Have you ever had cavities? If so, you will know that it is one of the most annoying and painful pathologies that exist. But did you know that there are several types?
What is a cavity?
A cavity is an injury to the tooth structure caused by the action of acids from bacterial plaque that has not been eliminated. That is, it is an injury that gradually develops in the tooth enamel and, if left untreated, progresses to affect the dentin and nerve of the tooth.
The real risk of this problem is that it is irreversible. Tooth enamel does not regenerate on its own and if it affects the nerve, the tooth can be lost.
What types of cavities are there?
Although at an informal level they are not usually differentiated, the reality is that there are different types of cavities that can appear in your teeth.
- Crown caries.
- Fissure caries.
- Caries radicular.
- Caries interdental.
- Recurrent cavities.
Would you like to know a little more about them?
Crown caries
This is the most common, especially among children. Most commonly, crown cavities appear on the chewing surface of dental teeth. That is, at the top of the crown. To detect it, it is enough to observe if there is discoloration in the tooth, after the damage that the enamel has suffered.
fissure caries
In this type of cavities, damage is generated in the grooves of the teeth. Fissure cavities will be mainly in the first molars and are very common in children and adolescents.
Caries radicular
Over time, periodontal disease and aggressive brushing can cause gum recession. In this way, the root of the tooth is exposed and can be directly attacked by bacterial plaque.
Root caries is one of the main causes of tooth loss.
Caries interdental
This is one of the most difficult to detect. In fact, only the dentist with his reviews can find it. Interdental caries occurs in the area between two teeth, where access for brushing is much more complicated. In this area, the accumulation of bacterial plaque can progress, form tartar and, in the end, generate this pathology.
Recurrent cavities
They are known as the type of secondary cavities. The reason? They are those that affect adjacent areas in which a filling has previously been performed or a crown has been placed to treat a cavity.
The tendency in these areas is to accumulate bacterial plaque, which can generate both a new cavity and a remnant of the previous one.
Treatments for Cavities
Depending on the types of dental cavities and how they have affected the tissues, the dentist will decide the most appropriate treatment. The most common thing is that the choice is a filling, which is what we popularly know as a filling. Thanks to this, the injury caused by caries is slowed down and inflammation of the nerve is avoided.
As you can imagine, if treatment is not carried out in time, cavities will destroy the tooth tissue and inflame the nerve. If this happens, we must resort to a root canal to avoid losing our tooth.
How can you prevent all types of cavities?
As our grandmother said, prevention is better than cure. The first option to combat cavities is to maintain adequate oral hygiene :
- Brush your teeth after every meal to remove debris and plaque.
- Floss at least once a day.
- Use mouthwash when you wake up and before going to sleep to prevent its formation.
- Go to the dentist for periodic check-ups and to know the condition of your mouth.
- Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet and the chances of cavities will be reduced.
As we have told you throughout the entire article, the best way to avoid any type of cavities is prevention.
If you want to make sure that your mouth is healthy and that you don’t have to fear anything, book an appointment with Chagger Dental so that we can carry out a complete review of your oral health.
