Tooth decay is an extremely common oral disease. We should never take our teeth for granted. Once you lose a single tooth due to decay, you realize the true importance of a tooth, even if you have the rest of the 31 teeth safe in your mouth. This article is aimed at giving you some important and useful information on tooth decay.

What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is otherwise known as dental caries, and is an infectious microbiological disease that involves the demineralization of inorganic components of the tooth, and disintegration of the organic components of the tooth structure.

What causes tooth decay?

Tooth decay is primarily due to bacterial attack. The bacteria present in the mouth feed on the food debris present on or in between the teeth. Acid is released as a by-product, which dissolves the inorganic part of the tooth, causing the loss of integrity of the hard surfaces.

How will I come to know that I have dental decay?

If you want to know whether you have dental decay, just check if you have any of these symptoms:

  • White spots: Whitish areas on your tooth near the gums are areas of demineralization, which can get remineralized with proper dental care.
  • Blackish discoloration may indicate dental decay (though it may be internal or external stains like tobacco stains).
  • Sensitivity: Some people experience sensitivity to hot,cold or sweet foods before developing typical cavities.
  • Cavities: check if your teeth have any cavities (holes) in them. Cavitated teeth are decayed.
  • Pain: if you experience pain while chewing, you may have dental decay. Dental decay often causes pain while chewing, or can even cause spontaneous bouts of pain.
  • Abscess: When the initial signs and symptoms of dental decay are ignored and treatment is not carried out, dental decay proceeds to other serious consequences like abscesses or, rarely, cysts. An abscess is quite painful, and the person can suffer a lot of discomfort. It is always advisable to get the required treatment before the decay proceeds to such a serious stage.

What is the solution for the problem of dental decay?

Instead of self-medication or treatment, it is always right to go and consult a dentist for problems like dental decay. If the cavity is small or the decay is not extensive, a minor filling is usually sufficient. If the decay has caused the death of the pulp (the innermost layer of the tooth which is laden with blood vessels and nerve fibres), then the treatment approach changes from normal filling to root canal treatment. If the tooth is in a totally non-restorable form, the person is asked to go for extraction (pulling out) of the tooth. Extraction is always the last option.

How can I prevent my teeth from getting decayed?

From our very childhood days, most of us have been taught that we must brush at least twice daily. We find time for almost all the things in the world except for tooth-brushing. This is where we need to correct ourselves. Brushing twice daily can minimize the chances of tooth decay by at least 60 to 70% according to recent studies. Flossing once daily is also a good preventive measure. Make sure you visit your dentist at least twice a year.

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.