.

And if you’re already experiencing some level of tooth decay, some details about the procedures you’ll likely undergo to restore the tooth or teeth.

Tooth decay is the single most chronic oral childhood disease, but you can definitely experience it as an adult.

Bacteria are responsible for tooth decay and are in the mouth of every single person.

So, not keeping your mouth clean will definitely increase your chances of decay, plain and simple.

Baby teeth should also be checked for decay and making sure that your child’s teeth are developing properly is very important.

Just because your baby’s teeth are not permanent does not mean that they don’t need to be taken care of.

Your dentist will be able to tell you how to care for your baby’s teeth so that gum disease and tooth discoloration will not occur later in life.

The main reason for decay of the teeth is the breakdown in enamel.

This can happen due to poor dietary choices and/or lack of oral hygiene.

Eating foods that are rich in sugar and starches can give the resident bacteria all they need to ruin the enamel or protective coating on your teeth.

These types of foods are especially helpful in the formation of plaque.

Dental plaque is made of, on average, about 20% bacteria.

These bacteria produce acids that will eat away at the enamel, making it extremely porous and susceptible to decay.

This is why staying away from sugary foods can help to prevent cavities, which are holes in the teeth caused by constant contact with bacterial acids.

If unchecked, these cavities can continue to progress until they reach the vital pulp of the tooth, where the nerve is.

If you go to the dentist to treat your tooth decay before it starts to travel to the tooth’s nerve, you can have the decay removed and the tooth restored.

The cavity is then filled and sealed to prevent furthur decay from starting, using a filling material.

If you go for treatment after the tooth decay has already done some damage to the nerve, you will most likely have to have a root canal procedure done to save your tooth.

You can also make sure that you visit your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings to avoid tooth decay.

Having sealants placed on the biting surfaces of molars can also help to prevent decay and is strongly recommended for all newly erupted permanent molars with deep pits and fissures.

For more information on root canals and sealants, see our related articles.

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