Cavity filling is just one of the many services you will find at your local West Haven Dentist. They will also be able to advise you on how you should take care of your teeth in future to prevent further decay. Part of their service also includes advising you on the best anti-cavity food to eat and the correct ways to brush and floss.
They will do exhaustive tests to determine why you got the cavities in the first place. This may or may not include the use of x-rays to try and find the root cause of your pain.
What exactly causes tooth decay?
Tooth decay (or dental cavities) affects over 97 percent of people in the world and in addition is the most prevailing of infectious diseases know to man. Many dental professionals agree that there are many causes for tooth disintegration, but the majority of people get tooth decay as a result of mainly three causes.
Acid demineralization is usually a complex process. What this essentially means is that when the pH level in the mouth is lower than 5.5, plaque starts to accumulate on a tooth, and under the perfect mix of conditions, it erodes the tooth enamel and you are left with a small hole in your tooth, which leaves the nerves unprotected.
Re-mineralization, on the other hand, takes place when the pH level becomes more than 5.5. This can be encouraged by the right dosage of fluoride and the flow rate of saliva and related minerals in the mouth. There is a constant war in your mouth to maintain the optimum conditions for re-mineralization, but it’s not impossible to control this with the right way of brushing and flossing.
But why do some people have more cavities than others?
No two people have exactly the same levels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in their mouths. Some people actually have certain strains of bacteria that inhibit the growth of plaque, while others are not so lucky and they are thus more prone to develop plaque on their teeth.
The amount and composition of saliva in the mouth also plays its role. Natural elimination of acid occurs when we have enough saliva, which washes over the teeth and discards of cavity-causing organisms.
Your diet of course plays a very important role in maintaining healthy teeth. Sugar, in particular sucrose, is one of the biggest culprits contributing to cavity formation, because certain bacteria in your mouth feed on the energy provided by sugar and they therefore become more active in producing lactic acid, which reduces pH levels and eventually results in plaque.
These are just some of the main factors that contribute to cavities. Diet, hygiene and fluoride regimens are controllable. Strains of bacterial infection and salivary flow are less controllable. Regardless, by watching their eating and oral hygiene habits one can see why some people get cavities and others do not. Let your local West Haven Dentist discuss this with you in more depth.
Maintaining good dental health with the aid of your West Haven dentist is important. Tips and hints about oral health are found online at http://www.savindentalcare.com .