People often don’t think about how many teeth they have to care for. According to Healthline, there are usually 32 teeth in a person’s mouth. But what happens when one of your teeth starts decaying? Can it be saved with dental care services? The answer is that it depends. Here, we’ll dive deeper into what can be done to save a decaying tooth, and what your options are in the event that it needs to be pulled.
At Which Stage Is It?
When you come in for dental care services and we find a decaying tooth, we will see if it’s in a certain stage of decay. The earliest stage is when there are white spots on the first layer of the tooth, which is called the enamel. You can use fluoride to strengthen your tooth.
If this decay makes its way deeper into the enamel, those white spots will turn brown. This is when our dentists will suggest fillings to keep the decay from getting worse. These are the best-case scenarios.
What If It Gets Worse?
If the decay has made its way through the enamel, the next part of the tooth is the dentin. If our dentist catches this early, we can still use fillings to treat it. However, if the tooth decay is deeper, we may elect to clean it out and place a dental crown over it to protect the tooth from decaying further.
If the tooth gets worse, the decay can reach the pulp of your tooth or even form an abscess. Our dentist may need to do a root canal treatment and remove the infected area to protect your health. This process is finished with the placement of a crown over the affected tooth. If a root canal may not be in your best interest, our dentist will recommend that the tooth be removed and replaced either with a partial denture, bridge, or a dental implant.
While you can see that it’s possible to save a decaying tooth, it’s important to prevent decay by taking care of your teeth. According to Colgate as well as our own dental experts, it’s recommended to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time and also floss at night. It’s also a good idea to use mouthwash at night to get rid of any lingering bacteria. See your dentist once every six months for regular exams and cleanings. This way, our dental care services can catch things early on. That will give you a good reason to smile.
Are you looking for dental care services in your area? Lowell Dental Arts can help! Our patients come to us for regular dental cleanings, veneers, dental crowns, and more. Contact us today for more information!