DENTIST CAVITIES
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ENAMEL is the outer layer of tooth structure, and is very hard. DENTIN is the inner layer, which is softer than enamel; therefore the decay eats away the dentin much faster than the enamel.
Below is an actual tooth, where you can see the tooth decay on the top of the tooth, which appears small, but is probably quite deep as illustrated above.
*NOTICE THE BLACK GROOVES IN THE CENTER OF THIS TOOTH- THIS IS DECAY
This is what a dentist cavity looks like on an xray. The arrows are surrounding a dark shadow, which indicates decay. This is a very deep cavity which may end up causing the tooth to need a root canal. (Many small cavities are not really visible to the untrained eye) *note, the whitest part on the tooth indicates an amalgam/silver filling.
There are specific strains of BACTERIA which cause CAVITIES. If you have any of those strains of BACTERIA in your mouth, you can get CAVITIES. And IF YOU DO NOT… You will NOT get cavities.
The bacteria needs 2 more things to survive. They need a HOST, which PLAQUE and CALCULUS/TARTER provide, and and FOOD, which SUGAR or other food products provide.
Flossing is absolutely essential in this effort. Most people brush their teeth, but that is only half of the job. Brushing does not clean in between the teeth, where many cavities form. Only flossing does.
CAN IT BE TRANSMITTED? YES. You can acquire the cavity causing bacteria from others, say, a SPOUSE, or SIGNIFICANT OTHER. Meaning, if you have never had a cavity, but your new significant other has a mouthful of FILLINGS, LOOK OUT!
HOME CARE: Excellent home care can remove PLAQUE and CALCULUS, which disrupts the BACTERIAL colonies, and prevents decay. It takes plaque about 24 hours to build up, so it is normally recommended to brush at least twice a day, and floss once a day. DIET: Many small meals may be good for your metabolism, but it is also good for the BACTERIA’S. Food spread throughout the day, gives the bacteria a constant source of food as well. The worst offenders are SUGAR containing products, such as SOFT DRINKS, SWEETENED COFFEE or TEA, CANDIES, or other SWEETS. FLUORIDE: Fluoride has been proven to be one of the most effective anti cavity agents. It is very important to expose teeth to it both when the teeth are developing and after they have erupted. It is in most toothpastes and in the drinking water of many cities, but some children may need supplements if they are in places where there is not fluoride readily available. FLUORIDE VARNISHES: Fluoride varnishes are sticky, concentrated fluoride solutions that are applied at the dental office, and can remain on the teeth for up to 24 hours. This keeps the fluoride in contact with the teeth for very long periods of time, which help reinforce the tooth structure and prevent decay. If this is applied several times per year, it can definitely help reduce the risk of tooth decay, and even help prevent incipient (early stage) cavities from progressing. ANTI-BACTERIAL PRODUCTS: Products containing XYLITOL, which is an artificial sweetener found in some sugar free gums, may help reduce the amount of cavity causing bacteria. It is recommended to use these products up to 5x per day, which seems like a lot, but even if you only use them 1-2x/day, it is still better than chewing gum without it. CHLORHEXIDINE: This is a prescription mouthrise which has antibacterial qualities which can also reduce the amount of cavity causing bacteria. Your dentist can prescribe how to use it and it is normally not used on a long term basis. Over the long run it can cause some very slight staining of the teeth, but this goes away after it's use is discontinued, and the benefits far outweigh the possible side effects.
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