Dental caries is the most widespread disease of today because it affects almost 90 percent of the world’s population. How the dental caries is developed on teeth, why is it so dangerous for your teeth and how to treat it.
Why and how dental caries occurs?
Caries is a disease of the hard tooth tissues, and the manifest is most often seen as a black spot that we notice on the outer surface of the tooth (the crown of the tooth). It arises as a result of a long process caused mainly by a bacterium Streptococcus mutans, plaque, carbohydrates and acids.
These bacteria break down carbohydrates to form acids. And begin to corrode the enamel and penetrate deeper and deeper into the tooth tissue beneath the enamel and dentin. Due to damaged tooth enamel, teeth lose calcium and phosphorus. Which are the two most important minerals from which they are built. This is how the process of decay begins, more precisely the damage to the teeth.
Caries types
There are two types of caries, and they are:
– superficial and
– deep.
In the initial stage, caries is visible as a white spot that affects only the surface layer of enamel and has no significant symptoms. The next stage is when the bacteria penetrate the enamel and enter the dentin. If the caries has not affected a larger area of the tooth, the damaged tooth tissue is removed. This part is filled with filling after grinding to protect the pulp, and the tooth remains functional.
How to treat caries?
Caries can only be removed by going to the dental office. Any delay in visiting the dentist leads you to further the spread of caries. Only root canal treatment can have the significance of saving a tooth. In which a filling is placed after treatment so that the tooth itself retains its function. But what about the bacteria that caused tooth decay.
As we mentioned, in the case of superficial caries, a part of the enamel and dentin affected by caries is removed. Then the tooth is filled with the necessary materials, while in the case of deep caries, treatment is needed.
How to prevent dental caries from developing?
Prevention of caries is achieved by proper oral hygiene and regular check-ups at the dentist, proper nutrition and remediation of orthodontic anomalies and already formed caries.
To properly maintain oral health, we recommend the use of a toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwash and an interdental brush. By brushing your teeth regularly and properly, you can affect the rate at which caries develops.
Tooth enamel can be strengthened by ingesting the right vitamins and materials. That is why proper nutrition is important in maintaining dental health. When choosing a quality food, a reduced intake of refined sugars is desirable.
Oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist are of key importance and we cannot stress enough how important this is and how much maintaining oral hygiene and visiting the dentist must become a habit if it is not already.
If visits to the dentist are regular, the dentist can detect changes in the teeth in a timely manner and notice caries, but also more serious problems such as periodontitis, and start repairing the current dental situation.
