Dental cavities are holes involving the enamel and dentin of the tooth and sometimes even the pulp which causes pain. These cavities when restricted to enamel and dentin are smaller ones and are therefore unnoticed. But when the pulp which has nerves and blood vessels gets affected it is seen as a bigger hole and severe toothache. Now this toothache calls for a visit to the dentist.

It is said that by brushing and flossing daily, dental cavities are not seen. But this is not the right thing. One cannot deviate from the fact that your DNA has a role in the occurrence of cavities. And moreover the sugar intake should be reduced in order to avoid dental caries. The sucrose content of sugar breaks into acid. This acid softens the enamel and dentin and causes holes in it. If this is not preserved at the right time then the pulp also dissolves leading to bacterial infection and tooth abscess formation. At the end if the severity of the infection cannot be cured by root canal therapy then, the tooth is removed.

 

You must immediately stop these things if are doing as these increases the chances of caries. And of course there is the hereditary factor to which nothing can be done.

• Stop eating stuffs in between meals- snacks causes the formation of acid in teeth. So, if you are eating all day through, then your teeth are in continuous acid bath, which makes the teeth prone to caries.
• Avoid sugary products- sugars are the main culprit of cavities. So, sugar should be avoided as much as possible to have caries free teeth.

You can prevent caries to some extent by –

Brushing and flossing-

By doing this you are continuously cleaning away the acid formed from either the food or sugar. So, risk of caries decreases to a great extent.

Fluoride-

Application of fluoride either through toothpaste or any other source drastically alters the caries rate.

Sealant application-

Sometimes the crevices in our teeth are deeper by birth and attract the food to accumulate. So, in those areas sealant can be filled in to prevent cavities.