Posted by Treatment of cavities comes in various forms. However, the size or intensity of the decay is what determines the proper treatment suitable in your case. Here, you will find more about these treatments while also getting some tips on how you can prevent its occurrence.
To treat dental cavities, you need to know the three important factors that make up the treatment management first. These are prevention, remineralization and restoration, or PRR.
The prevention aspect of the treatment focuses more on three things – maintaining a healthy diet, practicing good dental habits, and visiting your dentist often. This part of the cavity treatment management is what helped reduce the occurrence of premature tooth loss in lots of patients.
To make that possible, you need to limit sugary and starchy foods in your diet. Keep in mind that starches help make plaque more sticky and sugar is converted into acid by bacteria, which is how cavity begins, and creates holes in teeth. Following this is especially important for toddlers and children since they are the ones mostly affected by tooth decay. They are also at the stage when they are starting to develop their adult teeth.
Hence, you need to reduce your consumption of sugary drinks and juices from now on. Sucrose sweeteners should be used, instead of the sucralose form. Chewing xylitol gum after eating also helps. More importantly, practice oral hygiene all the time.
When brushing your teeth, ensure that the gaps in between are reached and brushed well. Do dental flossing and use mouthwash as required by your dentist. Of course, do not forget to visit your dentist often since doing so is the key to catching dental issues early on, and preventing them from getting worse.
During the oral check-up, your dentist will determine if you have cavities. Small or shallow cavities are treated using the procedure remineralization, which involves the use of substance containing calcium or fluoride. The process helps in re-hardening the tooth, and the use of substance with fluoride makes the tooth enamel more cavity-resistant. Fluoride toothpastes, dental office fluoride varnishes treatments, fluoridated water, and supplements are examples of substances that dentists use for remineralization.
If the cavity is too large, the patient is required to undergo a restoration process. Small cavities are treated through restoration by filling it with silver amalgam or composite. However, a tooth with a large decayed part is required to be covered with a crown, which can be made in porcelain, zirconium or gold. A root canal treatment is recommended if the cavity reached the center, and has already infected the nerve.
However, there are cases when the cavity has infected the entire tooth surface that it requires extraction. To restore the tooth, bridges or dental implants will be made.
These are the most common treatments used for adult patients, but when treating younger patients, their baby teeth can be restored through extraction, pulpotomy, filling or a crown made of stainless steel. Such cases are important to be treated immediately to prevent oral disease from developing into adulthood.
Treatments for cavities today may already be that advanced. However, there is nothing that can defeat proper oral hygiene. Whether you have just undergone a cavity treatment or want to prevent dental issues, practicing oral hygiene is a must.
