The Stages of Tooth Decay: What They Look Like

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The Stages of Tooth Decay What They Look
Like There are 5 stages to every tooth decay,
and if you experience a sudden excruciating pain,
there is a chance that you may look at one of
the last stages. Identifying and knowing all the
five stages could help your dentist catch the
dental problem on time and prevent it from
visiting emergency dental care and becoming a
significant concern. Firstly, what is tooth
decay? In a simple term, tooth decay takes place
when bacteria infect your tooth. The bacteria
thrive on sweet and starchy foods. The starchier
and sweeter the food, the more acid the bacteria
produce, and the faster your tooth's protective
coating gets worn away, creates cavities, and
eventually tooth loss. Recognizing the stages of
tooth decay Stage One Enamel Lesion The first
stage of tooth decay is the formation of brown or
white marks, known as a lesion, on the tooth's
enamel. They result from demineralization, and it
is a sign that your enamel is just beginning to
break down. It is very easy to miss, especially
the lesion that occurs on the back teeth. Caught
early enough, it may be possible to reverse the
lesion without any involved procedure and without
the need of calling emergency dental
care. Stage Two Enamel Decay If the lesion is
left untreated for a long time, it will
eventually create a cavity (hole) in your tooth
and is the first step of impending problems.
Sometimes, if the cavity has not gone more
profound than the enamel, you might not be able
to feel pain, and you can miss it entirely.
However, if it is close to the tooth nerve, your
tooth may feel more sensitive, especially when
you eat hot, cold, or sweet foods. Your dentist
will follow a common procedure of drilling out
the decayed part of your tooth and putting a
filled to make your tooth healthy again. This is
a safe and inexpensive price to fix your problem
and ensure that you prevent the infection from
spreading further. Stage Three Dentine
Decay If the cavity is left untreated in stage
two, the bacteria spreads to the dentine, which
is sponge-like porous, allowing bacteria to
spread quickly. At this stage, you must act fast
and visit your dentist. Your dentist can still
use the filling to repair the tooth you may need
a filling, a dental crown, or an onlay/inlay to
make the tooth whole and healthy again, depending
on your tooth structure and bacteria
growth. . Stage Four Pulp Decay When you miss
treating your tooth in stage four, the decay will
reach the dentine - the softest and vulnerable
part of your tooth. This is called root canal
infection. It causes you significant pain as the
dentist is supported by connective tissues, blood
vessels, and nerves. In some cases, the pain can
be excruciating, and you might need emergency
dental care. To stop the pain and clear the
decay, your dentist will perform a root canal
treatment. This is an intricate and expensive
procedure, that involves
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drilling your tooth to remove the infected pulp,
thoroughly cleaning it, and filling it with a
special chemical to stop the bacteria spread.
Your dentist will also add a crown cap to make
your tooth healthy and healthy enough to chew
again. Stage Five Formation of an Abscess This
refers to the formation when the infection has
actually moved beyond the tooth and spread into
the surrounding gums and bone. At this stage,
not only will the patient will experience
unbearable pain but also experience swelling
around the tooth,and can have nasty
consequences. With root canal treatment and
timely antibiotics, it may be possible to save
the toot. But if the infection has become worse,
your dentist may recommend tooth extraction to
prevent further consequences for your
health. The moral of the story While this
paints a pretty gruesome picture, it must be
remembered that cavities don't form overnight.
They take months and months to reach the advanced
stages, which is exactly why your dental clinic
recommends that you fix an appointment twice a
year. Healthy dental regime can save you from
pain and expensive dental treatments. If you
think you might have a tooth infection, the
capable dentists at Destination Dentaire will
spot the problems and save you from pain and
expensive and complex treatments down the road.