What Dentists Want You to Know About Cavities

When you hear the word “cavity” at the dental office, you likely feel a bit of fear and also some shame. After all, most people know that cavities come from poor oral hygiene, right? If you have one, it means you are not brushing your teeth enough. Not necessarily. Dentists want to dispel some common myths about cavities and help patients better understand them and what they can do to prevent them.

A cavity is a hole in the tooth caused by tooth decay. The tooth decay comes from a buildup of plaque, which is filled with bacteria. These bacteria make acids, and the acids eventually start to eat away at the teeth, starting with the enamel.

Regular visits to dentists can help with this problem, because the dentist will remove the plaque before it gets past the enamel. However, if you skip your regular cleaning, these acids can eventually eat through the enamel and reach the inside of your tooth, where they cause more damage. If the decay reaches the roots and nerves of the teeth, it can cause extreme pain.

So, does poor dental hygiene cause cavities? It can. If you do not floss and brush your teeth regularly, that plaque will build up on your teeth, eventually leading to cavities. However, simply brushing and flossing may not be sufficient to prevent them completely. Some foods, especially those that are high in sugar, promote production of acid in the mouth. In the same way, acidic foods add to the acid that is already in your mouth. Eating these foods and then leaving them on your teeth will make the problem worse. When you do eat these foods, you have to brush your teeth afterwards or at least rinse your mouth off well with water. It is best to brush after every meal, but twice a day is the minimum you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Regular trips to the dentist are also vital to preventing cavities. Dentists have specialized equipment they use to clean teeth much better than you can at home. If you skip your every-six-month appointment, there will be plaque on your teeth that sits there because you cannot remove it well enough at home.

If you do end up with a cavity, do not panic. This is something most people deal with at some point in their lives. Dentists are highly skilled at treating these. To treat a cavity, your dentist will drill into your tooth to remove the decayed tissue. Then, the area will be filled with a material that will prevent further decay from occurring. This is a process known as a filling. It is performed under anesthetic that numbs the area and prevents you from feeling any pain during the procedure. The filling material should remain in the hole, but if it does fall out or loosen, you will need to have the dentist fix it, as this will allow bacteria into your teeth to cause further problems. Otherwise, you can continue eating, brushing, and flossing as you did before the cavity with no further problems.