Who Is at Risk of Tooth Cavities?

Tooth cavities are a common dental problem, especially in young children. A tooth cavity is an area that is permanently damaged on the enamel forming holes in the tooth. Three factors are necessary for you to develop cavities that are an interaction between plaque, bacteria, and the tooth. Poor oral hygiene causes you to be at a higher risk of tooth decay.

Tooth cavities should be treated early enough to avoid complications like severe tooth infections. Having Tarzana missing teeth can affect your self-esteem and physical appearance. Dental cavities are diagnosed taking a medical history and examination of the tooth using dental instruments. Treatment of tooth cavities can be done using dental crowns, root canal, filling the tooth, or tooth extraction.

What Are the Complications of Tooth Cavities?

Untreated tooth cavities can cause you to suffer from severe and unbearable pain. Tooth cavities can also cause you to lose your teeth. Missing teeth can make you less confident and affect your self-esteem. The tooth cavity can get invaded by bacteria which causes an infection of the gums. The infection can progress to cause a dental abscess which is very painful and needs to be surgically drained.

Tooth cavities can also cause your gums to become swollen and produce pus. You may have a hard time chewing food because of pain and this can cause you to suffer from nutritional deficiency and weight loss. The infection in the mouth may spread through the bloodstream to other body systems and this can be life-threatening. The pain that comes with dental caries can reduce your performance at work or school.

You can avoid these complications by regularly brushing your teeth at least twice daily and after eating sugary food. You should also avoid foods that are sugary and sticky. Staying well hydrated and eating hard foods helps to remove the foods that may be stuck between your teeth. You should have regular dental visits for the cleaning and treatment of tooth cavities.

Who Is at Risk of Tooth Cavities?

You are at a high risk of tooth cavities if you eat sugary foods and regularly drink soda and other acidic drinks. Tooth cavities are more common among young children and older adults. Poor oral hygiene causes plaque to accumulate between your teeth and increases the risk of tooth cavities. Infants who drink milk before sleeping develop a type of cavity called baby bottle tooth decay because the milk remains in the tooth overnight and attracts bacteria.

Tooth cavities commonly affect the teeth at the back of your mouth because these molars have grooves and pits which make them easily accumulate plaque and they are hard to brush because they are at the back of the tooth. Having a dry mouth that can be caused by medication like chemotherapy increases the risk of dental cavities.

People who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease can get tooth cavities because the stomach acid erodes that tooth surface.  Eating disorders like anorexia can also cause tooth cavities due to the acid carried by the vomitus to the mouth. Fluoride deficiency also causes tooth cavities.

Conclusion

Tooth cavities are a common dental problem especially in young children and old people and they can cause pain or dental infections and can also cause systemic infections if untreated. People who eat a lot of sugary foods with poor dental hygiene, people suffering from eating disorders, or infants who drink milk before going to bed are all at a high risk of getting tooth cavities.