Dental
caries refers to a condition when the teeth become decayed.
It starts from the surface of enamel and then extends
into the deeper structure of the tooth.
The tooth surfaces are normally covered with dental
plaque. The bacteria in the dental plaque will metabolize
the sugars in your food to produce acids which will
demineralize the tooth surface.
Saliva can neutralize the acids and slow down the demineralization
process but it takes a long period of time.
If the acid is not adequately neutralized by the saliva,
the continuous demineralization eventually cause in
dental caries.
Decay
occurs at the enamel
of the tooth. Early stage of dental caries is usually
painless and the tooth seems undamaged from the naked
eye. Decay at the proximal surfaces of teeth is even
more difficult to notice, and they often need to be
confirmed by X-ray.
Treatment:
The early carious lesions
can be repaired by application of concentrated fluoride
by a dentist.
When
dental caries spreads into dentine, a cavity
appears, and pain is felt when eating.
Treatment:
A
dental filling can
be placed when the cavity is small and the bulk of the
tooth remains sound.
Crown
and Veneer can be placed when the cavity is wide-spread
and the remaining tooth is weak.
At
this stage, the carious is very obvious and cause severe
pain. The pulp tissues are infected by the bacteria
and may become necrotic. The bacteria may even spread
from the pulp to the surrounding periodontal tissues
via the apex of the tooth, leading to the formation
of abscess.
If pulp treatment is not appropriate,
an extraction will
be necessary.
The cavity
emits unpleasant odour and causes bad breath. This directly
affects the normal social life.
Dental
caries may lead to persistent pain, which affects one's
appetite, studies, work, sleep, or even general health.
When
there is severe dental caries, the bacteria may spread
from the pulp to the surrounding periodontal tissues via
the apex of the tooth, leading to the formation of abscess.
If a tooth
is severely damaged, and even pulp treatment is not applicable,
an extraction is then necessary. After the extraction,
the neighbouring teeth will shift towards the empty space
and cause malocclusion.
Every
time when we eat, demineralization occurs at the surface
of our teeth and creates a chance for getting dental
caries. The more often we eat, the more chances we have
to get dental caries. Therefore, having regular meals
three times a day with sufficient amount of food during
each meal will reduce
the frequency of meals, and thus reduce the chance
of getting dental caries. If you feel hungry in between
meals, you may snack once.
Fluoride
strengthens the teeth by increasing their resistance
to acid attack. Fluoride also facilitates minerals to
re-enter the teeth (remineralization) and helps cure
early dental caries. Therefore, you should brush in
the morning and before bed at night with fluoride toothpaste.
Have
regular dental check-up at least once a year so that early
dental caries can be diagnosed at an early stage. Preventive
dental treatments such as fissure
sealants can be applied.
