Dental Caries
The gradual decay and dissolution of the enamel and dentin (the layer immediately under the enamel), dental caries, if untreated, will reach and infect the pulp, the central core of the tooth that houses the blood vessels, connective tissue, and the nerve. Caries causes cavities. The general belief is-although no one is certain-that a number of different kinds of bacteria work on the sticky, gelatinous coating of the tooth to produce an acid that eats away at the tooth.
The Danger: If allowed to go too far, the pulp becomes inflamed and later infected, with eventual loss of tooth vitality and abscess at the tip of the root. Simply, the tooth will disintegrate.
Symptoms: The obvious symptom is a cavity in the tooth or general decay of the tooth. If the cavity or decay has been allowed to progress until it hits the pulp, there will be varying degrees of pain and possibly a swelling of the face.
Treatment: The only treatment of a cavity is surgical scouring with a burr and restoration, with various materials such as silver, gold, silicate, or composite.
Prevention: Prevention is the big issue. Caries is as common as the common cold and whereas the common cold is difficult to prevent, caries has a more hopeful outlook.
1. Brushing. A plaque on the teeth is a gummy, sticky, sugar film that is both colorless and transparent. Ordinary tooth-brushing will help but not completely. The dentist will prescribe a “disclosing tablet,” which is chewed. This tablet contains a harmless dye that is swished over all the teeth by the saliva, staining the plaques so that they can be seen and brushed off it is messy, particularly for children, but it is effective.
Brushing requires a special technique. On the upper teeth the toothbrush (bristle) should be placed above the gum line and ~ worked down; on the lower teeth brushing should be upward from below the gun line. The toothbrush should be replaced often.
Brushing should be done after each meal and especially before going to bed. Bacteria act on the sugar film minutes after sugar has been eaten and reach their highest activity within fifteen minutes. Heavy brushing or brushing too often can rub off the thin tooth enamel.
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