Cavities and Tooth Decay

Tooth decay takes place when the mineral content that makes up the hard protective enamel of the tooth begins to dissolve.  When we eat food, natural bacterias in our mouth combine with the carbohydrates to form acids that will begin to eat away at the tooth, dissolving the mineral content. When this happens over an extended period of time, a cavity is formed.

Cavities are the actual holes in the tooth caused by tooth decay.  As you may have heard growing up, good dental care helps prevent the formation of cavities.  It’s true.  Simply brushing your teeth regularly, and using floss to get the areas that a toothbrush cannot reach can work wonders in preventing cavities.

Cavities which are discovered early are simple to treat.  Most often, dentists, like Dr. Jennifer Bartlett will use a special filling to close the gap and prevent further infections, like a tooth abscess from occurring.    If a cavity has not been caught early enough and has resulted in a significant amount of decay corrective measures include caps and crowns, to tooth extraction in the most severe cases.

Dr. Bartlett’s first priority is to save the tooth, and to clear out any infection, in instances where an abscess may have formed.  Increased sensitivity or sudden pain when eating something hot or cold may indicate a cavity which has air exposure to the nerve.  If this is the case, this may indicated an entry point for further damage, decay and infection.  Toothaches are common in instances where a cavity has led to infection.  It is best to get it treated as quickly as possible.

If you are experiencing a severe toothache or need to have a cavity filled, contact Dr. Bartlett’s office today.  There are many options available for a pain-free, stress free experience due to modern advances in technology and pain control.