According to the
National Institutes of Health, the only condition more prevalent than tooth decay is the common cold.
If you are afraid you have a cavity, you may be right! Although cavities
are hard to detect on your own in the beginning, once the decay has progressed
and if you eat sweets, you may trigger the pain of a cavity. Whether or
not you are in the beginning stages or more advanced stages of a cavity,
the best way to maintain your teeth and avoid more cavities is by seeing
your dentist every 6 months for an exam and cleaning.
How Do Cavities Form?
While your mouth is full of bacteria, not all bacteria is harmless. In
fact, when you eat sugary or starchy foods like pretzels or candy, the
bacteria in your mouth feeds on that sugar and then produces acid. The
acid formed when bacteria metabolizes sugar is strong enough to break
down the enamel of your teeth. Your enamel, or the hard protective shell
of your teeth, will erode completely when the dangerous acid is left on
the surface of your teeth for an extended period of time and a dental
cavity or cavities begin to form.
The
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has found that cavities can be reversed when detected and treated at an
early stage in their formation. Fluoridated toothpaste and fluoride mouthwash
can help strengthen your enamel and prevent cavities from growing larger.
Do I Have a Cavity?
How can you know you have a cavity? Until the cavity grows large enough
to hit a nerve, you will feel nothing. The enamel has no nerves, so an
enamel-deep cavity can only be detected by a dental professional. If your
cavity becomes large enough to penetrate the soft inner core of your teeth
called the "dentin", you may start to feel the signs of a cavity.
You may experience sensitivity to cold or hot foods, feel a dull ache
or sharp pain when eating sweets, or you may even experience mild swelling
in rare cases.
Aside from oral pain, you may be able to see cavities form on the surface
of your teeth. You can recoginize cavities by the brown or yellow spots
they form on your teeth's surface.
Why Do My Teeth Hurt When I Eat Sugar?
Why do sweet foods make your cavities hurt? The enamel erosion caused by
tooth decay allows acid to penetrate the tender core of your teeth. When
you eat sweet foods, the bacteria in your mouth produce acid that burns
the nerves in your teeth. produced. This results in sensitivity and pain
when you eat sweet foods on an advanced cavity.
Visit the Dentist
If you think you have a cavity, you should call and schedule an appointment
with your dentist immediately. Preventing or reversing a cavity is possible
in the early stages, but by the time you feel sensitivity or pain only
a dentist can reverse the damage.
Your dentist will take an x-ray to see how deep your cavity goes. Typically,
dentists fill a cavity with metal to strengthen the tooth and prevent
bacteria from hiding in the crevices and deep pores formed by the cavity.
In severe cases, your dentist will need to replace part of your tooth
with a crown and/or root canal.
Whether or not you think you have a cavity, seeing a dentist every 6 months
is the best way to save the pain and expense of treating cavities and
other dental emergencies. The reason the American Dental Association recommends
a cleaning and exam with your dentist twice a year is because perfectly
healthy teeth can start to decay in 6 months without proper maintenance.
Platinum Dental Care has been providing service for patients in Utah looking
for a "Dentist Near Me" for over 30 years. Our service is top-notch
and our practices carry the latest dental technology. We never over-charge
and we strive for complete transparency in our billing and treatment proposals.
If you are new to Utah County, Wasatch County, or Salt Lake County, call
Platinum Dental Care today at 801-806-4645.