Tooth Decay | Justice Dental, Lexington KY
Tooth decay can be caused by a variety of things. In medical terms, cavities are called caries, which are caused by long-term destructive forces acting on tooth structures such as enamel and the tooth’s inner dentin material.
What Is Tooth Decay?
These destructive forces include frequent exposure to foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Soda, candy, ice cream—even milk—are common culprits. Left inside your mouth from non-brushing and flossing, these materials break down quickly, allowing bacteria to do their dirty work in the form of a harmful, colorless sticky substance called plaque.
The plaque works in concert with leftover food particles in your mouth to form harmful acids that destroy enamel and other tooth structures.
If cavities aren’t treated early enough, they can lead to more serious problems requiring treatments such as root canal therapy.
Preventing Cavities
The best defense against cavities is good oral hygiene, including brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing and rinsing. Your body’s own saliva is also an excellent cavity fighter, because it contains special chemicals that rinse away many harmful materials. Chewing a good sugarless gum will stimulate saliva production between brushing.
Special sealants and varnishes can also be applied to stave off cavities from forming.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have a cavity:
- Unusual sensitivity to hot and cold water or foods.
- A localized pain in your tooth or near the gum line.
- Teeth that change color.
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by sugary substances in breast milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools inside the baby’s mouth.
If left untreated, this can lead to premature decay of your baby’s future primary teeth, which can later hamper the proper formation of permanent teeth.
One of the best ways to avoid baby bottle tooth decay is to not allow your baby to nurse on a bottle while going to sleep. Encouraging your toddler to drink from a cup as early as possible will also help stave off the problems associated with baby bottle tooth decay.
We’re Not Your Average Lexington Kentucky Dentist
From the moment you step into our office you’ll quickly realize that this isn’t your average dentist office. Our mission is to deliver the very best cosmetic dentistry and whole health, anti-aging dentistry by creating natural, beautiful and healthy smiles.
We promise to keep customer service and patient comfort as our top priority, all while delivering the very best treatments and procedures available today in any Lexington dentist – whether it’s delivering the perfect smile, reconstructing your whole mouth, or helping you identify or prevent whole health wellness.
We are world class, proudly nestled right here in Lexington, KY. From one of the top 25 dentists in the nation to handpicked teams of doctors, hygienists, surgeons and dental specialists – we create natural, beautiful, and healthy smiles which function with optimal comfort and durability.
Contact us today, and learn more about how we can help you design your perfect smile!
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