People refer to dental caries in different ways (caries, cavities, tooth decay) but note that they refer to the same thing, the wearing out of teeth as a result of bacterial activity. If you snack frequently or habitually sip sugary drinks, but fail to clean your teeth well, you are a candidate for dental caries.
How do you know if you have dental caries?
You will often notice a cavity. It becomes difficult, sometimes downright painful, to eat. If you do not address the problem, the tissue surrounding the decaying tooth may become inflamed. The area may become infected. An abscess may form. You may eventually lose the affected tooth.
Symptoms of the disease may not always be apparent at first. Tooth decay may manifest itself on the onset as a chalk-white spot (also called a lesion or a micro cavity) on your tooth, indicating that the enamel is going through demineralization. As the lesion becomes increasingly demineralized, it can become brownish, and ultimately become a cavity. You can reverse the process and regenerate the tooth structure, provided you do so before the cavity forms. Once the cavity is there, regeneration is not possible.
A lesion that is shiny and dark brown indicates that dental caries were there, although the demineralization process is over and has left a stain. A lesion that looks dull and lighter in shade is a sign that decay is still ongoing.
The cavity becomes more apparent as the dentin and enamel continue to decay. The areas of the tooth undergoing rot, change in color and lose strength and structure. As the enamel breaks down, the dentinal tubules are uncovered. These tubules are connected to the nerve of the tooth. When they become exposed, you are likely to feel pain. The pain can be fleeting, momentarily becoming worse when you take in sweet, hot or cold drinks or food.
As the decay worsens, which causes the bacteria to affect the pulp tissue found in the heart of the tooth, you are likely to feel greater and more constant pain in the form of a steady toothache. It becomes painful to chew on food. Infection may develop, and the pulp tissue may die. The tooth will become insensitive to cold or heat, but will become malleable under pressure.
You may notice a foul taste and bad breath as a result of dental caries. Even the soft tissue surrounding the affected tooth may get infected. Ludwig angina and cavernous sinus thrombosis are some of the more serious complications arising from dental caries.
Sometimes, it is difficult to know if dental caries are already forming. It is, thus, important to go and see your dentist in Dupont Circle DC regularly for dental cleaning and check-ups, even if you think everything is fine. If you begin to feel pain, even a mild or dull pain, make sure to schedule a dental appointment immediately.
