Amina, 23, has been having trouble sleeping due to intense toothache. She went to see a dentist and was told she has a cavity on her tooth.
Dr. Hajara Saleh Bade, a dentist and Chief Executive Officer of Advance Dental Clinic, Abuja, explained cavities as a hole in the tooth.
“When you see a hole on the surface of a tooth, that’s what we refer to as a cavity. It’s a result of the tooth enamel being eroded by acid, which is produced by bacteria in the mouth,” she said.
Dr Hajara said the process begins with bacteria that naturally exist in the mouth, known as normal flora.
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She said however, when we consume foods high in sugar and starch, these bacteria transform the sugars into acids, and the acid, combined with food particles and saliva, forms a sticky substance called plaque.
“Plaque is that whitish substance you might notice on your teeth if you scrape them. It can be removed through brushing and flossing,” she added.
She further said that the plaque hardens into tartar, which can irritate the gums and lead to gum inflammation. More importantly, the acid in plaque begins to irritate the tooth enamel, leading to cavities.
To diagnose cavities, Dr. Hajara said that patients might report feeling a hole in their tooth.
She said cavities were not always visible, especially if they are in the early stages or if the decay has affected the inside of the tooth.
She said that in such cases, an X-ray is used to determine the extent of the cavities and whether it has reached the root.
“If a patient experiences severe pain that prevents them from sleeping, it often indicates that the cavities has reached the nerve. On the other hand, if the pain comes and goes, the cavity is likely just on the surface and can be treated with a filling.” She said,
The dentist stressed that the key to preventing cavities is maintaining good oral hygiene. These practices help remove plaque and prevent it from turning into tartar.
“Brushing twice a day in the morning and before sleeping, flossing daily, and visiting the dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings are important,” she said.
Dr. Hajara said that for someone who doesn’t have cavities, there are preventive measures a dentist can offer to help avoid its occurrence; and that is through a fissure sealant, a plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of the back teeth.
According to her, it helps prevent bacteria from eroding the enamel, and there is also fluoride therapy, which is beneficial for teeth.
She said, “That’s why dentists often recommend using toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride therapy is applied in the clinic, and it is especially important for children.”
She also warned against consuming too much sugar and sticky foods saying they are particularly harmful because they provide more fuel for bacteria to produce acid, and they can also be difficult to remove from teeth, even with saliva.
The dentist said that if a cavity does form, the most common treatment is a filling, which is to first remove the decayed material with a drill from the tooth to eliminate any bacteria.
“We fill the hole with a filling material, which could be composite resin, Slab, Glass lonomer Cement (GIC), amalgam, or other materials depending on the location of the cavities,” she said.
She emphasised that for more severe cases where the cavities have reached the root of the tooth, a root canal treatment may be necessary.
“In root canal treatment, we clean out the infected tissue from the root, then seal it to prevent further infection.”
She also mentioned that if a tooth is too damaged to be saved with a filling, a crown may be used, which is a protective cap for a tooth that has been significantly weakened by decay.
Dr. Hajara said that by maintaining good oral hygiene, limiting sugar intake, and visiting one’s dentist regularly, one can significantly reduce one’s risk of developing cavities.
She also highlighted the importance of early detection because sometimes, cavities are not visible or painful in the early stages.
She added that regular dental check-ups can help detect them early before they cause serious damage.
For those that visit traditional doctors once a cavity forms, the dentist said that the only way to fix it is through professional dental treatment as traditional remedies were mostly temporary medications
“Traditional remedies are often only temporary solutions and may not address the problem effectively,” she advised.
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