Tooth decay or caries are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your teeth and develop into tiny holes or openings. There is a combination of factors that cause these teeth cavities, including bacteria in your mouth, sugary drinks, and bad oral hygiene.
We welcome you to our clinic at Falls Church and talk to Dr. Ashraf Adam to get the proper treatment for your tooth decay. If you neglect your tooth cavities, they may get larger and affect deeper layers of your tooth.
You should see your dentist as soon as possible if you suffer from any of these symptoms:
1. Toothache, which is a spontaneous pain that occurs without any reason.
2. Tooth sensitivity.
3. Suffering from mild to sharp pain while eating or drinking something sweet.
4. Visible holes in your teeth.
5. Black or white stains on your tooth surface.
1. Tooth location: your back teeth are more exposed to tooth decay as they are harder to keep clean than your easy-to-reach front teeth.
2. Specific foods and drinks: Foods that stick to your teeth for a longer time than others, such as milk, honey, soda, hard candy, and dry cereals.
3. Eating disorders: such as anorexia and bulimia that can cause tooth erosions and cavities.
4. Dry mouth: the lack of saliva causes dry mouth. Saliva is the ingredient that prevents tooth decay by washing away food particles and debris from your teeth. So, the risk of decay increases by reducing saliva production.
It would help if you took tooth decay and cavities seriously to avoid their severe and permanent complications. Our proper dental care at our clinic will provide you the best options of treatment. Dr. Ashraf Adam will recommend some tips besides dental treatment to control your teeth decay. These tips include:
1. Brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste after eating or drinking.
2. Rinse your teeth regularly with fluoride.
3. Consider dental sealants, which are a protective plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of back teeth.
4. Replace the sugary foods and beverages with healthy foods and drinks.
5. Your dentist may recommend special antibacterial mouth rinses.
1. Fluoride treatments will help restore your tooth’s enamel and reverse a cavity in the early stage.
2. Fillings: it is the primary option when decay has progressed beyond the earliest stage.
3. Crowns: for extensive teeth decay, your dentist will drill away all the decayed areas of the tooth and apply a crown.
4. Root canals: your dentist will apply this treatment to repair your badly damaged or infected tooth instead of removing it. He will remove your infected tooth pulp and replace it with a filling.
5. Tooth extraction: when your teeth become severely decayed and could be lost permanently. If possible, consider having a bridge or dental implant to replace your missing tooth.
