There are millions of bacteria present in everyone's mouth. These bacteria use the sugar in food and drinks to produce ACID, which dissolves tooth surfaces.
What is the treatment for Tooth decay?
The can help by using modern equipment to detect the decay first. X rays are normally taken to help diagnose decay. Often teeth may look and feel ok but there may be decay on the X ray. High quality filling materials and advanced clinical techniques to repair the damage done to teeth.
Types of Filling Material
There are a few types of filling available:
5.Silver Amalgam ? not often used as superseded by white fillings.
6.White Resin Filling ? Mercury free and tooth coloured.
7.Resin Inlays/Onlays ? Stronger white restorations for large fillings.
8.Porcelain Inlays/Onlays ? The strongest and most aesthetic restoration and longest lasting.
However you can do a lot more to prevent tooth decay yourself (at no cost!):
1. Clinical examination and regular X-rays are essential to detect and monitor decay.
2. Good oral hygiene. Patients who clean teeth well (i.e. good tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste and daily flossing) should have less decay because more of the plaque (containing bacteria) is removed.
3. Good Diet - Reduce the frequency of sugar intake. It is important to avoid sugary things in between meals. Each time you have something sweet to eat the acid that is produced causes damage to the teeth for up to one hour. Therefore, the more often you have something sweet, the more decay will occur. A packet of polo mints eaten at regular intervals throughout the day can do far more damage than a bar of chocolate eaten in one go (think about it!).
4. A person who is at risk from decay should use a fluoride mouthwash regularly. Fluoride strengthens the tooth surface (enamel) and helps resist decay. It is important to use fluoride toothpaste.
5. Sugar free chewing gum. Chewing sugar free gum following a sweet meal will wash away the acid quicker by increasing the amount of saliva produced in your mouth. The saliva buffers the acid.
6. Avoid sugary food/drinks last thing at night. A cup of hot chocolate just before bed is not a good idea because whilst sleeping there is no saliva flow so the bacteria can attack teeth with less resistance from the saliva.
