Causes of Tooth Decay, and How to Prevent it

Tooth decay or dental caries are words we don’t want to hear when we visit the dentist. Unfortunately, they are the most common form of dental disease Aussies present with. The decay causes tiny holes in your teeth, which we call dental cavities. Dental fillings can restore the look and functionality of teeth damaged by decay and ease the pain caused by cavities. But how does tooth decay occur? And can cavities be prevented? We’ll answer these and other questions in today’s blog post on tooth decay – causes and preventative measures.

If you do not care for your teeth correctly, you risk developing dental decay and cavities. Clear signs of erosion include toothaches, increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods, as well as brown or black spots at the tops or sides of your teeth and bad breath. To avoid this from happening and spot any signs of decay early on, you should see your dentist regularly, at least once every six months. Your dentist can often tell if you are suffering from a cavity and decay by taking a close look at your teeth. From time to time, your dentist might take an X-ray to identify problems.

What Causes Cavities and Tooth Decay?

Cavities are permanent holes in your teeth caused by tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when plaque builds up on your teeth. Plaque is created by the bacteria in your mouth. Those bacteria feed on the foods and drinks you consume and produce acids that attack your teeth. Constant snacking, not cleaning your teeth, and deep-set grooves in your teeth allow bacteria to thrive and make matters worse.

Once the plaque begins to attack tooth enamel, you’ll notice the first signs of decay, including white spots that indicate the enamel is losing minerals. If left untreated, the enamel will break down further, and the white spot may darken into a brownish colour. This is when cavities begin to form. Dentin, the tissue under your tooth enamel, is susceptible to acid. If acids reach the tooth’s dentin, it’ll decay much faster. Dentin connects to the nerves of a tooth, so you may begin to experience tooth sensitivity.

The pulp, the innermost layer of the tooth, is the next to suffer. When damaged, it may become irritated, start to swell and cause a lot of pain. If you don’t deal with the decay then, you risk losing your tooth.

How to Fight Tooth Decay

The appropriate treatment for cavities and tooth decay depends on your dental history and the severeness of the damage. Fillings are a popular and effective method to repair minor fractures, cavities and decay in teeth and restore their functionality to be as close as possible to a natural tooth.

Popular treatment options for tooth decay include:

• Fluoride treatments: Used if you’re at risk of decay or in the beginning stages, fluoride helps to remineralise and build strong teeth.
• Dental fillings: The primary treatment option once decay has progressed further than the initial stage.
• Crowns: Used in cases of extensive decay, crowns fully encircle a tooth and prevent further breakage.
• Root canals: Root canal treatments are applied once the decay has reached the insides of your tooth (pulp) to save a badly damaged tooth instead of removing it. During a root canal treatment, the pulp is removed and replaced with a filling. The tooth is then crowned to prevent further breakage
• Tooth extraction: As the last resort, extractions are used when a tooth is so severely damaged that it cannot be restored and must be removed.

Different Types of Fillings

As your dentist of choice, we always aim to provide you with the highest level of care. Regular check-ups will help us to detect any decay early and treat existing cavities with dental fillings.

The fillings we offer include composite resin fillings and glass ionomer cement.

• Composite Resin Fillings

Visually appealing and durable composite resin fillings are one of the most common filling options that we offer. They allow us to match your tooth’s colour and allow for better conservation of tooth structure. Composite resin fillings are the ideal choice for teeth that perform moderate chewing.

• Glass Ionomer Cement

Glass Ionomer Cement is another popular filling option we offer. This type of filling belongs to a class of materials known as “acid-based cement” and consists of a blend of acrylic and glass. Glass Ionomer Cement creates a safe cavity filling that releases fluoride to protect your teeth.

While it has a range of dental health benefits, it may need to be replaced after five years. These fillings are commonly used in teeth below the gum line.

Other types of fillings include:

• Amalgam fillings

Dental professionals have historically used amalgam dental fillings to deal with cavities. Amalgam is made of a combination of metals, including mercury. They are the least expensive, but silver in colour, and visibly noticeable. Nowadays, they are not typically as common, particularly because of health concerns regarding mercury.

• Metal fillings

Metal fillings are available in gold, white gold and silver, which makes them very pricey. And whilst gold fillings can cost up to ten times more than silver, people often prefer the appearance of gold. Metal fillings can last up to 10-15 times years before they need replacing.

• Ceramic

Typically made of porcelain, ceramic dental fillings are tooth coloured and known to be less likely to show stains over time. They can, however, be nearly as expensive as gold fillings.

The Dental Filling Procedure

No matter the type of filling you receive, the procedure remains relatively the same and is carried out in a gentle and comfortable environment.

1. The area around the tooth is numbed, usually using a topical anaesthetic or needle, to make the process painless.
2. Once the area is numb, your dentist uses a drill or laser to remove the damaged area of the tooth.
3. Afterwards, the dentist uses a gel to clean the area before applying a filling material to the tooth.
4. To seal the filled tooth, the dentist applies adhesives and composite materials.
5. Any rough edges are smoothed out and the tooth polished.

Preventing Tooth Decay

Your at-home routine and everyday habits are crucial to preventing dental decay, cavities and tooth loss. Make sure to remember the following:

• Brush your teeth: Do this at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night for a minimum of two minutes. Use the device recommended to you by your dental professional, whether this is a manual toothbrush (extra soft ONLY) or an electric toothbrush.
• Floss daily: Flossing every day helps to remove bacteria from the gum line.
• Use a mouth rinse: Mouth Rinsing should be part of your daily route. Make sure to pick a rinse that contains fluoride.
• Visit your dentist: Get regular check-ups and see your dentist as soon as you notice any symptoms of tooth decay.

We highly recommend having your teeth professionally cleaned and checked twice a year. To schedule your next checkup with the friendly team at Admire Dentistry, schedule your appointment here.