Some call it a cavity, some call it dental decay or dental caries. They’re all names for a hole in your tooth and none of them are good!
The root cause (pardon the pun) of tooth decay is plaque, a sticky substance in your mouth made up mostly of germs. This plaque is caused by the build up of a film that covers all the surfaces inside your mouth, this film is known as ‘biofilm’ and it’s when this really builds up that plaque forms.
Dental decay starts in the outer layer of your tooth, called the enamel. We always prefer prevention rather than treatment, but if we do need to treat this then we need to drill out all the decay and replace it with a white filling.
So, what can we do to prevent tooth decay?
Here’s our quick and simple advice
- Brush your teeth every day with a fluoride toothpaste
- Clean between your teeth every day with floss or tape
- Snack smart – limit sugary snacks
- Rinse after meals with a mouth wash to reduce the bio-film
- See your dentist regularly so we can spot the early signs of tooth decay and disease.
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