What is caries?
Tooth decay is a bacterial disease that causes irreversible loss of tooth structure. To eliminate caries, the affected tooth tissue is removed and subsequently reconstructed with fillings or crowns.
What causes tooth decay?
Some bacteria in the mouth feed on sugars that come from our diet, producing residual acids that demineralize the tooth. The tooth softened by demineralization is destroyed by other bacteria that end up causing a hole in the tooth.
How do I know if I have a cavity?
In many occasions the first symptom is sensitivity to cold, sweet or even hot foods. Waiting until the caries affects the nerve of the pulp and pain is produced is not the best way to detect the problem. This situation occurs in very advanced stages that usually require more invasive treatments. We can suspect the existence of caries when we see black spots on the teeth or when flossing repeatedly gets stuck in a particular place.
Can cavities be prevented?
Of course they can! The best way is to perform proper home dental hygiene with fluoride at the recommended dose according to age. It is advisable to visit the dentist at least once a year to verify the absence of problems, check if the hygiene technique is correct and, if necessary, give us the personalized instructions we need. In addition, in children at high risk of caries we use fissure sealants in the permanent molars to prevent their appearance.