What Is A Cavity?

From the moment we start visiting the dentist, the goal is
clear… Avoid cavities.

But what actually causes cavities? Is it simply sugar, or is
there more to the story?

In this installment of #AskDrCurrie, we uncover everything you
need to know about the cause of cavities, how to avoid them – and
the answers might surprise you!

What are cavities?

Simply put, a cavity is a hole in the tooth.

But when most people say cavity, what they are actually talking
about is dental caries – which is tooth decay. So a cavity is
strictly a hole in the tooth.

There are things other than tooth decay that could result in a
cavity. For instance, if a piece of the tooth breaks or fractures,
or general erosion.

What causes a cavity?

When people think of cavities, they usually think of sugar. But
there is another contributor to the development of cavities, and it
will probably surprise you.

First and foremost, the cause of cavities is bacteria. More
specifically, certain types of bacteria such as streptococcus
mutans.

We all have bacteria in our mouth – healthy bacteria is part
of general health. But certain types of bacteria cause cavities.
You need those types of bacterias in conjunction with sugar to
create cavities. So if you do not have much sugar, it is true that
you will reduce your chances of getting a cavity a great deal. But
bacteria is what people don’t talk about.

The bacteria that causes cavities can be passed from parents to
children – so if the
parents have them it’s more likely their kids will too. So
it’s important for parents to keep that in mind, and take great
care of their teeth as well.

How does sugar and bacteria work together to cause a
cavity?

Ultimately, the bacteria and sugar have a symbiotic relationship
– they need each other in order for cavities to develop.

So here is something that will probably surprise you about
sugar… It’s not the total amount of sugar consumed that’s an
issue, it’s how you consume it. Here’s an example…

You have twin teenagers… The first one drinks six cans of pop
in two hours, and then rinses their mouth with water and brushes
their teeth. The second teenage sips a single can of pop over five
hours and doesn’t brush their teeth afterwards. In this scenario,
the second teenager would be much more likely to cause cavities.
The slow and constant drip of sipping over a long period of time
will feed the bacteria.

So avoiding cavities doesn’t mean you cannot consume sugar. It
means you just have to be smart about it.

So if you eat something sweet, you can brush, floss, or consume
something more neutralizing like an apple or cheese. That will
increase the saliva flow in your mouth and neutralize the acids
that support the bad bacteria. So if you are going to consume
sugar, don’t nibble for hours – just eat it.

If you have sugar free gum it will help to prevent cavities.
Because it promotes saliva flow, and saliva has calcium and
phosphate which is what your enamel is made of, and it helps
neutralize the acids and bacteria.

Fluoride also makes your enamel stronger and much more resistant
to decay.

How do you know if you have a cavity?

You don’t – it’s usually something you dentist will
recognize. You don’t want to wait until you feel something – by
that point it’s too late.

The dentist may take an X-Ray and recommend you put a filling
in. At that stage a lot of people will be surprised… “Are you
sure ia have a cavity? I don’t feel anything!”

One of the common misconceptions is that if you have tooth
decay, you should feel it. But the only time you would feel tooth
decay is either the problem is so big that you can feel a hole in
your tooth, or the decay gets so deep that is starts to cause
inflammation of the nerve and now you have a toothache.

But if you wait until it gets so big that the tooth crumbles,
that’s when you need a big filling and/or a crown as well. Or, if
you wait until you have a toothache you may end up needing a root
canal, and then a crown.

So you won’t feel cavities, and you want your dentist to fix
them before it turns into a bigger issue.

How do you avoid cavities?

Here are a few simple tips to help avoid cavities:

Limit sugar intake
If you consume sugar, don’t sip or nibble – just consume
it.
You can neutralize the bacteria in your mouth with water, apples,
cheese – foods that are low in acidity.
Sugar free gum is another great way to avoid cavities as it will
stimulate saliva production which will help offset the bacteria
that causes cavities.

Brushing and flossing is more important for gum disease, but
diet and sugar intake is more important for avoiding decay and
cavities.

What do you use to fill a cavity?

Fillings are made from composite resin. You can place silver
fillings or gold fillings or porcelain – but composite resin is
the bulk of it for sure.

It is a putty, and you condition the tooth and apply a bond so
that the filling will stick. You pack in the putty and you shape it
and shine a light on it. The composite resin sets and firms up
under the light.

Having fillings placed could be anywhere from a 20 minute
appointment to 3-4 hours depending on how many teeth were being
worked on.

How long should you wait to eat after having a cavity
filled?

With white fillings, the answer is right away. The old silver
fillings you had to wait up to 6 hours for the material to firm
up.

The only caveat is that if you have freezing, you may want to
wait to ensure that you don’t’ end up biting your tongue, lip,
or side of your mouth.

One of the most common complaints from a patient after having a
cavity filled is that the area feels sensitive. If it was a deep
filling and it’s sensitive to cold, it should go away with time
– but it may take up to a few months.

If it’s an actual toothache, then the filling may have been so
deep that the tooth won’t recover and then you’d need a root
canal. Another potential issue is the bite could be off, so you
would just need to go back to the dentist for additional
polish.

What do you say to people that are nervous about having a
cavity filled?

At Pearl Dental, we understand that some patients feel a sense
of anxiousness when visiting the dentist. With that in mind, from
the moment you walk through our doors we work to ensure you have a
comfortable experience.

Our staff will listen to your concerns, answer any questions
that you may have, and help you understand the options available.
We are also a highly experience staff capable of handling any
dental challenge that you may be facing. At the end of the day, we
do our best to provide a pleasant experience to all of our
customers.

For additional information, please contact
Pearl Dental or give us a call at 905-637-1698.

READ
MORE: What Are Dental Crowns?

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