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The thought of getting a cavity is worrisome to most people, yet most folks don’t realize what one is or what causes it. A cavity is an area of your tooth that has decayed; when the tooth structure has been weakened and destroyed inside the tooth much like a bruise on an apple, then looking at the surface might not clear reveal the extensive damage like a dental x-ray can reveal.

Cavities are typically caused when your saliva mixes with a colony of bacteria, resulting in a layer of plaque that latches on to your tooth’s enamel called a pellicle. Attaching like a goopy film or skin on the tooth, hence the expression “missed me only by the skin of my teeth!” 

The skin-like film allows the bacteria to rest tightly against our teeth. Sugar consumption feed the bacteria and a byproduct is acid. From here, acid erodes the tooth’s surface and causes small holes as mineral is drained away from the matrix of the tooth’s enamel. Eventually, the one combination of sugar, bacteria production of acid Bevome more problematic producing a cavern or hole we call a cavity.

How to Treat a Cavity

Left uncared for cavities can grow and usually cause pain. Generally folks may think they can suffer through toothaches, but actually they’ll eventually become too severe to ignore and could result in infection or tooth loss. Luckily, treatment is easy. Teresa Wade Family Dentistry in Andrews, TX, has many years of experience treating a variety of oral health conditions, including cavities.

Children often refer to cavities as sugar-bugs which is pretty on the mark as we understand the causative factors of cavities. Children understand that those sugar-bugs are cleaned away with a tooth whistle and then the tooth is made beautiful again by either being filled or putting a cap on the tooth. It's easy and the tooth will be happy when it touches hot or cold foods the are eaten. The team is passionate about dental care and encourages all patients to be proactive in their prevention of tooth decay by developing good oral hygiene habits.

Prevention and early detection are key to keeping your mouth healthy. Avoiding sugary foods and regular habits of brushing and flossing will keep your oral hygiene in check, but nothing compares to the careful eye and professional training of a dentist. Since tooth decay is a common health condition, dentists are experienced in dealing with cavities. Depending on a cavity’s severity, a dentist may recommend a remineralization treatment, filling, a root canal, or extraction in severe cases.

Take care of your teeth and treat any cavities before they become a serious issue. Call Teresa Wade Family Dentistry at (432) 523-7782 to schedule a consultation today. Visit their website to learn more about their dental care services and let them treat you like family. You will be glad you did. 

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