Tooth Decay: Symptoms, causes and treatment

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Tooth Decay
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Tooth Decay

• Like any other part of the body, our teeth are
  also susceptible to a number of problems. One of
  the most common among them is tooth decay. The
  main causes for this can be attributed to the
  food that we eat and the bacteria that we harbour
  in our mouth. Ruling out either of them to
  prevent this condition is not possible. Hence,
  maintaining good oral hygiene is very important.
  What makes dental care so important is the fact
  that tooth decay is a slow process. It starts
  with small caries in teeth, and may take years
  before large cavities that expose the nerves and
  cause pain, are formed. It can be detected early
  or at a later stage. Depending upon the extent of
  damage, there are a number of treatment options
  that a dentist may opt for.

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Causes of tooth decay

• Food that we eat and bacteria is the culprit
  behind this tooth condition. Foods rich in
  carbohydrates have high content of starch that
  tend to stay back on teeth, especially in between
  the teeth and in cavities. This provides food for
  bacteria that grow in these cavities. Improper
  cleaning of teeth after meals may also leave bits
  of food in between. Bacteria thrive in these food
  bits and form plaques. The acids released by the
  hordes of bacteria in plaques attack the
  outermost layer of teeth, the enamel. As the
  enamel is destroyed, the bacteria reach deeper
  layers of teeth causing greater damage. This
  problem is quite common in children due to their
  consumption of sugar-rich foods.

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Symptoms

• For those who do not go for regular dental
  check-ups, this problem may be detected only
  after one feels a toothache. However, the common
  symptoms that one should watch out are 
• Bad breath
• Foul taste in the mouth
• Toothache (due to infection or irritation of the
  tooth pulp)
• Pain while chewing food, brushing teeth, eating
  hot or cold food or drinks or breathing in cold
  air
• Holes or pits (cavities) in teeth
• In case of severity, pus-filled sacs may be
  formed at the base of the teeth, in the bone,
  that is accompanied with swollen glands and jaws,
  fever, and acute pain.

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Treatments

• Your dentist will perform a dental check up to
  see if it's a case of tooth decay. In case it is,
  he would also ascertain the severity of the
  damage. The various treatment options available
  are as follows Fluoride Treatment Toothpastes
  and mouth rinses already have some amount of
  fluoride in them, as this mineral is important
  for dental health. Fluoride prevents cavities and
  helps teeth to repair themselves. In case the
  tooth decay is in the initial stages, fluoride
  treatment is what dentists resort to.
  Professional fluoride treatment involves the
  dentist applying a liquid, gel, or foam to the
  affected tooth.
• Fillings If the rotting has penetrated deeper
  than the enamel, one has to go for tooth filling.
  In the cavity filling procedure, the affected
  portion of the teeth is removed, and filled with
  a filling material that restores the shape of the
  teeth. The filling could be composite resins,
  silver amalgam, gold, or ceramics.

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Treatments
Continue

• Crowns In case of extensive deterioration, doing
  multiple fillings will weaken the tooth. In such
  case, crowns are used. The damaged area of the
  tooth is removed, treated, and a crown or a
  covering jacket is put over the remaining teeth.
  The crowns are usually made of gold or porcelain.
• Root Canal Treatment In case of a severe problem
  in which even the nerves get affected, root canal
  treatment is required. In this form of treatment,
  the pulp is removed along with the affected parts
  of the tooth. This area is then filled with a
  sealing material to prevent exposure of the inner
  parts to harmful bacteria.
• Tooth Extraction In case most of the tooth has
  been damaged, a dentist may have to extract the
  tooth altogether. It is advisable to go for a
  dental implant to fill the empty place left by
  the extracted tooth, as other teeth may move in
  to fill that space.

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Prevention of tooth decay

• Here are some simple ways to prevent tooth
  decay 
• Brush at least twice daily. If it's not possible
  to brush after every meal, at least rinse your
  mouth every time after you eat something.
• Avoid eating snacks frequently.
• Eat food like cheese, fruits and vegetables that
  are naturally good for your teeth.
• Use fluoride toothpaste.
• Drink water that has fluoride added to it, like
  tap water.
• Visit a dentist regularly.
• Instead of getting into the dilemma of which
  treatment procedure to go for, try to prevent
  this condition from occurring. Follow proper
  prevention measures, and in case you experience
  the slightest pain, go to the dentist immediately
  so that the problem can be curbed in the initial
  stages itself.

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