Tooth Decay Treatment

The cavities and soft areas that mostly appear as black spots on our teeth are called caries.

The interface caries, which we call hidden caries, are not visible on the teeth at first glance, but can be diagnosed with a medical examination and radiographic film. It often manifests itself in the form of sensitivity when eating sweets.

How do tooth decays occur?

The routine pH value of our saliva, which protects our oral environment including our teeth (gums, jawbone and soft tissues), provides a living environment for our oral bacteria and provides the washing of the inside of the mouth, is around 7-7.2, which is neutral. With the consumption of floury and sugary foods, the saliva pH drops to 5.5, creating an acidic environment. In an acidic environment, decay-causing bacteria become dominant. Tooth enamel exposed to an acidic environment for a long time is destroyed by the effect of decay-causing bacteria and tooth decay occurs.

Since tooth decay is an infectious disease, if it is present in one tooth, it can spread to other teeth.

To prevent tooth decay, existing decay should be eliminated and the person's current eating habits should be questioned and changed if possible. At the same time, systemic diseases that cause the oral environment to be acidic should be questioned.

If a person has a stomach disorder, bulimia nervosa, or other health problems, they may develop tooth decay due to stomach acid coming into the mouth, or if they have a condition such as diabetes or use of antidepressants, they may develop tooth decay due to dry mouth.

Mouth breathing also paves the way for the formation of tooth decay, especially because it causes sleeping with the mouth open at night.

Dt. Betül Saylar