Tooth cavity is the most common problem in our country and in the world among oral and dental health problems. Tooth cavity reduces our quality of life. Tooth cavity, which causes many problems such as bad breath and image disorders, especially unbearable pains, can spread throughout the tooth and cause tooth loss if not treated in a timely manner. People notice tooth cavity when they face an unbearable amount of toothache. And often such situations result in tooth loss.
So how do we spot tooth decay without going all the way to tooth loss? What foods and beverages cause tooth cavity? What precautions can we take to avoid tooth cavity? Let’s find answers to your questions about this and that in this article.
What Causes Tooth Cavity?
Acidic Foods: Acidic foods damage the enamel layer on the tooth, making the tooth surface vulnerable. It causes deterioration and decay on the tooth surface over time.
Sugary Foods: Excessive sugar in foods such as honey, chocolate, sugar, fruits etc. damages the tooth surface over time, causing decay. Especially sticky and sugary substances such as honey stick to the surface of the tooth, making it difficult to clean teeth. Decay occurs due to these reasons.
Missing or Incorrect Web and Tooth Cleaning: Especially the grinder molars located at the back are indented, protruding, and rough. In these areas, where oral and tooth cleaning is incomplete and cannot be cleaned completely when done incorrectly, food residue remains and caries occur in these areas over time.
Genetic Sensitivity: The codes of our body are included in our genes that we receive from our parents. Since the codes we take from our genes are effective in factors such as the structure of tooth enamel and the order of teeth, it is possible to attribute tooth decay to genetic factors.
Breast milk: Research shows that breast milk has effects on many elements such as immune system, bone structure and tooth structure, especially in the first six months of life. It is seen that individuals who receive insufficient breast milk are more prone to tooth decay and tooth loss in later life.
How to Diagnose Tooth Cavity?
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, we usually notice tooth cavity with painful and unbearable pain. By this stage, the extent of the rot has generally become difficult to treat.
The dentist first examines the structure of the tooth for deterioration and color difference. After the dentist sees that there is a difference in color in the tooth, he also measures the involvement in the tooth and determines the size of the tooth cavity. If necessary, cavity treatment is applied after antibiotic treatment. Thus, appropriate treatment is started.
It is possible to determine tooth decay at an early stage with regular doctor’s checks and a small check in the mirror. Thus, it will be possible to intervene in caries at an early stage without going through long and painful processes such as tooth loss or root canal treatment.