Dental health matters a lot as it covers a part of your body that plays an essential role in several factors. Your teeth play a crucial role in the digestion process and also ensuring that you wear a beautiful smile. Ensuring you are in the perfect state of dental health is essential. You need to protect your teeth from dental caries or decay. It is a condition that results in the weakening and wearing out of the enamel. Fluoride varnish is a popular product that strengthens the teeth and keeps you healthy.
It is different from other fluoride products in that it has higher concentrations of the mineral. Keeping your teeth free from bacteria or factors that bring them also ensures they are healthy. Scaling and polishing is the procedure widely used to eliminate tough stains and bacteria from the teeth. With the help of products such as prophy paste and the use of special tools, your teeth will be free from bacteria and other factors that bring about dental caries.
Dental caries is a condition that usually comes about as a result of acid produced from the bacterial action in your mouth. Bacteria in your mouth assimilate sugar from the food you eat, which leads to the production of acid. The acid is responsible for weakening the hard surfaces of your teeth. Your dentine and enamel will become weak, and this results in the formation of cavities. If untreated, your condition will become worse with time. You should treat dental caries immediately to be on the safe side.
How to Stop Caries
The following are ways you can stop dental caries.
Avoiding Sugar
Sugar is one of the leading causes of dental caries. It is digested by bacteria on your teeth to produce acids that destroy the enamel and other hard tissues of your teeth. You should avoid sugary foods and beverages if you want to stay free from dental caries. Trying out other options like vitamins or calcium-rich foods like milk is essential for the development of healthy gums and teeth.
Proper Dental Hygiene
Observing the right oral hygiene practices also keeps you free from dental caries. This is because food remains on your teeth attract bacteria that bring about the condition. There are so many practices you can carry out to maintain proper dental hygiene. Brushing is one of them. Doing this after every meal helps you get rid of food remains. You should use a proper toothbrush and paste for the practice. Flossing is the other dental hygiene practice you should observe. This helps in removing dirt from the spaces between your teeth. You can also rinse your mouth using a mouthwash with ingredients that help eliminate bacteria.
Dental Visits
Visit your Dentist in Los Angeles more often if you want to stay free from dental caries. One of the things they will do is to monitor your dental health. Dentists have the right equipment and expertise to examine your condition. They will screen your teeth to look at the extent of your state and come up with the right treatments. Your dentist can also advise you on different things you should do to keep your teeth in good shape. Look for a wonderful dental clinic where you will have these procedures done.
Plaque Removal
Plaque is a sticky film that is usually yellow and forms on the surface of your teeth. It is difficult to remove through brushing. Plaque keeps bacteria responsible for the wearing out of your enamel. You should have it removed to stop the condition. Dentists are the right people for this kind of task. They have proper tools such as scrapers that help in removing plaque on your teeth. Polishing is the other procedure carried out afterward that leaves the surface of your teeth smooth.
Fluoride Treatment Option
It is a popular option that plays a crucial role in preventing dental caries. Fluoride helps in strengthening the enamel. It is available in most oral care products. Fluoride also occurs naturally in water. You can keep your teeth healthy by drinking more water. The most popular product you can use in your treatments is fluoride varnish. It contains high levels of the mineral. Going for this treatment every three months leaves your teeth stronger and free from caries. The other good thing about fluoride varnish is that it wards off bacteria from your teeth. You are at a lower risk of getting dental caries when you go for such a treatment.
Who is at Risk of Getting Dental Caries
Findings have shown that a third of the world’s population, that is about 2 billion people have dental caries. Most of them have not taken the correct measures to treat the condition. Dental caries is a disease that cuts across different age groups. Young children, teenagers, and adults are at high risk of contracting the condition. Young children are at a more increased risk compared to adults because their enamel is not strong, and this leaves their teeth more susceptible to dental caries. Everyone is advised to keep a close eye on their dental health because this is a sneaky condition that comes without one’s knowledge. Visit your dentist more often to have your teeth examined. Parents should also take their young ones for such checkups to ensure their teeth are in perfect shape all the time.
Available Treatments for Dental Caries
Seeking immediate treatment for such a condition reduces its chances of escalating and becoming worse. There are different phases of dental caries, some of which are reversible and others not. Treating it early saves you from expenses you may incur on future treatments. You will also be in the perfect state of dental health all the time. The following are some of the best dental caries treatments you can opt for.
Fluoride
Apart from preventing dental caries, fluoride is also useful when it comes to treating this condition. Applying it to your teeth leaves them stronger and helps to restore your state. The best product to use for such a treatment is fluoride varnish or gel. Higher concentrations of the mineral in the product make it the best for such a procedure. It will also keep off bacteria from your teeth.
Dental Fillings
It is another ideal treatment for cavities that go deeper into the enamel. Using specialized tools, your dentist will drill into the affected area and remove the decaying matter from the affected tooth. This will leave a space. This space can be filled with special materials. They will do this professionally to ensure no gaps are left.
Dental Crowns
This treatment is used where caries destroys a bigger portion of the affected tooth. The remainder of the tooth can be drilled and fitted with a crown to restore its shape and appearance. A crown is a type of cap that is custom-made to fit one’s tooth. They take proper measurements and use the right tools to create one. Crowns offer a long-term solution in the restoration of worn-out teeth.
Root Canals
Your teeth are made up of an inner material, popularly referred to as the pulp. There are several instances tooth decay may progress and reach this particular part of your teeth. The pulp is made up of nerves and blood vessel tissue. Root canal treatment involves the removal of decay matter and the dead nerves in the affected area. The space left will later be filled.
Tooth Removal
There are instances when dental caries may leave your teeth damaged beyond repair. You have no option left but to remove the affected tooth. This is a procedure that should be carried out by a dentist who will do everything to perfection. You can replace the extracted teeth with dentures, bridges, or implants. Preventing and treating caries early is the best option that can stop you from getting to such a stage.
