Tooth decay is one of the most common dental conditions and it can affect people of all ages. It occurs when teeth become damaged due to dental plaque turning sugars into acid. This can then cause holes in the teeth as well as gum disease.
Tooth decay occurs when acid produced by plaque builds up on your teeth causing dental cavities, gum disease or dental abscesses. Dental abscesses are collections of pus that form on the end of the teeth or in the gums. The condition can be extremely painful and debilitating.
Signs of tooth decay depend on how serious it is and where it’s located in the mouth. Some patients don’t experience any pain at all until the decay becomes serious.
Many patients with tooth decay will develop some of the following symptoms:
If you suspect that you have tooth decay, it’s important that you visit your dentist as soon as possible.
Causes of rotten teeth and tooth decay:
Your dentist will also be able to give you further information on how you can prevent tooth decay.
The good news is that improving your dental hygiene, brushing your teeth properly and looking after your gums can all play a huge role in helping to prevent and treat rotten teeth or decayed teeth.
The most common treatments for tooth decay is fillings. If the decay has caused a cavity in your tooth then you will need a filling. This involves removing the decay from the tooth and rebuilding the tooth using tooth-coloured composite resin fillings.
Sometimes old fillings can leak and decay can occur under the old filling. In this case the filling and decay will need to be removed and replaced with a new filling.
If the decay is extensive and the tooth is broken then a root canal treatment and a crown may be required, or in the worst case scenario, the tooth may have to be removed and replaced with a dental implant restoration depending on the severity.
If left untreated, tooth decay can cause several other problems, including:
These dental problems and symptoms can vary in severity, depending on how bad the case is.
Find out more about our restorative dentistry treatments and solutions. At Windsor Dental we offer a range of treatments for decaying teeth on a sliding scale. Take a look through our real-life dentistry case studies.
Call Windsor Dentistry on 01753 833755 to discuss suitable treatments for decaying teeth.
