Healthy Fluids

Dentists tell their patients that they need a dental filling all the time. Most people prefer to get a second opinion to find someone who will tell them that they do not really need it just so they can avoid having to pay for it. The truth is dental fillings are necessary for people who do not want to suffer from a serious dental health issue.

People do not have a real clue of what a dental filling is and what it is for. Understanding what these are and what they are for goes a long way in taking that step in getting one for a cavity. Here are a few brief discussions on dental fillings.

What is a filling?

Tooth decay is one of the leading dental health concerns on the planet. It affects people from all across the globe and is usually a result of poor dental hygiene as well as excessive sugar intake.

Bacteria in the mouth produce toxins that rot the teeth away. Once this becomes severe enough it becomes known as tooth decay. The dentist cleans the decay by treating it, and making sure that it is clean. Once treated and cleaned, the dentist has to fill the area affected by the tooth decay with a filling.

Dental filling is one of the most sensible, conservative and least invasive methods of treatment in the dental industry. People should not have to worry about having any sort of tool or instrument drilling holes in their teeth.

The types of fillings

There are many kinds of fillings out there. The one that most people are familiar with are composite fillings and silver amalgam. These are the most common forms of fillings a person can find since they are the ones that most people get.

Silver amalgam: It is the most popular and common dental filling. It is not made purely out of silver contrary to what most people might think. It is actually a mixture of several metals, in other words it is an alloy. It is composed of tin, silver, zinc, mercury, and copper. Mercury is the major component. Mercury accounts for 50% of the alloy.

Silver amalgam is popular among dentists and patients alike primarily due to its durability as well as its low cost. With proper care, these fillings can last for as much as fifteen years. They are also very easy to replace. The only real downside to silver amalgam is that they are not aesthetically pleasing.

Composite fillings: These are very popular primarily due to aesthetic quality. It can be custom colored to match the patient's teeth. It is the most natural looking filling. The downside to these fillings is that they are not as durable as silver amalgam.

Porcelain fillings: These are both aesthetically pleasing as well as durable. They strike the right combination of qualities found in both composite and silver amalgam fillings.

Tooth sensitivity is a common dental condition characterized by a tingling sensation or a quick touch of pain that can affect a tooth or all of your teeth. The pain due to tooth sensitivity can be intermittent or constant. Intermittent tooth sensitivity may occur when you consume cold or hot drinks, food, or when cold air touches your teeth.

What are the Causes and Effects of Tooth Sensitivity?

Tooth enamel corrosion is a natural effect of aging, and it has a negative effect on dentin or the primary inner surface of your tooth. Tooth enamel corrosion causes dentin exposure that leads to tooth sensitivity. But, there are more things that can cause tooth sensitivity, including:

1. Gum collapse

2. Drinking acidic drinks like soda causes tooth enamel deterioration, resulting in dentin exposure.

3. Teeth grinding

4. Brushing your teeth with too much pressure. It can damage tooth enamel and cause dentin exposure.

5. Dental treatments like teeth whitening, teeth cleaning, and tooth restorations

6. Gum disease, root nerve damage, and fractured or chipped teeth

What to Do If You Think You Have Tooth Sensitivity

Consulting your dentist is necessary if you frequently experience a tingling sensation. The dentist will examine your mouth to detect the exact cause of the problem. He may use a spray gun, which is an instrument that can dispense air over all of your teeth to locate the affected tooth or teeth.

If a restorative treatment is not necessary for your case, then your dentist will recommend the application of an in-office desensitizer. It is a protective coating that can prevent tooth sensitivity. An in-office desensitizer is easy to apply because it has a sticky base. You may undergo this treatment option on your first visit to your dentist. This protective coating can also help reduce pain during dental treatment.

The in-office desensitizer is a popular treatment option for tooth sensitivity, but there are more other remedies for the pain.

What are the Best Treatments for Tooth Sensitivity?

A home maintenance program may be helpful if you have low-level tooth sensitivity. Your dentist may also recommend fluoride rinses, toothpaste, and gels. These products are effective in reducing the sensitivity of root nerves. These dental care products can also build a defensive coating on the surface of your sensitive teeth.

For extreme tooth sensitivity, your best treatment option is the in-office desensitizer. It can provide long-lasting relief that will last for months to years. At times, a dentist suggests a non-prescription desensitizer to support the main treatment option. A toothbrush with tooth bristles can also help you avoid tooth sensitivity.

Whatever treatment you choose, seeing a good dentist should be your first step. Look for a trusted dentist near you to get help right away especially if the pain becomes unbearable.

Cavities, or tooth decay, are holes that form in your teeth. They start small, and slowly become bigger if you leave them untreated.

The onset of many cavities does not cause pain. Because of this, it can be difficult to know that there is a problem. Regular dental checkups can detect cavities early.

You can try three different options to treat cavities - prevention, restoration, and remineralization.

Prevention

Preventive dentistry has been given better focus recently. This helped in decreasing the cases of premature tooth loss.

There is no way to remove the bacteria in the mouth. However, limiting the intake of starches and sugars in your diet is an easy way to prevent cavities. Having a healthy diet can also prevent cavities in the baby teeth of toddlers and children. The same goes when their adult teeth start to grow.

Sugary juices and soft drinks are harmful to your teeth. Substitute sucralose for sucrose as bacteria cannot digest it. You can also use xylitol as a sugar substitute as it can kill bacteria. After meals, you can chew xylitol gum to lessen the prevalence of cavities.

When you brush, you can remove plaque from the outside of your teeth. Use dental floss to remove it from between your teeth. Mouthwash can also help because it reduces the harmful bacteria in your mouth.

A dentist may apply plastic sealants in the pits and fissures of children's teeth to prevent cavities.

Remineralization

Dentin, bone, and minerals make up the tooth enamel. Some of these minerals include phosphate, calcium, and fluoride. Remineralization is an organic process that helps repair the enamel before cavities form.

It is also possible to reverse shallow cavities. This can be done by treating the tooth with these minerals. You can apply fluoride to your teeth by using fluoride toothpastes and supplements. You can also drink fluoridated water.

Your dentist or dental hygienist can apply fluoride varnish to the surface of your teeth. This is a form of fluoride therapy. Take note that high levels of fluoride can be toxic.

Restoration

Dentists can restore a small cavity by using a filling made of silver amalgam or composite. They can cover large tooth decay with a crown. Crowns are usually made of zirconium, porcelain, or gold.

You might need a root canal when the cavity has reached the center of your tooth. Cavity can infect a large part of the tooth's surface. When this happens, tooth extraction is sometimes needed. You can have dental implants or bridges to restore the parts where teeth have been extracted.

Dentists can restore baby teeth through filling or a stainless steel crown. They can also do extraction pulpotomy.

To sum up, cavities can be prevented and treated. You can make changes in your dental hygiene and diet to lessen the risk of having cavities.