Hawthorn Dental Care
65 Linda Cres
Hawthorn 3122
T 03 9818 8011
Information sheet from www.hawthorndental.com.au

Dental caries or Decay

What is decay?
More explaination about decay
Preventing decay
Does caries cause pain?
The importance of Sugar Vs Good cleaning

What is decay? (Caries)

• A disease of teeth
• It results in the distruction of teeth [ faster in the inner surface of the tooth (dentine) than the outer enamel]
• It is caused by bacteria
• Occurs when acid damage > saliva healing
• 'Caries' is Latin for 'rot' or rotten.
• A high rate of caries activity in the 15-30 year age group.
• A high rate of caries activity in the elderly, including coronal, root surface and recurrent caries(these are holes near the gum line or around old fillings).
• Increased risk of caries among individuals that are medically compromised, or with some physical disability.

More explaination about decay
Whether or not you get dental decay depends on a constant contest between factors that result in tooth destruction and factors repairing the damage.
Each time we eat we can cause demineralization (loss to the hard material that make up the tooth) and this loss of ‘good’ minerals can be limited and quickly reversed by our saliva and fluoride. If the damage is not repaired then micro-holes(very small holes that you can't see with your eyes) occur and as this continues cavitation (a hole) that can be detected either by the dentist or the patient will occur.

Preventing decay

• Regular dental check ups will help detect early decay – either before cavitation (HOLES).
• Fluoride
• Tooth moose
  
• Good diet - see drinks
• Pit and fissure sealants
• Good cleaning of your teeth
• Regular professional care.
  

Does caries cause pain?
Often no -unless the cavity is very very close to the tooth nerve

Should I wait until I have pain?
No, smaller holes are easier to repair successfully and much cheaper to treat.

The importance of Sugar Vs Good cleaning

• Sugar is a major factor in swinging the balance towards decay. (BACTERIA + SUGAR) = ACID, (ACID + TOOTH) = LESS TOOTH
• Cleaning your teeth is important but you can't clean your teeth well enough OR often enough to counter the effect of high sugar eating.
• Fluoride and saliva try hard to repair damage

Frequent eating of high sugar content foods, often combine with high acid foods (that saves the bacteria the job of converting it!), provides excellent environment for tooth exposures to pH at erosive levels.

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