You will likely have to deal with a tooth cavity at some point in your life. While cavities are particularly prevalent in children and adolescents, they can also affect adults. Tooth cavities are one of the most common dental health concerns patients have. Regular visits to the dentist can stop cavities before they start. Dr. Scott Finlay treats tooth cavities in Annapolis, MD, to maintain your oral health and everyday comfort.
What Causes Tooth Cavities?
Tooth cavities, also called dental caries by dentists, are a sign of tooth decay. Plaque and tartar build up will accelerate this problem. While is a mixture of food and saliva, tartar is this bacterial mix after it hardens.
When plaque comes in contact with sugars and starches from foods, it produces acid. The acid can damage tooth enamel, creating holes in the teeth. Over time, this can lead to tooth decay. Getting tooth cavity treatment in Annapolis, MD can help reduce damage to your natural teeth and gums as decay spreads.
What Makes Cavities Worse?
If you already have tooth pain or sensitivity, multiple factors can make these symptoms worse:
- Poor Oral Hygiene: Not brushing and flossing your teeth regularly lets plaque and bacteria build up. Many people also skip flossing because they don’t think it’s as essential as brushing. Brushing and flossing twice a day can help keep infection at bay.
- Sugary and Acidic Foods and Drinks: Consuming sugary foods and drinks can lead to cavities. Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which makes acid that wears down your tooth enamel.
- Dry Mouth: Saliva helps clean your mouth by washing away leftover food particles. You can get more cavities if your mouth is dry, which can happen because of some medications, health problems, or not drinking enough water. Sometimes, drinking more water or treating the source of your dry mouth can reduce your risk of infection.
- Using Tobacco Products: Smoking or chewing tobacco can reduce saliva production in the mouth. This leads to dry mouth, a breeding ground for bacteria that damage teeth and gums.
Tooth Cavity Symptoms
Annapolis, MD dentists Dr. Finlay can identify dental cavities before most patients experience symptoms, so it is important to maintain regular dental check-ups.
At appropriate intervals, digital dental X-rays can identify problems at an early stage, which will minimize treatment needs. In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience:
- Toothache
- Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks
- Visible holes or pits in the teeth
- Soreness around the gums
Left untreated, the infection can spread to create a tooth abscess. A dental abscess is a pocket of pus that can form in different areas around the tooth. If this pocket bursts, you may feel pain relief, but this does not mean the infection is gone.
Eventually, your tooth infection can spread to other teeth, the gums, and other parts of the body. Inflammation from a dental infection can spread through the bloodstream and affect the heart.
Tooth Cavity Treatment in Annapolis, MD
If you already have cavities or your teeth show signs of decay, Dr. Finlay offers a range of general dentistry services. These treatments restore tooth stability and protect them from future damage or decay:
Composite Dental Fillings
Dr. Finlay places composite fillings in a single visit. He uses them to treat teeth with minor tooth decay. This material is made of resin and reinforced with quartz particles, giving the illusion of a natural tooth. Composite fillings will blend in with your natural teeth. We can also replace old metal fillings with these more aesthetically pleasing white fillings.
Porcelain Dental Fillings
Dentists use these types of restorations (inlays and onlays) when there is more significant tooth decay. Typically when a tooth cavity is present in the deep crevice of the tooth, it will damage a large area of a tooth. In cases like this, a porcelain filling is the appropriate treatment. This option is more conservative than a tooth extraction but more secure than a traditional tooth filling.
Root Canal
If the tooth decay has advanced and spread into the pulp chamber, this will cause the pulp to become infected. In this case, you will likely need a root canal. This procedure is the best way to treat a diseased tooth and avoid an extraction.
During a root canal, we remove the infected nerves and blood vessels from inside the tooth. Then, we clean and disinfect the tooth chamber. Finally, we seal the tooth. If you treat a cavity with a simple tooth filling when it is first detected, it will likely not progress into an infection that requires a root canal.
Dental Cavities are Highly Preventable
In addition to tooth cavity treatment in our Annapolis, MD, we recommend at-home care. The best way to prevent dental cavities is to adhere to a strict daily oral care routine. This includes brushing your teeth and flossing on a daily basis.
When you clean your teeth and gums, floss before you brush. Flossing will remove leftover food from between each tooth. Then, when you brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste. Ensure you gently brush your gums and each tooth. We recommend a fluoride toothpaste to help prevent cavity formation.
You also must visit Dr. Finlay’s dentist’s office at least two times a year for a routine check-up and teeth cleaning. A professional teeth cleaning twice a year will remove plaque from hard-to-reach places on the teeth.
We can also provide fluoride treatments after routine dental cleanings. After we apply a fluoride varnish to each tooth, you will wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking. This will help the fluoride penetrate the tooth enamel or outer tooth layer. Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps remineralize damaged tooth enamel.
We also screen for cavities at regular dental visits. If we find signs of tooth decay at your visit, we will evaluate your stage of infection and recommend the right treatment.
Prevent and Treat Cavities
If you are experiencing tooth pain and suspect you have a tooth cavity, contact Scott Finlay, DDS and Associates, PA for a consultation and examination. Call to treat your tooth cavity in our Annapolis, MD, dentist’s office at 410.989.7132. You can also request an appointment online.