ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Cavities

What is cavities?

4 May 2021

They are one of the most common health conditions in the general population that is characterized by damaging teeth surface or enamel due to the presence of bacteria, the consumption of sugary drinks or foods, and inadequate dental cleaning, causing small holes in the teeth, which if not treated in time can be painful, become infected, and cause the loss of teeth.

Although anyone can suffer from cavities, they occur more frequently in childhood, adolescence, and in older adults. Some of the factors that can trigger it include:

  • Poor dental hygiene.
  • Eating or drinking frequently.
  • Gums and teeth in formation (babies, children) or receding due to age.
  • Constant exposure to sugary foods and beverages.
  • Fluoride deficiency.
  • Eating disorders.
  • Poor saliva production due to certain diseases, medications, or specific treatments.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux.
  • Dry mouth.

Signs and symptoms Cavities

The symptoms depend on the size and location of the cavities, so at first, you may not have discomfort, but the most frequent symptoms are:

  • Holes in the teeth.
  • Sudden pain.
  • Pain when chewing.
  • Hypersensitivity to food temperature.
  • Pain when eating something sweet.
  • Appearance of dark brown or black spots on any surface of a tooth.
  • Tooth sensitivity.

Potential risks:

  • Damaged or broken teeth.
  • Loss of teeth.
  • Acute pain that affects the performance of daily activities.
  • Swelling of the gums around the affected tooth.
  • Difficulty eating and chewing.
  • Abscess that can become complicated and endanger life.
  • If you have any discomfort, you must see your dentist as soon as possible to treat your problem and avoid complications.

Diagnosis and treatment Cavities

After reviewing your symptoms and medical history, your dentist will examine your teeth and mouth. If deemed necessary, he or she will take X-rays of the damaged teeth to assess the type of cavities, progress, and deterioration. The treatment to follow will depend on your case, but it generally consists of:

  • Crowns: A custom-made, artificial covering is placed to replace the tooth’s natural crown, which can be made of different materials, such as porcelain, resin, or metal.
  • Fillings: various resins, porcelain, or dental fillings of different materials are used.
  • Endodontics: consists of the extraction of the affected dental pulp to repair it and preserve the dental piece.
  • Extraction: when the damage is very severe and deep, the tooth is extracted, which can leave a hole that causes the movement of the other teeth.
  • Fluoride treatments: if it is incipient caries, this chemical element can help restore tooth enamel.

ABC Medical Center invites you to take care of your dental health with our professional team of highly qualified and ethical dentists supported by cutting-edge technology, which guarantees high quality and safe service in our comfortable and functional facilities with all the state-of-the-art dental advances, achieving rapid attention with a high degree of precision and efficiency.

Related centers and departments Cavities

Dental Health
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • mayoclinic.org
  • medlineplus.gov
  • dentalcare.com.mx
  • topdoctors.es
  • mouthhealthy.org
  • medigraphic.com
  • Tiol-Carrillo A. Caries en niños. ¿Maltrato infantil o ignorancia parental?. Rev ADM. 2021;78(4):205-208. doi:10.35366/101074.
  • Carvajal RE, Chofré LM, Senent VG, et al. Factores de riesgos en la génesis de la caries dental en edad temprana y efectos de la lactancia materna. Rev Cubana Estomatol. 2020;57(2):.
  • Guerrero-Castellón MP, Carmona-Castillo YM, García- Aguirre S, et al. Tabaquismo como factor de riesgo para caries temprana de la infancia. Rev Tame. 2020;8.9(25):1030-1032.
  • Luengo-Fereira JA, Zambrano-Palencia OR, Rivera LE. Sellado de lesiones de caries dental no cavitadas: ensayo clínico aleatorio controlado. Rev Odotopediatr Latinoam. 2013;3(2):45-57.

How can we help you?

    The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.