What Causes Tooth Cavities? The Bristol Dental Practice Explains

Dental caries (caries is Latin for “rottenness”), also known as tooth decay, cavities, or caries, is breakdown of teeth due to the activities of bacteria. The cavities may be a number of different colours from yellow to black. Symptoms may include pain and difficulty with eating. Complications may include inflammation of the tissue around the tooth, tooth loss, and infection or abscess formation.

If you are suffering pain in a tooth you may have some element of tooth decay. Make an appointment with us at the The Bristol Dental Practice by telephoning 0117 910 5929

The bacteria break down the hard tissues of the teeth (enamel, dentin and cementum) by making acid, from food debris, on the tooth surface. Simple sugars in food are these bacteria’s primary energy source and thus a diet, high in simple sugar is a risk factor. If mineral breakdown is greater than build up from sources such as saliva, caries results. Risk factors include conditions that result in less saliva such as: diabetes mellitus, Sjogren’s syndrome and some medications. Medications that decrease saliva production include antihistamines and antidepressants among others. Caries are also associated with poor diet, poor teeth cleaning regime, and receding gums resulting in exposure of the roots of the teeth.

Prevention includes: regular cleaning of the teeth, a diet low in sugar and small amounts of fluoride. Brushing the teeth two times a day and flossing between the teeth once a day is recommended by many. Fluoride may come from water, salt or toothpaste among other sources. Treating a mother’s dental caries may decrease the risk in her children by decreasing the numbers of certain bacteria. Screening can result in earlier detection. Depending on the extent of destruction, various treatments can be used to restore the tooth to proper function or the tooth may be removed. There is no known method to grow back large amounts of tooth and so early treatment is advisable.

What Options Are Available?

A tooth can be filled in a variety of methods, one of the most popular one being white dental fillings. They are popular due to the fact that it does not call for much time and effort to get the tooth loaded by white declaring, any more than any other colour of filling. Other methods of filling that are readily available are metal filling, which mainly includes either silver or gold filling.

There are some benefits, and also downsides of white dental filling. First off, it matches and also mixes perfectly with the colour of the tooth, consequently it is liked by most clients for its aesthetic value. If your front teeth requires a filling you will undoubtedly not like it to be full of gold or silver fillings as these colors will certainly look odd. In such an instance, white dental filling will be most ideal option for you.

Another advantage of utilising white dental filling is that it is fast to load in to the tooth. While other sorts of declaring may call for multiple sittings, white filling could be performed in a single sitting, in the vast majority of cases.

While gold or silver filling could last for a lifetime or at least many years, white dental fillings might need touching up  every couple of years or so. White fillings do not have any major health concerns like the amalgam dental filling, which has been criticised for its mercury content, which could possibly not only damage the teeth in a long run, but could likewise harm the internal body parts when mixed with saliva.

At The Bristol Dental Practice in Bristol, as a part of our cosmetic dental services, we can always help you to achieve the smile you’ve always dreamed of. White fillings can now replace your amalgam fillings to improve the appearance of your smile. We have many materials to choose from and we offer consultation and evaluation to determine the treatment plan you need. Don’t let old fillings ruin your confidence or smile. Call today to book an appointment on 0117 910 5929