How to avoid tooth cavity ?

Teeth are a very important part of our body. It not only supports your eating mechanism but it is also important every time we smile, talk, frown and make facial expressions. Teeth play an essential role to begin the process of digestion.

Your teeth alignment inside your mouth gives shape to your face. Each type of tooth is unique and important in its own way and each one has a specific function to perform.

Importance of teeth

As already mentioned above teeth are an important element of your mouth. Healthy teeth help us to:-

•    chew and digest our food better
•    helps us in talking and speaking clearly
•    gives us the confidence to smile without being conscious
•    keeps your mouth odourless
•    It influences your social and personal lives
•    They help you to present yourself with confidence

A healthy smile can win thousands of hearts and to keep your smile healthy you need to keep your teeth healthy. To keep your teeth healthy you need to maintain proper oral hygiene.

The proper Oral hygiene

Oral hygiene is very important to keep your teeth healthy and strong. By brushing our teeth twice daily, maintaining a low-in-sugar diet and regularly visits to our dental professional we can maintain our oral hygiene.
Proper oral hygiene helps to reduce the risk of various dental issues like

•    Tooth cavity
•    Dental decay
•    Gum diseases
•    Tooth loss
•    Oral infections
•    Bacterial accumulation
•    Plaque build-up
•    Smelly breathe

What is tooth cavity?

Tiny holes in the tooth due to permanent damage and decaying of the tooth is called tooth cavity. Cavities and tooth rot are among the world's normal dental issues. They're particularly normal in kids, teenagers and old people. But this doesn’t mean those in their twenties, thirties or forties cannot get cavities. If you have teeth you have a risk of getting tooth cavities.

Moreover, if you got a cavity and you are not treating it, you are making things even more worst. They can prompt serious toothache, tooth contamination and tooth loss.

What are the symptoms that show you are dealing with tooth cavities?

Depending upon the extent and location of your tooth symptoms of the cavity can vary. At the beginning of the occurrence of cavity, there might be no symptoms at all but as the decay gets longer and worsen it starts showing symptoms like:

•    Sudden pain without any cause, and toothache
•    Sensitivity in the tooth
•    Mild sharp pain while eating or drinking hot and cold food items
•    Holes in tooth
•    Tooth decay
•    Pain on biting anything
•    Black stains on the tooth surface
•    Bad breathe
•    Tenderness on eating sweet dishes
•    Unpleasant taste in the mouth

Sometimes you don’t even come to know that your tooth has a cavity until it get worst. So it is very important to visit your dentist on regular intervals and get your dental checkup done. Your mouth also feels healthy and fresh if you get your cleaning done from time to time.

What are the causes behind tooth cavities?

Tooth decay is the main reason of tooth cavities. Tooth decay is a process that occurs over time. There are the following reasons for tooth decay:-

1.   Plaque forms - It is a kind of clear sticky layer that covers your teeth. This happens because of eating too much of sugary items and starchy food and not cleaning the teeth well. If you don’t clean your teeth well after eating sweet and sugary items, bacteria quickly start feeding on it and forms plaque.
Plaque on staying for long on your teeth starts to form tartar which makes it more difficult to clean the plaque off your teeth.

2.  Swollen gums and roots - As tooth rot creates bacteria and acid continues to destroy your teeth moving close to the internal tooth material (pulp). The pulp contains nerves and blood vessels. This leads to swollen pulp and gums. 

3.  Holes in the enamel - When the plaque accumulates on your teeth, its acid removes minerals from the enamel. This leads to erosion and holes in enamels. These enamel holes are also known to be the initial stage of the cavity. 

If left untreated bacteria through these holes can reach the next layer of your tooth called dentin. Dentin is less resistant to acid and rots very fast. Dentin being in direct contact to nerve starts causing sensitivity.

How to avoid Tooth cavity?

There are the following ways you can opt for to avoid tooth cavities:

1.    Brush with toothpaste containing fluoride:  make a habit of brushing twice a day, especially after your last meal. Use fluoride-enriched toothpaste for cleaning the residue of your food from your teeth.

2.    Regular visits to dentist: Visit to your dentist at regular intervals helps in keeping teeth healthy. It also helps in early spotting of the problem in your teeth. 

3.    Sealants: A sealant is a defensive plastic covering applied to the biting surface of back teeth. It helps in protecting enamel from plaque attack.

4.    Avoid sugary items:  Too much consumption of sweet and sugary foods leads to the creation of plaque. It accelerates the bacteria attack and acid creation that destroys enamel.

5.    Flossing:  using floss to clean your teeth can help you get rid of that stuck food particles between your teeth and prevent bacteria formation.
 

 A few changes you can make in your eating habits are:

1.    Limit fruit juice consumption
2.    Limit your cookies, chocolates and candies consumption
3.    Limit sweet beverages
4.    Limit your snacking over junk food
5.    Avoid substances that dry your mouth.
6.    Avoid sticky food
7.    Avoid hard to crack food
8.    Stop consuming extremely hot or extremely cold food.
9.    Limit your wine consumption
10.    Limit coffee and tea consumption

Summary

 Tooth cavities are a common dental issue that can occur due to erosion of the enamel of the teeth. Cavities can cause pain, infection, and tooth loss if left untreated. Good oral hygiene, includes brushing and flossing regularly, can help prevent cavities. It is also important to visit a dentist regularly for cleanings and checkup. If you do have a cavity, your dentist can recommend treatment options such as fillings, crowns, or root canals. By taking care of your teeth, you can maintain healthy teeth and a beautiful smile.

Note : The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns about your health or are experiencing symptoms, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional. They will be able to assess your specific situation and provide you with personalised advice and treatment based on your symptoms, body type, allergies (if any), existing medical conditions etc. It is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health.