Cavity

Cavities are one of the most widespread dental health problems. Caused by tooth decay, they occur when foods containing sugars or carbohydrates remain on your teeth for an extended period of time. The bacteria naturally in your mouth turns these food remnants into acids that gradually dissolve enamel on your the teeth, creating small pits.

How to Know If You Have Cavities

Anyone at any age can suffer from cavities. The best way to find out is to receive regular dental checkups. Your dentist will check your teeth for soft spots and other signs. If you leave a cavity untreated for a long time, you may notice symptoms like toothache and sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages. You may even begin to see holes in your teeth.

What Is the Treatment for Cavities?

The most common treatment for a cavity is a filling. Your dentist will drill a hole in your tooth around the decayed area and fill the hole with silver alloy, gold, porcelain, or composite resin.

At earlier stages (for instance, when the cavity is in the form of a white spot lesion), cavities can be treated with remineralization. If decay is more severe, however, you may need a crown. In the case the root or pulp of your tooth is dead, you will also need root canal treatment; but, if there is a chance of curing a mild infection in the nerve, your dentist may treat the problem with pulp capping.