Reasons of Tooth Decay

WHY DO WE GET TOOTH DECAYS?

The bacteria in your mouth are predominantly on your tongue and teeth. As their natural features, they may form acids from the residues of sugary and floury foods. These acids dissolve the mineral structure, interfering with tooth enamel and kickstart tooth decay. They cause little holes, named cavities by dentists. Once overlooked for centuries, tooth decay is now recognized as a disease “with multiple causes”. There are three main factors that cause tooth decay:

* Bacterial plaques (also known as tartar)

* Foods with carbohydrates (like flour, sugar etc.)

* The characteristics of a particular person – for example, the amount and quality of their saliva.

If one of these factors change for a person with stable dental health, tooth decay shall be inevitable.

HOW DOES A TOOTH DECAY OCCUR AND PROGRESS?

Tooth decay always starts at the surface of your tooth and progresses into the dentin layer. The dentin has more organic matter than tooth enamel. This is why a decay is able to progress in a faster way and pierces the dentin layer like a drill, but the pace of decay progression varies between people. For teeth with hard enamel matter the progression is slow, whereas for those with thin enamel matter, the progression is rapid.

We should remember that the dentin is a defensive organ. Inside it, at the tips of tiny layers, there are constructive and regenerative cells called odontoblasts. This structure is able to clog the decaying dentin with regenerative tissue. They patch up open cavities like masons. This involuntary defense is sometimes lacking against a fast-progressing decay, while it surprisingly protects your teeth against slower-acting tooth decays.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE HAVE DECAYED TEETH:

A decayed, drilled tooth stands out with its dark hole. Yet, sometimes this hole is not quite visible and your dentist is able to find it out only through supplementary tools for diagnosis (such as x-rays). The matte color of your teeth is the symptom of a decay on the surface in between teeth. With a mouth camera, your dentist may diagnose such decays easily.

Sometimes, the decay is inside the riffles or at the tooth neck where your teeth coincide. Decays between two teeth may go unnoticed for a long while. About such decays, people say that “they got their teeth broken suddenly, while chewing something soft.”

The most important symptom of tooth decay that requires medical attention is, generally, pain. Hotness, coldness, sweetness or sourness cause this pain. The severity varies between people. When the contact with a cold source, or a hot source, stops, the pain stops, as well. After the decay is treated, there will be no pain caused by these factors, even during contact.

If the decay goes untreated, it will become a severe pain that does not go away even after taking painkillers. The worst type of pain is the one that keeps you awake at night.

WHY DO I ALWAYS GET TOOTHACHES AT NIGHT?

The structure of your teeth resembles that of a closed box, one that is not flexible. This is why when there is an inflammation inside your teeth, the pressure caused by it becomes a throbbing pain especially when you rest your head on a pillow at night. Nights are when your body resistance is the lowest. This is why, such a pain is perceived to be more severe at night.

HOW DO I AVOID TOOTH DECAY?

The first thing to do is to visit a dentist and take their suggestions into consideration. You should start brushing your teeth at an age where your milk molar teeth erupt. Using various oral care products, as well as brushing your teeth after consuming foods with carbohydrates, should help. If you do not have a toothbrush with you, you should rinse with water, at least.