Hello, I'm Dr. Bailey and I'm here to answer a few questions about cavities.
What are dental cavities?
Dental cavities are areas where the tooth has dissolved and is eating away at the hard part of your tooth.
What causes cavities?
What causes cavities is usually an abundance of sugar, health problems, and acid. Sugar or excess sugar or carbohydrates break down. Sugar plus acid from the plaque that's on your teeth dissolves the tooth and makes a hole in it.
How does a dentist check for cavities?
A dentist checks for cavities every six months during your checkup, usually with a mirror, explorer, X-rays, and our newest innovation, the iTero scan, which is an infrared scan that shows cavities between teeth. So, we can pretty much find any little tiny spot of cavity.
Can a cavity spread to other teeth?
A cavity can spread to other teeth just by being adjacent to it because the acid kind of leeches over to the other tooth.
Can cavities go away sometimes?
Cavities can sometimes go away if they're very small, and they can be remineralized with a little hydroxyapatite toothpaste, fluorides, and other preventative procedures.
How do you stop a cavity from progressing?
Usually, we stop a cavity from progressing by removing the affected area and filling it in with either a white filling or a crown. We stop cavities from progressing by removing the affected area and filling it in with either a filling or a crown.
How long do cavity fillings last?
Cavity fillings usually last anywhere from 5 to 10 years.
Can dental cleanings prevent cavities?
Dental cleanings can prevent cavities by removing the plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth, therefore keeping the acid at a lower rate. When you eat something sugary, it's not as affected.
What should I do if I suspect I have a cavity?
If you suspect you have a cavity, then you should come in for a checkup and have the dentist take a look at it at Bailey Dental Group.
Hope I've been able to answer your questions on dental cavities. Give us a call at (586) 800-2250 at Bailey Dental Group.