Cavities

Cavities (holes)

Cavities (holes, or caries) happen when plaque is present on the teeth. Factors such as what you eat and the use of (soft) drinks play a role in the development of cavities, but not only about what is eaten, but especially how often this happens in a day.

How caries begins

The beginning of caries is generally painless. In enamel it takes a long time for caries to spread, because enamel is a hard and dense material. Every time you eat or drink something, bacteria in the dental plaque change the sugars and carbohydrates in the food into acid. This creates an acid burst that can damage the enamel, with cavities as a result. If the caries process goes on, the deeper dentine is damaged. Dentine is much softer than enamel and so caries can spread there much more quickly.

How to spot caries

Not every groove or pit in a tooth is a hole. The same goes for dark discolourations or whitish spots on the teeth. However, they can be signs of early or more serious caries.

Complaints only come when caries in the dentin has gone deeper. The teeth and molars can then become sensitive to temperature changes and when eating sweets. As the holes get bigger, this sensitivity can turn into pain. By regularly going to the dentist for check-ups, the cavities can be discovered at an early stage and pain complaints can stay away.

How to keep caries away

Taking good care of your teeth will stop cavities from happening. Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Use a toothbrush with a small brush head and soft bristles. Electric toothbrushes are effective to remove plaque: the brush does the brushing movement for you, so you can concentrate on the places to brush. You can also use other methods, such as toothpicks, dental floss or tuft brushes. Ask the dentist or dental hygienist which product is most suitable for you.

Limit the number of eating and drinking moments to seven times a day. Three main meals and four snacks per day. In that way the saliva in the mouth can help protect the teeth. In addition, regular check-ups with a dentist are still very important.

Starting cavities can be repaired by brushing well with fluoride toothpaste and by using fluoride applied by the dentist.

How to treat caries

To take care that cavities in teeth do not get bigger, the damaged part of the tooth is usually drilled out and filled. Diffrent materials can be used for the filling. Dental Practice Diemen-Zuid only uses aesthetic (white) filling materials, usually composite. We choose the correct material by looking at where the fillig is and how much you see it, but also by how long it will last and what you want as a patient.

Milk teeth

Milk teeth and teeth that have just come up are extra sensitive to caries. In addition to brushing well, brushing afterwards and checking, it is important that you pay close attention to what your child eats and drinks.

Baby bottle caries

If your child often sucks on a baby bottle or non-drip cup with fruit juice, syrup or milk products, the teeth come into contact with sugars for a long time. There is then a high chance of the development of so-called baby bottle caries. To take care that this does not happen, you can let your child drink from a cup without a spout from nine months onwards instead of a baby bottle or anti-drip cup.