| Note: This article has a purely informative and educational role. It aims to educate people about the consequences of poor dental hygiene, the appearance of cavities and information on the treatment of these. This article should not be used for remote diagnosis. |
Information on dental caries
Dental caries is the most common infectious disease in the world. Yes, tooth decay is a dental infection! It is a so-called progressive infection. Tooth decay begins with the destruction of tooth enamel, the first layer of the tooth, then it settles deeper into the dentin, then even deeper into the pulp where the pain begins. Tooth decay can even spread to bone and gum tissue in some cases if not treated in time.
Cavities are favored by excess sugars (food, drink), drugs and poor dental hygiene. Stress and nicotine also play a role in the onset of cavities. Immunocompromised patients as well as certain genetic predispositions favor its appearance. For this reason, diabetic patients are more affected by dental caries.
Alt: definition of tooth decay
Evolution and different stages of dental caries
1-Demineralization of the tooth:
During this initial step, a small part of the tooth surface demineralizes. This demineralization of the tooth will often only be noticeable by your dentist because it is characterized by a small discoloration of the enamel. If tooth decay is diagnosed at this stage, it is possible to remineralize the enamel and avoid filler treatment.
2- Erosion of enamel and dentin:
If the decay is left untreated at this stage, bacteria will continue to eat away at the tooth enamel until it reaches the dentin. The dentin of the tooth is made up of thousands of microscopic tubules connected to the nerve canal causing tooth sensitivity. The treatment at this stage consists of removing the tissues affected by decay and filling this area with a light-cured material having the same color as the tooth. In the past gray (metallic) fillings were used but they are now banned in many countries since they contain mercury (highly carcinogenic). If you think you have a metal seal, contact the heavy metal decontamination center. Anveli has European heavy metal decontamination certification allowing reimbursement of this procedure.
| Heavy metal decontamination |
3-Infection of the dental pulp:
When the decay has reached the pulp of the tooth (the canal containing the nerves) throbbing pain is noticeable. Each root canal contains the dental pulp which distributes the nutrients essential for the good health of the tooth. When this pulp becomes infected or inflamed, it must be surgically removed in order to save the tooth and stop dental pain. This is devitalization, the root canal is disinfected, then filled. Devitalization is a procedure that involves risks, see our article on devitalization of teeth. It is currently the only procedure that preserves a tooth with damaged nerve.
4-Formation of an abscess / granuloma:
The final stage of tooth decay is the formation of an abscess or an apical granuloma. It occurs if endodontic treatment (removal of the nerve) is not done on time or if it is not done properly. The infection then spreads to the end of the tooth root and then migrates to the jawbone, and can even reach adjacent teeth. At this point, it is very difficult to be able to heal the tooth. The dental treatment to be carried out will be long and without guarantee of success. In this case, tooth extraction is a possibility.
alt: different stages and evolution of dental caries
How to recognize tooth decay?
When decay is in its primary stage (in the enamel) it is very difficult to recognize and detect, especially if it is not on the visible side of the tooth. You will only be able to see the appearance of a spot or a small dark spot. To prevent cavities from reaching the deep layers of the tooth, a visit to the dentist is recommended at least once a year.
The painful symptoms of tooth decay begin to appear when it works deeper. When decay reaches dentin, teeth are much more sensitive to hot and cold.
If the decay reaches the pulp, it reaches the stage that is more commonly called toothache: the pain is throbbing and very intense. It’s pulpitis.
Tooth decay can also lead to the development of an apical abscess when the infection becomes purulent (appearance of pus) and localized to the gum / bone. In this case, it may be necessary to extract the tooth.
If the tooth abscess is left untreated, the bacterial infection can spread to the throat, heart or even the brain.
alt: screening for tooth decay. know how to recognize it
| The risks of a dental bacterial infection. |
How to prevent the onset of cavities?
In order to prevent the onset of tooth decay, brushing your teeth after each meal, as well as good dental hygiene are essential.
Annual visits to your dentist can detect and treat cavities before they do too much damage to the teeth. When the decay has not yet reached the dentin, the latter is painless and therefore very difficult to detect when it is not on the visible side of the tooth.
In children, it is advisable to fill in the furrows.
How to treat a cavity?
To treat cavities, you must go to your dentist. If the cavity is not deep, it will be cleaned and then filled without requiring devitalization of the tooth. Nowadays, few dentists use fillings. It is preferable to use so-called photopolymer materials. They have the advantage of being the same color as the tooth and completely neutral.
If the decay is in or near the nerve of the tooth, your dentist may need to devitalize the tooth. This act is not without consequences. Numerous studies have shown that devitalized teeth are toxic and dead teeth contain several hundred different bacteria that spread throughout the body. Unfortunately, in the state of advanced science, no variation exists between extraction and devitalization.
| To see: The risks of devitalized teeth. |
When the tooth has been damaged too much by decay, it will be necessary to reconstitute the tooth. Depending on the degree of deterioration of the tooth by decay, a veneer, an onlay / inlay core, a crown or even a dental implant can be placed if the tooth cannot be restored.
| Request an opinion / quote |
What is oral flora:
The oral bacterial flora is one of the most diverse in our body. There are more than 500 types of bacteria that have the particularity of organizing themselves and thus forming what we will call the oral barrier. They are โgood bacteriaโ. However, it is a delicate balance and when there is an imbalance in this micro-system, dental plaque appears and leads to the appearance of dental caries. Dental plaque is a whitish substance made up of food, bacteria and salivary proteins that will settle on the surface of the tooth. The bacteria present will thus begin to produce toxins and promote dental tartar and therefore dental caries.
The body, wanting to remedy this imbalance, recognizes plaque as a foreign body. It will therefore activate the immune system which will result in the appearance of gingivitis. Badly treated, it will progress to periodontitis which will lead to loosening and progressive loss of teeth.
