Learn how Dangerous Cavities can Really Be with Our San Diego Orthodontist

 

When you’re told that you have a cavity, all dental professionals will recommend that you have it taken care of as soon as possible. Unfortunately, due to busy schedules between work, friends, and family, patients can find it difficult to find the best time to visit our office again to take care of the cavity. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), 92% of American adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have had cavities in their permanent teeth. Even worse, around 26% of them have untreated dental decay!

 

Below, your San Diego orthodontist dives into the different classes of cavities, how they damage your teeth, and how our professionals can improve your smile.

 

• Class I: This class of tooth decay is visible to our dentist. They’re noticeable on the chewing surfaces of your back teeth, like your molars and premolars, as well as decay noted on the front or back surfaces of your front teeth.

• Class II: These cavities, while they appear on your molars and premolars, are typically between your teeth and aren’t visible to the human eye.

• Class III: This class of decay occurs between your front teeth and are also not visible without the help of x-rays.

• Class IV: This type also occurs between your front teeth, but it involves the cutting edges of your teeth.

• Class V: These cavities appear on the surface, or behind, either your front or back teeth, near the gum line.

• Class VI: This decay is found on the top surfaces of your teeth, either on the edges of your front teeth or on the cusp of your back teeth.

 

Now that you know where these cavities can lie, and how they’re identified, it’s time for you to know the levels of severity and what tooth decay can do to your smile. To further understand, the outer layer of your tooth is made up of calcified enamel, which protects the softer, inner portion that holds the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. When this area of your tooth is damaged, you’re at risk for regular toothaches, dental sensitivity, and other issues.

 

The levels of severity for your tooth decay gives our San Diego orthodontist a better idea of how to properly treat the cavity. Incipient, moderate, advanced, and severe cavities are all necessary to take care of, but the longer you wait, the more you’re at risk of completely losing the tooth. By maintaining routine visits to our office, you’ll be able to prevent serious complications to your smile and have our professionals assist you.

 

Following these simple steps will help you avoid a lifetime of dental issues! While cavities are common, they’re also the easiest preventable dental disease and should be taken seriously. Use these helpful tips to avoid dental decay:

 

• Brush your teeth twice a day – once in the morning, once at night – with fluoride toothpaste, or another recommended toothpaste from our dentist

• Floss at least once a day, preferably after a meal to get rid of any lingering, stubborn food particles

• Change up your diet to include more nutritional foods and drinks, removing sugary and sweet things to lessen the damage done to your enamel