Overview
Cavities form when bacteria use sugars to produce acids that weaken enamel. Early decay may be reversible with fluoride and diet changes, but deeper decay needs a filling or other treatment. Waiting until pain starts usually means the problem is larger.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Frequent sugar exposure is more damaging than a single sweet eaten with a meal.
- ✓White spots can be early enamel damage before a hole appears.
- ✓Pain to sweets, cold, or biting can mean decay has reached dentin.
- ✓Untreated cavities can become infections and dental abscesses.
What You Can Do At Home
- 1Use fluoride toothpaste twice daily.
- 2Reduce frequent sipping of sweet tea, juice, cola, and sports drinks.
- 3Choose water between meals.
- 4Ask about sealants or fluoride varnish for high-risk children and adults.
When To Book A Dentist
- !You see a brown, black, or white spot that is changing.
- !Food repeatedly gets stuck in the same place.
- !A tooth hurts with sweets, cold, or biting.
- !A filling has broken or fallen out.
Emergency Warning Signs
- !Facial swelling, fever, or severe throbbing pain.
- !Pain that wakes you from sleep or does not respond to pain medicine.