When it comes to oral health, sharks have it made: If a shark damages a tooth, it simply sheds it and waits for a new one to take its place.
With people, it’s not so simple. If a tooth develops a cavity, there’s no replacement tooth waiting to take its place. Instead, we need to seek dental care — quickly — before that decay gets worse.
But what about very small cavities? Can they go away on their own? And do fluoride toothpastes and rinses help cavities heal and disappear?
At Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC in New York City, we wish we had better news. But the fact is, except for the very tiniest cavities, your teeth can’t heal themselves, and that means your cavities need to be treated before they cause more serious problems and require more complex treatment.
In this post, our team discusses how cavities form, why they cause tooth pain, and what we can do to make sure your smile stays healthy and strong, especially as you get older.
Many of us think of teeth as a single, solid material. But teeth are actually composed of layers of material, beginning with a hard outer layer of enamel — the hardest substance in your body and almost as hard as steel.
Enamel is what gives teeth their white color, and its purpose is to protect your tooth and prevent cavities from forming. But despite its durability, enamel isn’t indestructible, and over time, factors like chewing and biting, acidic foods and drinks, and even naturally thin enamel can all wear down this protective layer, exposing the underlying layers of your teeth.
Once enamel begins to wear down, it creates areas where bacteria can enter the inner parts of your tooth. As the bacteria multiply, they destroy the inner tooth material, leading to a cavity that irritates your tooth nerves and causes the all-too-familiar toothache.
Ideally, an optimal oral hygiene routine with twice daily brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups stops this process before it begins. But even the best care routine can’t completely eliminate the risks of cavities associated with wear-and-tear, tooth trauma, or thin enamel.
The bottom line: Cavities don’t go away on their own. Fluoride toothpastes and rinses can be helpful at strengthening enamel and preventing cavities from happening in the first place.
Likewise, professional fluoride treatments can help remineralize your teeth and even reverse early signs of enamel erosion. But once that decay process begins, you need to treat the cavity to prevent it from getting worse (and potentially destroying your tooth).
Cavities that affect the enamel and dentin (the underlying tooth material) may be successfully treated with a filling. But when decay reaches to the inner part of your tooth, root canal therapy is often the best choice for getting rid of that decay and preserving your tooth’s structure and integrity.
Delaying cavity treatment definitely jeopardizes your tooth and increases your risk of tooth loss, and it also increases your risk of serious infections. Deep decay can lead to painful abscesses, along with serious infections in your jaw and elsewhere.
Our team uses state-of-the-art techniques to eliminate decay and preserve your natural teeth, preventing complications and restoring your oral health. Like any health issue, cavities respond best when treated early, and the key to preventing serious complications is to call the office at the first sign of tooth pain.
If you suspect you have a cavity, we’re ready to help. To learn more, call 929-229-0255 or book an appointment online at Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC in New York City today.
