Tooth decay is a health problem that occurs in the tooth as a result of plaque and food residues accumulated on the teeth producing acids and attacking the tooth enamel. It can occur in any layer of the tooth and manifests itself in the form of a hole or a gap. In addition to the smooth surface of the tooth, it can also be observed on the root of the tooth. Tooth decay can have more than one cause. Regardless of the cause, the critical point regarding tooth decay is to diagnose it early and take action. In this blog, you will learn how to get rid of tooth decay.
How do we know that we have cavities in our teeth?
Tooth decay causes various symptoms in our mouth. Physically, we feel the feeling of a hole or a gap in our teeth with our tongue, it attracts our attention because it is unusual. Our bad breath may change, and specifically the tooth with cavities may experience sensitivity, pain, and pain. Decay should be treated as soon as it is felt, otherwise, in addition to the physical discomfort it causes, you may also lose your tooth. In order to detect this tooth decay as early as possible, it is very important to visit the dentist regularly. If you visit your dentist every 6 months, you have the luxury of solving the problem before it even starts.
Let’s say you have a cavity now and you have observed the symptoms. What are your solution options?
- If tooth decay is about to start, fluoride treatment can be applied from the beginning. This will strengthen the tooth enamel and slow down the decay significantly. It is ideal for early cavities.
- The most common tooth decay treatment is definitely dental fillings. Dental fillings are a solution that is recommended for short-term and uncomplicated early-stage cavities, cleaning and stopping the decay.
- Some cavities can also be very advanced. In this case, cleaning the decay and simply filling it may not be a solution, in which case root canal treatment and coatings come into play. These are more complicated, time-consuming and expensive treatments than dental fillings.
- Let’s say the decay in your tooth cannot be repaired with fluoride, filling, root canal treatment or crown; then the solution is tooth extraction.
As you will notice, tooth decay progresses step by step, the solution suggestions for each step are different and these suggestions become more difficult as the decay progresses. Therefore, the situation that is more important than having a decay is to take action for your decay as soon as possible.
How can I protect my teeth? How can I prevent cavities?
As you can imagine, the biggest protector here is to pay attention to hygiene. After every meal, you should brush your teeth, use dental floss or mouthwash, and maintain your oral hygiene with mouthwash. Using toothpaste with the right amount of fluoride will also be an advantage. In addition, sugary foods are the number one cause of cavities, they stick to your teeth and breed bacteria. As mentioned before, someone who wants to protect their teeth should see their dentist regularly. The dentist detects the problem immediately, and even if there is no problem, regular professional cleaning helps you protect your teeth.
Home Remedies to Protect Your Teeth
In addition to seeing your dentist regularly and paying attention to your oral hygiene, some methods you can do at home can also be useful.
Oil pulling is at the top of these options. Oil pulling is defined as gargling any natural oil. It is recommended to do it as soon as you wake up in the morning, it is said to kill bacteria to a great extent.
In addition to oil pulling, it is important to have your mineral balance checked. Mineral deficiencies can negatively affect your teeth, you can take supplements such as calcium to prevent this and support yourself from the inside.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have highlighted what tooth decay is, its causes, solutions, and your responsibilities. The main point in tooth decay, as I mentioned above, is to solve it as soon as possible. The first treatments are the healthiest, most budget-friendly and easiest. Taking action on treatments as soon as possible prevents tooth loss. Tooth decay is not unpreventable, as long as you pay attention to a few points, you can easily protect your oral health. If you have cavities, there are many solution options, as long as they can be diagnosed in advance.