why does tooth decay occur?

You are good at brushing your teeth and don't eat snacks, but you may have experienced dental treatment because you suddenly developed a cavity.

So why does tooth decay occur?

Today, let's take a look at the causes of tooth decay.

When was tooth decay discovered?

A team of archaeologists, while doing excavation research, found some 15,000-year-old remains and made an interesting discovery.

The bones of the ancient people found were filled with holes in the teeth. It was tooth decay.

Tooth decay, which has been with us for a long time, is fundamentally caused by microorganisms living in our mouths.

There are germs that are invisible to our eyes but cause various diseases.

Among them, many bacteria live in our mouth.

Dental caries is the most common dental disease.

The word "cavity" comes from the Latin "cavitas", which means "hollow place". It can refer to a natural hollow or depression in something, or to a hole or opening that has been made by digging or boring. In dentistry, a cavity refers to a hole or decay in a tooth.

The cause of tooth decay is when sugar-loving bacteria break down the sugar on the tooth surface, releasing acid that dissolves the tooth.

Tooth decay is more likely to occur when the mouth contains high levels of bacteria and when there is a lot of sugar available for the bacteria to consume.

Causes of tooth decay include:

poor oral hygiene management

If you frequently eat sweet food or carbonated drinks and do not brush your teeth well after eating, tooth decay is inevitable.

Therefore, it is recommended to brush your teeth after eating and before going to bed. Brushing is not about time or number of times, but it is important to brush your teeth in the right way.

abnormality of teeth

If there is an abnormality in the position or shape of the teeth, even if you brush your teeth, you may not be able to reach them.

In this case, you must use a tooth cleaning aid, and you may consider orthodontic treatment.

diabetes

Among systemic diseases, especially diabetes, because blood sugar is not well controlled, healing is slow and tooth decay occurs easily.

If you have diabetes, it is important to prevent tooth decay or gum disease from getting worse through steady seat management through blood sugar control and regular dental visits.

So, what is the process of caries?

Stage 1 - Initial Stage

This is the stage where the enamel rots, and there is no pain, but it is a time when treatment is needed.

Black spots or lines can be seen on the chewing surface or inner surface of the molars

Cold water or hot food does not cause pain at all, so it can only be discovered through a dental examination.

Stage 2 - the decay of dentin

This is the stage where stimulation is felt by cold and hot things. It is still not too late for treatment.

Holes in the teeth and irritation from hot and cold food.

Stage 3 - Nervous tissue is damaged

After the previous two stages, you feel intense pain with heat.

Root canal treatment can save a tooth.

Stage 4 - Nerve decay and inflammation

I salute you for your patience.

The nerve rots and pus develops, and inflammation progresses into the bone.

Now, even if you stay still, the pain is severe.

Unfortunately, this is a case where the treatment period is missed and the tooth has to be extracted.

Can you understand the process of tooth decay?

Do not delay according to the symptoms at each stage, and seek medical attention right away.

Missing the right time can lead to the worst case of tooth extraction, so it is important to have regular checkups.

To minimize tooth decay, you should brush your teeth within 3 minutes of finishing a meal.

It is also recommended to use dental floss or an interdental brush to clean the hard-to-see areas.

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It is recommended to reduce sugar intake as much as possible during the food you eat, and it is recommended to drink a lot of water or rinse your mouth frequently.

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If you are interested in dental health, we recommend that you have a regular checkup once or twice a year.

Hope keep your teeth healthy, thank you.