What is the medical term for a tooth cavity?
What is the medical term for a tooth cavity?
caries: tooth decay or “cavities;” a dental infection caused by toxins produced by bacteria.
What is a decay teeth?
Tooth decay is damage to a tooth caused by dental plaque turning sugars into acid. If plaque is allowed to build up, it can lead to problems, such as holes in the teeth (dental caries) and gum disease. Dental abscesses, which are collections of pus at the end of the teeth or in the gums, may develop.
What are the different types of tooth decay?
Decay is classified by where it occurs on the tooth surface. Pit and fissure decay is decay that occurs in the grooves on the top of the back teeth. Cavities attack the teeth in two main ways. The first is through the pits and fissures, which are grooves that are visible on the top biting surfaces of the back teeth (molars and premolars).
What happens when you have an untreated tooth decay?
What is tooth decay? Tooth decay, also known as a cavity, or cavities, occurs when bacteria living in your mouth make acid that then begins to eat away at your teeth. Untreated tooth decay may cause infection, extreme pain and the loss of tooth.
How is fluoride used to prevent tooth decay?
Fluoride is a mineral that can prevent tooth decay from progressing. It can even reverse, or stop, early tooth decay. Fluoride works to protect teeth. It . . . prevents mineral loss in tooth enamel and replaces lost minerals; reduces the ability of bacteria to make acid
Where do you find cavities in your teeth?
A tooth has many surfaces and some people describe the decay by where it is on the tooth. The cavities the dentist can see by a clinical exam are on the chewing surfaces of the teeth and on the gumline area. There are some tooth decay cavities that are formed between the teeth due to lack of flossing.
What does tooth decay really mean?
Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of your teeth. It can be a problem for children, teens and adults. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, constantly forms on your teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel.
Can tooth decay kill you?
The decay induces symptoms, which normally includes infections between your gums and the teeth. When the infection travels to your bone marrow or the bloodstream, it may cause sepsis and impact your major body organs. Eventually, tooth decay may result in a fatal condition, if left untreated.
What you should know about tooth decay?
Tooth decay (dental caries) is damage to a tooth that can happen when decay-causing bacteria in your mouth make acids that attack the tooth’s surface, or enamel. This can lead to a small hole in a tooth, called a cavity. If tooth decay is not treated, it can cause pain, infection, and even tooth loss.
What happens if a decayed tooth is not removed?
If it is not removed, it will harden and turn into tartar (calculus). The acids in plaque damage the enamel covering your teeth. An untreated cavity can lead to an infection in the tooth called a tooth abscess. Untreated tooth decay also destroys the inside of the tooth (pulp).