Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Tooth decay is a condition that causes small openings or cavities in the teeth, resulting from the accumulation of plaque and bacteria on the surface of the tooth due to poor hygiene, or, in the opinion of some dentists, lack of essential minerals in the diet. In most cases, tooth decay cannot be recovered and must be treated with fluoride, fillings (welding) or extraction. However, recently there is evidence that the disease can be treated at home by modifying the diet and re-mineralizing teeth. The following article introduces you to those two options, and provides instructions on how to prevent tooth decay in the first place.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Finding a Way to Treat Caries

1. 

   Recognize the signs and symptoms of tooth decay. It's important to know the signs and symptoms of cavities as soon as they appear. If found early, you can initiate treatment promptly and prevent the tooth decay from growing or becoming more painful. If you have one of the following symptoms, you likely have cavities:
   • Sensitive teeth or toothache. The pain can be mild or very painful every time you eat something cold, sweet or hot.

     

     
     
   • You feel pain when you bite.
   • Darkening holes appear on teeth.
   • Some openings (especially if they're deep in the mouth or between the teeth) cannot be seen with the naked eye and are not painful. You can only detect them with an x-ray, an ultrasound or a fluorescent light, which is why you need to have regular dental examinations.

2. 

   
   
   Check teeth with dentist. It is best to visit the dentist's office twice a year for a dental check-up. But if you suspect that you have a cavity, you don't need to wait until your next visit, but make an appointment to see a dentist immediately. During the exam you need:
   • Clearly say the signs and symptoms of tooth decay you have encountered, the dentist bases it to locate the decay.
   • Let the dentist check it out. After hearing your testimony, they will begin an examination to determine if you have cavities or not. The dentist uses a sharp metal object to detect soft spots on the tooth surface, which is a sign of tooth decay.

3. 

   
   
   Treatment with fluoride. Fluoride is used in the early stages of tooth decay, helping to restore teeth to their original state.
   • This method requires the use of gels and fluoride liquid or foam, used to coat teeth and strengthen the enamel.
   • In fluoride treatments, the dentist applies fluoride to the teeth in one of two ways: it is applied directly to the teeth or the fluoride is placed in a tray and fitted into the teeth. Processing time is about 3 minutes.

4. 

   Fillings. Filling (dental fillings) is a regenerative method, used when the cavity gap has permanently developed through the enamel.
   • The dentist removes the deep gap with a drill, then they fill the hole with a white synthetic material of the tooth, with porcelain or silver amalgam fillings.
   • Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, so some people do not want to use them because of health concerns. If you are concerned about this, you should ask your dentist about the materials used to fill.
   • Depending on the size of the cavity, you may need to go to the clinic twice to have the filling completed.

5. 

   Use crowns. Crowns are tools for taking teeth, this is also a treatment for cavities, but only apply when the condition is too severe. The crown is made from tooth-like material and is attached to a metal part.
   • With this method, the dentist removes the cavity of the tooth with a drill, and then takes out the mold.
   • They filled the mold with a substance similar to that of the tooth, such as porcelain, zirconium or even gold, to create a crown that resembled the shape of a tooth decay.
   • After the fabrication is finished, the dentist uses cement to attach the crown to the teeth, which also requires you to visit the clinic more than once.

6. 

   Root canal. This option is only applicable when the cavity has eaten to the pulp, the core of the tooth has been decayed, infected or dead.
   • When taking the pulp, the dentist cut a short line above the tooth, removing all of the pulp deep in the cavity and groove of the tooth. They then filled the void inside a rubber-like substance and sealed it with glue.
   • Sometimes after a root canal is removed, you still have to wear a crown to prevent the teeth from cracking. The crown can be worn at the same time as the marrow extraction or several months later.

7. 

   If all of the above methods do not save the situation, you will need to have the tooth extracted. Extraction is the only treatment that affects the entire tooth.
   • The tooth had to be extracted when it was too severely damaged and all the other ways could not resolve the problem.
   • After tooth extraction, there will be an empty space. Aesthetically, this is undesirable, in addition to the extraction of the teeth, the other teeth are moved because the teeth no longer fit and lead to a series of new problems.
   • So you should make a bridge or implant to fill the gap, replace the lost tooth.
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Part 2 of 2: Preventing Tooth decay

1. 

   Brush your teeth at least twice a day. You need to brush your teeth at least twice a day to prevent bacteria that cause cavities from accumulating on the surface of your teeth.
   • Toothpaste containing fluoride has a firming effect on teeth. Young children can be poisoned if they eat fluoride toothpaste by mistake, so just put a pea-sized amount on the brush and keep the tube out of children's reach.
   • You should also brush your teeth after eating foods high in sugar, acid or soda, which can lead to cavities.

2. 

   Remember to floss your teeth. Floss teeth with floss at least once a day, preferably before brushing at night.
   • Floss to remove bacteria and food leftovers stuck between teeth, where the bristles cannot reach.
   • You remember to floss in each teeth, especially those hard to reach deep inside, floss lightly to avoid pain or swelling.

3. 

   Use mouthwash. Regular use of mouthwash helps kill bacteria, remove plaque, prevent gum disease and protect fresh breath.
   • Use a fluoride mouthwash to remineralize teeth, preventing bacteria from forming acid.
   • You should also rinse your mouth with water-soluble magnesium and calcium powder. This is a very beneficial way for teeth with lots of openings: first, a mineral supplement for teeth and second, neutralize the acid that causes cavities by keeping the environment in the mouth alkaline.

4. 

   Periodic dental examination. You should visit the dentist's clinic twice a year to anticipate cavities.
   • Periodic dental examination for early detection of tooth decay. Simply using fluoride treatments or having a root canal that is both costly and painful depends on whether you have dental care.
   • Your dentist or hygienist can do a thorough cleaning for your teeth, they remove plaque and prevent tooth decay.

5. 

   Cover your teeth with a thin plastic layer. If you haven't covered it, ask your dentist to coat your teeth with a thin layer of plastic to prevent cavities.
   • This coating is a very thin plastic layer that covers the chewing surface of the inner molars to prevent bacteria and plaque from accumulating in the teeth, causing cavities.
   • The coating is usually used in children when the molars first come in, but they only last about 10 years, so after this time you should have your dentist cover it.

6. 

   Chew sugar-free gum. Some gum can actually help prevent tooth decay, because when chewing saliva produces more, it is easy to remove food plaque stuck between teeth.

7. 

   Get enough calcium and vitamin D. Your body needs calcium to build bones and teeth, while vitamin D aids calcium absorption. Eat a variety of foods that contain these nutrients, such as dairy products and leafy vegetables. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is also an option you should consider.

8. 

   Use products containing CPP-ACP. This chemical has the full scientific name "casein phosphopeptide - amorphous calcium phosphate", a very complicated name but you can easily find them in everyday foods (especially milk). Evidence of its effectiveness can be seen when toothpaste, mouthwash, and sugar-free gum, supplemented with CPP-ACP, is more effective at restoring mildly damaged tooth enamel. This is called the "re-mineralization" process.
   • CPP-ACP works best when you use a fluoride toothpaste at the same time.
   • Demineralization is only effective when you detect tooth decay early. Home treatment cannot help you recover severe cavities.
9. Treat dry mouth. Saliva helps prevent tooth decay, so if your mouth is dry, you must first tackle it by sucking sugar-free candies, chewing sugar-free gum, and drinking plenty of fluids. If dry mouth is very severe, you should consult your doctor.
   • Smoking, aging, drug use and dehydration are common causes of dry mouth. If you believe that cavities are not caused by all of the above, you should have an examination by your doctor to determine the cause.

10. 

    Solve when the tooth hurts. You should not endure in silence if you suffer from tooth decay. You need to see a dentist right away, but while you wait, you can relieve the pain using the following method:
    • Gargle with salt water. Dissolve a teaspoon of sea salt in a glass of warm water, drink a full gulp and rinse in your mouth for one to two minutes, remember to focus the water on the cavity. Replacing sea salt with salt and garlic is also an effective treatment.

      

    • Dab a little clove oil on the tooth decay and surrounding gums. This will make you more comfortable with an anesthetic.

      

    • Gargle the vegetable oil in your mouth, then spit it out once it has bubbles. This is a way to reduce tooth infection and relieve pain.
    • Make a tape from vodka, gin or whiskey. Alcohol can provide temporary pain relief. So you try to dip a cloth in alcohol and apply the cloth to the tooth decay, at first you feel a little pain but will subside quickly after that.
    • Place one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract in your mouth and rinse for one to two minutes to relieve pain.
    • Take ibuprofen. The fastest and surest way to temporarily relieve pain is to take ibuprofen, which also works to reduce swelling. Remember to take the medicine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

      

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Advice

• Try brushing your teeth with a little baking powder in the toothpaste.
• Cavities can be prevented and detected early when you are bothering to have a routine dental exam.
• Don't eat sugary junk food, and when flossing, don't pull the thread back and forth.

Warning

• It is likely that you may not feel the symptoms or signs when the cavity begins to appear. However, as the cavity gap grows, the sign will become more pronounced.
• There are many different factors that create cavities. For example, cavities can be caused by not flossing or improper flossing. There are also other factors such as overeating junk food and sugary drinks, or possibly bacteria that already existed in the mouth.
• You can buy fluorides at a pharmacy, but they do not contain as much fluoride as your dentist uses.