Q. 1. What is Tooth Decay?
Ans. It is a phenomenon of the inner layer of the tooth, which is also known as tooth enamel. And during the tooth decay process, the bad bacteria produce a type of acid in the mouth that causes demineralisation, which leads to the creation of a hole with pain and infection in the tooth. This tooth decay is also called dental caries or cavities, and if not cured or treated in a timely manner, it can result in permanent loss of a tooth.
Q. 2. What are the Symptoms of Tooth Decay?
Ans. One of the most common symptoms of tooth decay is a feeling of sensitivity in your tooth, especially while consuming cold or hot food and beverages. On the other hand, the other signs of tooth decay are pain, a stain on the tooth, holes or a black spot and bad breath. However, sometimes there are no symptoms visible at the early stage, and later it becomes painful with swelling and infections in the tooth.
Q. 3. What Causes Tooth Decay?
Ans. The bad bacteria in the mouth, while feeding on the sugar and starch from the food or beverage items, produce an acid that erodes the tooth enamel, starting to decay the tooth. And when you do not clean your teeth regularly or properly, or live with poor oral hygiene like not flossing or avoiding rinsing your mouth after food or drinks, then these bacteria aggressively damage the tooth.
Q. 4. What is the Role of pH in Tooth Decay?
Ans. pHis playing a crucial role in controlling the oral bacteria in the mouth. When the mouth’s pH drops below 5.5, oral bacteria feed on sugars and start producing acid that dissolves tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. And this pH level is maintained by the saliva to generate a healthy mouth pH (around 7.0). However, acidic food, drinks and bacterial byproducts lower pH, causing mineral loss resulting in tooth decay.
Q. 5. Why Does Tooth Decay Smell?
Ans. As we said, tooth decay is caused by the acid produced by bacteria in the mouth, feeding on the tissues of the tooth. And during this process, the chemicals like Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs), such as hydrogen sulphide, are foul-smelling components.
Apart from that, as many cavities develop, they trap food and bacteria that create anaerobic pockets, which are also responsible for producing the gases with a bad odour. On the other hand, infections or abscesses due to decay also produce pus, which also contributes to a very strong and unpleasant smell in the mouth.
Q. 6. How to Stop Tooth Decay Pain?
Ans. The tooth decay pain could be highly intolerable; you need to stop this as soon as possible. Though you can visit your nearest dentist in Greater Noida and get the right medicine (painkiller) to stop tooth decay. But if you want to control such pain at home, you can try various home remedies like using clove oil or benzocaine gels, or rinse with warm salt water or apply a cold compress to your cheek.
Q. 7. How to Prevent Tooth Decay?
Ans. To prevent tooth decay, you need to follow consistent oral hygiene and maintain good food habits. Keep brushing twice daily, especially at night before going to bed for sleep. Apart from that, always use the fluoride toothpaste, floss daily and always rinse your mouth after consuming foods and beverages.
And to prevent tooth decay, also cut your sugar intake and avoid eating starchy foods. Cleaning the teeth, maintaining the pH level and limiting the sugar will help you to prevent tooth decay. And also keep regularly visiting your nearest best dentist in Greater Noida for oral examination and treatment for teeth.
Q. 8. How to Remove or Reverse Tooth Decay at Home?
Ans. Though the tooth decay or cavities cannot be removed at home, you need to consult with the dentist, who can only diagnose and professionally remove the cavities. But if you managed to spot the formation of cavities at the early stage, you can reverse the tooth decay at home.
Use the fluoride-based toothpaste and brush twice daily on a regular basis. And also reduce your sugar and starchy food intake by flossing and rinsing your teeth after consuming food and drinks. Apart from that, you can also use the antibacterial mouthwash to strengthen enamel and reverse tooth decay.
Q. 9. What is The Best Treatment for Tooth Decay?
Ans. The treatment for tooth decay is based on the tooth condition and the severity of the cavities. The early stage of decay can be treated with fluoride gels, varnishes, or rinses to strengthen enamel and reverse the initial decay that starts before a cavity forms. And for the moderate level of tooth decay, a dental filling is used to treat the decay. In this process, the dentist removes the decay and fills the area with suitable material like composite filling, porcelain or amalgam.
On the other hand, for the extensive condition of tooth decay, the crown and bridge is the best treatment for tooth decay. And when tooth decay is in a severe condition or decay is very deep, then root canal treatment is the best treatment to cure such a problem. While in the worst condition, when RCT is also enough to save the tooth from decaying, then extraction is the last resort, with the option to get a new tooth by dental implants.
Q. 10. What does a Dentist do for Tooth Decay?
Ans. When you visit Dr Sinha Dental Clinic or any other dentist, he will diagnose the tooth condition and start the treatment process as per the severity of cavities. And during this dental procedure, the dentist will first of all remove the decayed tissues and restore the tooth using fillings like crowns, bridges or root canals as per the severity of the tooth to make it healthy again.
During this dental procedure, the dentist can use anaesthesia to numb the area around the affected tooth for the least pain. After that, the cavities or pulp removal process is performed, and the infected areas are cleaned. And finally, the tooth is restored with a crown or capping, giving a new life to the tooth affected by decay.
