Dental Caries Reviews

Dental caries is the decay of the tooth structure due to the action of microorganisms. it can affect people at all age groups, and it is one of the major reasons for tooth loss in young age. The biting surface of the molars, interdental spaces and the gum lines are more prone to caries.

Causes:

Microorganisms are naturally present in the oral cavity. They act on food particles in the mouth and convert the sugar into acids. This leads to the drop of ph of the oral fluids. When the pH goes below 5, the acid dissolves the calcium and phosphorous of the tooth surface and makes small holes or lesions. This demineralization process weakens the tooth structure.

Streptococcus mutans, lactobacillus and actinomyces are the common bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay. When the tooth surface is exposed continuously to acids, tooth decay occurs. The small lesion becomes eventually large and the decay spreads deep to dentin and pulp. Scientifically, the acid attack on the teeth surface causes tooth decay; the underlying reasons for tooth decay are more sweet consumption and poor oral hygiene.

Symptoms:

The main symptom of tooth decay is pain. The intensity of pain varies with the depth of the decay. The pain is increased by eating hot or cold food. The pain may be dull with a small lesion and becomes throbbing when the decay invades the dental pulp. Bad breath is another symptom associated with dental caries. Food particles get deposited in the lesions and produce a bad smell. Swelling of the gums can occur due to deep dental caries. If the deep dental caries left untreated, associated structures of the teeth are affected and leads to facial swelling.

Treatment:

It is treated depending on the extension of the lesion. If the decay is less deep, the lesion is drilled to remove the debris and filled with appropriate dental material. Dental amalgam is used to fill dental caries in the posterior teeth and composites, GIC or porcelain are used to restore the anterior tooth decay. If the decay is extended to the pulp, root canal therapy can be done to save the tooth.