Undeclared pandemic. How to stop the spread of tooth decay

Dental caries is a disease that destroys the structure of the tooth and causes it to fall out. Every person can face this problem, regardless of their gender and age.

Dental caries occurs due to the adverse effects of bacteria on tooth enamel, which leads to its destruction and damage to the deeper layers of the tooth. Treatment for this problem will take quite a long time and therefore it is worth preventing it, so that you don’t have to sit in dental offices for months.

What can cause caries?

Caries occurs due to the proliferation and active activity of harmful microorganisms - bacteria - in the human oral cavity. In order for them to multiply and spoil teeth, a person needs to create an environment favorable for them.

It is possible to create ideal conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of pathogenic organisms in the following cases:

• oral and dental care is not performed or hygiene measures are carried out incorrectly;
• a person consumes too much sweets, drinks coffee and carbonated drinks;
• the body does not receive enough calcium, vitamins and essential microelements;
• a person has problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• eating too hot or cold food.

Caries can occur even on completely healthy teeth. Bacteria multiply in the mouth very quickly and if you do not fight them, you can lose several teeth at once. A small hole forms in the tooth, then pain begins and the process spreads to the remaining teeth.

It is better to prevent the occurrence of caries than to try to treat something later, because it will be better for the person in any case.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the depth of damage to the tooth tissue. The further the process goes, the more patient complaints become apparent.

The table summarizes all clinical complaints and the reasons for their occurrence.

Information! 93% of the world's population currently has teeth affected by caries. 95% of people on the planet have at least one filling. 90% of children suffer from chronic caries.

Why is it better to prevent tooth decay than to treat it?

Affected teeth quickly break, become very painful and fall out. The more advanced the problem, the more difficult it is for dentists to deal with it. Sometimes, caries causes such serious consequences that it is very difficult to get rid of them. Treatment of caries is a complex process and therefore it is better to prevent it.

A person who protects his teeth from caries will not have to face the following problems:

• severe toothache;
• the appearance of holes in the teeth and the need to put fillings;
• almost complete destruction of the tooth and the need to build it up;
• loss of teeth and the need for implants.

You need to clearly understand the fact that even if you insert a tooth, it will no longer be as strong and durable as your own. In addition, if you put fillings, you need to eat more carefully. It’s better to take good care of your teeth right away than to try to correct the situation for a long time.

When asking the question of caries prevention, it is necessary to consider all the methods by which you can prevent the problem from occurring.

In the first place it is worth putting the moment of proper oral care:

• brushing and flossing your teeth;
• correct selection of brushes and hygiene products;
• use of additional rinses;
• the need to brush not only your teeth, but also your tongue and cheeks.

A couple of hours after brushing your teeth, bacteria begin to actively multiply in your mouth. That is why, throughout the day, after each meal, it is appropriate to use toothpicks, dental floss and special rinses.

The selection of individual oral hygiene products is of great importance. It will be difficult to choose exactly what you need on your own, but an experienced dentist will always help you solve this kind of problem. You just have to contact a specialist at the Dent Prestige clinic for help, and he will tell you what hardness of the brush to take and which toothpaste is better.

Particular attention should be paid to how exactly a person brushes his teeth. You should always apply a small amount of toothpaste to your brush and brush your teeth using circular movements. Since a toothbrush cannot reach everywhere, a person should additionally use dental floss. You need to brush your teeth twice a day and change your brush once every three months.

Prevention means

General means of caries prevention, such as toothpastes containing fluoride and calcium, and dental floss with fluoride, can be used with virtually no restrictions. Even fluorosis is not always a contraindication to the use of such drugs. If the patient has underlying oral health conditions, the dentist may recommend specific home preventive measures. For example, for chronic inflammatory diseases of the mucous membranes and/or gums, a mouthwash with antibacterial components can be used.

Timely visits to the dentist are the key to the absence of caries

Even a person who has completely healthy teeth should go to the dentist at least once every six months. Since it is impossible to identify minor pathological processes on your own, without medical supervision the problem goes further.

Regular dental examinations will help prevent tooth decay because:

• the doctor will give an objective assessment of the condition of the oral cavity;
• The dentist will always advise you on how to brush your teeth, what toothpaste and brush to choose;
• the doctor will notice minor problems and eliminate them, preventing further development of the pathology.

Not knowing how to prevent tooth decay can lead to serious problems, including financial ones. To prevent them, you need to contact the dentists of the Dent Prestige clinic in a timely manner and go for all scheduled examinations. Working closely with your dentist will help a person protect their teeth from caries. Preserve their beauty and health.

conclusions

There is a clear algorithm, following which, with a high degree of probability, you will never encounter the problem of caries.

1. Regular removal of plaque and tartar is the key to healthy teeth . Good oral hygiene is the best cure for any disease related to teeth and gums.
2. Proper diet . It is necessary to compose the daily menu in such a way that it contains as little flour and sweets as possible (food consisting mainly of easily digestible carbohydrates). It is also worth giving up sugary drinks (soda contains an extremely large amount of sugar). By avoiding sugary snacks, you can minimize your risk of tooth decay.
3. Measures that increase the resistance of enamel to acids produced by pathogenic microorganisms should be carried out several times a year.

What you shouldn’t drink to protect yourself from tooth decay

Often drinks can not only bring pleasure, but also destroy teeth. The destruction of enamel and stronger, deeper tooth structures is carried out in the process of interaction with the following liquids:

• sweet, highly carbonated drinks;
• sweet tea and coffee;
• very hot or cold drinks.

Of course, if you occasionally drink soda or very sweet tea, there will be no significant harm, but if we are talking about regular consumption of such drinks, your teeth will begin to ache and the enamel will be destroyed.

To prevent the occurrence of dental caries, a person should not often drink drinks from these categories and then the teeth will be healthier and stronger.

Treatment methods for caries

Depending on the degree of infection of the tooth surface, the dentist will select the most appropriate treatment method that will prevent further infection of neighboring teeth and protect the tooth in the future.

Initial caries, in which the enamel has not yet been destroyed, is usually treated by applying varnish or treating with solutions that strengthen the enamel and create a barrier to the penetration of bacteria.

With medium and deep caries, it is necessary to drill out part of the enamel in order to clean the tooth from the affected tissues from the inside.

What to give up from food to prevent tooth decay

If you like to eat a lot of sweets, then the issue of preventing tooth decay may be more difficult than it seems. Everyone knows that pathogenic microflora feels very comfortable when a person eats sweets. It is the excessive, regular consumption of buns, sweets, cakes, chocolate that not only spoils the figure, but also the teeth.

Regular consumption of fried, too spicy or salty foods also has an adverse effect on teeth. Too acidic also negatively affects tooth enamel. Gradually destroying its structure, promoting the development of caries.

Particular attention should be paid to the following products:

• Various greens;
• fresh vegetables;
• fresh fruits.

It is better to eat food that has been subjected to gentle heat treatment; eating apples, carrots and similar products is very useful. If you are a fan of canned foods, then keep in mind that marinades also have a bad effect on tooth enamel.

How can you stop caries at the spot stage?

The first stage, in which only a small light spot forms on the enamel, is the most favorable from the point of view of treatment prognosis. At an early stage of caries, it is possible to cure it without painkilling injections, preparation of the carious cavity, or filling.

How to stop caries is decided by the dentist in each specific case, but today there are several possible non-invasive methods.

• Remineralization of enamel.

Caries begins when tooth enamel loses minerals, loses its strength and cannot effectively protect the deep tissues of the tooth from the acid produced by bacteria. Remineralizing therapy is aimed at restoring the balanced composition of the enamel, strengthening its structure, and returning its strength and protective characteristics. The essence of the method is that the dentist alternately applies compositions containing phosphorus, calcium and other useful substances to the cleaned tooth surface. Another way is to attach special trays with remineralizing gel to the teeth.

• Fluoridation.

Using this method, you can increase the strength of enamel, its resistance to acid, eliminate microdamage, and reduce the pain reaction to cold/hot. Saturation of dental tissues with fluoride ions helps to achieve this effect. A simple or deep fluoridation procedure is possible. In the first case, the dentist uses fluoride varnishes or fluoride gels. They are applied to the teeth using trays or cover the surface of the enamel with a brush. In deep fluoridation, compounds are used to seal tooth enamel. The teeth are first cleaned, dried, isolated from saliva, deep fluoride is applied to them, dried again, and then treated with copper-calcium hydroxide. With this method, a fluoride-containing substance penetrates deeply into the pores of tooth enamel and helps preserve calcium.

• Infiltration method.

Another method will stop the development of caries at the spot stage without drilling and filling, and will prevent the formation of a carious cavity. First, the dentist treats the carious stain with a special etching composition; the next step is to apply a liquid composition to the cleaned, washed and dried surface to seal the pores of the tooth. The infiltration method helps stop the spread of the carious process, since the acid produced by bacteria cannot penetrate the sealed pores of the enamel and continue the destructive process. The method is completely safe, painless and suitable even for children over three years old. This treatment is usually not performed on a younger child, because during the procedure you need to sit still for about 20 minutes, which is not possible for small children.

In addition to the listed methods, ozone therapy and laser therapy are used today, which also help stop the carious process without tooth preparation. If a hole has already formed, then the only way to stop caries is surgical treatment. Using a drill, the doctor removes the affected tissue, prepares the cavity for filling and installs the filling there layer by layer, returning the tooth to its natural anatomical shape.

The need to solve smaller problems

Major dental problems, such as tooth decay, can be prevented if smaller problems are addressed in a timely manner. For example, if a person notices that his teeth have turned yellow, become more sensitive, or have stones on them, then he should immediately run to the dentist. Solving this kind of problem will allow you to avoid encountering more serious consequences - caries.

To avoid caries, a person needs to:

1. Periodically have your teeth professionally cleaned in a dental office; contact your dentist to determine the causes of tooth sensitivity and the possibility of solving them competently; remove tartar as soon as it appears so that the teeth do not become weaker and caries does not occur.
2. If you solve minimal problems with your teeth in a timely manner, then it will not come to the development of caries. The main thing is to regularly visit a professional dentist and not let the problem worsen.

Professional treatments

Prevention of caries is not limited to home care. There are a number of procedures in dentistry that can effectively deal with dental plaque, as well as restore the normal mineral balance of the enamel.

Professional teeth cleaning is recommended for absolutely every person. If the initial condition of the oral cavity is good, cleaning is carried out twice a year for preventive purposes. If the patient wears orthodontic appliances or has a tendency to form a large amount of pigmented plaque due to drinking tea, coffee, or smoking, it may be recommended to undergo the procedure 3 times a year.

The choice of cleaning method is determined individually. Air Flow is a technique that has proven itself to be an excellent way to remove soft plaque. The enamel surface is cleaned by blasting with a mixture of air, water and a soft abrasive. Ultrasonic cleaning is used to remove hard deposits - tartar. If large subgingival stones are present, other methods may be used.

The final stage of any cleaning is polishing. The smooth surface of the enamel is less susceptible to plaque accumulation, which also serves as a condition for preventing the disease.

Modern methods of caries prevention include timely restoration of the mineral balance of hard dental tissues. Remineralizing therapy can be the final stage of professional hygiene or used as an independent method. In case of caries at the white spot stage, the doctor restores the damaged area of ​​enamel separately. Preventative agents are also used for all teeth to saturate the enamel with calcium and fluoride, for example, fluoride varnish, gel in mouth guards, etc. Additional fluoridation can be carried out at home, but it is important to consult with a dentist about the choice of products and how to use them.

In-office preventive procedures also include sealing fissures - natural depressions on the chewing surface of the teeth. In some people, the fissures have a teardrop-shaped appearance. Through a narrow opening, food particles enter the cavity, and it is very difficult to clean them out. This increases the risk of developing caries. Mechanical sealing with a special dental sealant eliminates such risks. Sealing is used in pediatric and adult dentistry; the difference is only in the compositions for the procedure.

Caries as a consequence of other health problems

A healthy gastrointestinal tract as a way to get rid of the possible appearance of caries. If the digestive system does not work properly, then the teeth begin to suffer greatly.

To prevent caries from appearing, the following measures must be taken:

• Carefully monitor the health of the digestive system;
• periodically undergo examination by a gastroenterologist;
• If you have problems with the functioning of the digestive system, do not delay their treatment.

It is worth noting the fact that not only the teeth, but the digestive system suffer from problems of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to unhealthy teeth, food is not chewed completely and the stomach has to spend much more effort, which leads to its improper functioning.

What to do if caries has already appeared

You need to understand that treating a disease such as caries at home is almost impossible. The specialists of the Dent Prestige clinic will definitely help you solve this problem. If a person notices that his teeth are turning black, small holes appear and there is pain, then he should do the following:

• contact a highly qualified dentist;
• undergo examination and dental treatment;
• restore damaged areas of teeth in the dental office by installing fillings, extensions or implants.

If a person does not pay attention to one diseased tooth, then the next ones will begin to deteriorate. That is why, if there is the slightest blackening, you should immediately go to the dental clinic and resolve the situation before it gets too advanced.

Only a professional dentist knows how to remove caries from teeth, and it is worth contacting him. To prevent caries, you should take care of your dental health from childhood. There is no need to think that baby teeth should not be treated, because it is their condition that determines how healthy the permanent teeth will grow.

Primary or endogenous prevention of caries

Proper nutrition is important in preventing tooth decay. This is not only about giving up chocolate and cakes, but also soda and concentrated juices. You should not eat sour apples, as they disrupt the acidity of saliva. It is better to replace them with hard, raw carrots, which clean your teeth almost better than a good specialized paste. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to nibble on Japanese horseradish – wasabi – from time to time. Japanese scientists have found that it blocks the growth of carious microbes.

Paradoxically, kissing is a great way to defeat tooth decay. When we kiss, the gums are massaged and salivation becomes more intense, and along with it, the acid-base balance is evened out.

If you have a tendency to develop caries, it makes sense to consult a specialist for recommendations on taking vitamins. Russian scientists have found that the demineralization of enamel is affected by a deficiency of vitamin C. During the experiment, it was found that those who were attacked by caries had a decrease in its content in the body several months before. In addition, vitamin D also increases the resistance of teeth to caries, since calcium is easily absorbed with it. Don't forget about such a useful element as fluorine. It has a pronounced anti-caries effect.