5 Stages of Tooth Decay & How to Treat Each (1,2,3,4,5)

Tooth decay is the destruction of the enamel or the outer surface of the tooth. Bacteria that are collected on the enamel cause decay. The bacteria are in a sticky white form called plaque. The bacteria obtain from its food like sugar and starch in the host diet. When those foods are ate the bacteria produces an acid that is at the animals and causes the decay process. Some say more than 90% of people in the United States have at least one cavity/tooth decay in about 70% 5% of people get their first cavity by the ages five. These cavities lead to decay. A general dentist would be able to determine your best treatment service. General dentistry definition is a specific primary care dental provider who diagnosis, treats and manages your overall oral health needs, including gum care, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges and preventive education.Tooth decay syptoms occurs when these factors are present in bacteria sugar and weak Tooth surfaces. One starch breaks down in the tooth, inform sugar. The bacterium that lives on the tooth services eat the sugar. When they do that they turn the sugar into acid, which is called lactic acid. This lactic acid can soak into the holes and weak spots in the tooth and dissolved minerals. Overtime this will cause the holes to get bigger and bigger. There are many stages of tooth decay to always look for when wondering if your experiencing poor oral health. Some tooth decay beginning stages to look for and how to treat them would be:The outer lay of your teeth is made of the hardest tissue in your body, which is called the enamel. This tissue is also made of mineral. When a tooth is exposed to acids produced by plaque the enamels begin to lose its minerals. When your enamel begins to lose these minerals, white spots may begin to appear on your teeth. These white spots are just the beginning of the tooth decay stages.This is the earliest stages of tooth decay and can absolutely be reversed before severe damage occurs. This can be treated using fluoride. You can receive a fluoride treatment from your general dentist. Fluoride works to strengthen your enamels and help provide a more resistant’s to the acids produced by plaque.If tooth decay is gone unnoticed, you may notice the white spots on the tooth darken to a brownish/blackish color. This is the process of your enamel breaking down. As the enamel weakens and starts its breaking down process, small holes in your teeth called cavities begin to form. These cavities will than need to be filled by your general dentist.Once this stage of tooth decay occurs, cavities are normally presented. These cavities will than be filled as a treatment. Your general dentist will be the provider to perform this treatment, your dentist will first use a tool to clear away any areas of decay. Than they will fill this hole with a material such as resin, ceramic or dental amalgam and this material is normally the same color as your tooth.Dentin is the tissue that lies under the enamel. This tissue is much softer than the enamel, which creates more sensitivity to damage from acids. When this occurs tooth decay proceeds at a faster rate. This tissue also contains tubes that lead to the main nerves in your teeth. When dentin is affected by tooth decay, you will experience sensitivity, mainly in hot and cold food or drinks.Due to dentin tissue being softer than the enamel, tooth decay moves at a faster rate when it reaches this stage of tooth decay. If this stage is caught early it may be resolved with a filling, however left untreated it may result in the placement of a crown. A crown is a covering that covers the top portion of your tooth about the gums. The area of decay is removed before the crown is placed.The pulp is the innermost layer of your tooth, which contains the nerves and blood vessels that help keep your teeth healthy. When damage to the pulp occurs, you may experience irritation and swelling. Because the tissue surrounding the tooth can’t expand to accommodate the swelling.Once this stage of tooth decay has occurred a root canal is often needed. During a root canal the damaged pulp is removed. The tooth cavity is than cleaned and filled for the placement of a crown.This is the final stage of tooth decay. Once the decay advances into the pulp, the unattended bacteria causes an infection. The infection will than begin to spread causing inflammation in the tooth leading to a pocket of pus. These pockets of pus normally form at the bottom of your teeth, called abscess. Abscess on the tooth can cause severe pain and many other symptoms such as swelling in the gums and face, fevers, and swelling of the lymph nodes.Once an abscess had formed on your tooth or gum, your dentist will than have to preform a root canal to remove the infection and salvage the tooth. In some advanced cases the tooth may need to be extracted.If you are experiencing any of these stages of tooth decay your best option is to do some best general dentistry finding process. Once one stage has progressed beyond its restoration it will just continue to get worse. When you search general dentist in Kent Island MD you will find that there is a variety of general dentist who may be able to assist you. If you experience any of these tooth decay stages, reach out to your dentist as these stages progress quickly!