What are Dental Caries?

If you have ever heard of dental caries, you may be wondering what it is all about. This article will explain the different types of caries, including what they are, how to spot them, and what it costs to treat them. Keep reading to learn more. Listed below are the common symptoms and causes of dental caries. Besides cavities, other dental problems can also be a result of acid demineralization.

Signs for Dental Caries

You’ve probably heard the term “dental caries,” but do you know what it means? In a nutshell, caries is an infection of the teeth caused by bacteria. There are two types of caries: occlusal and interproximal. Interproximal caries affect the teeth’s gums. The bacteria that live in these areas can be especially harmful. This is why people with poor oral health often report developing dental problems.

The first sign of tooth decay is a white spot that may start as a small hole. The cavity will then grow until it causes a brown or black stain to appear on the tooth. If left untreated, cavities may eventually become a pot or a hole in the tooth, resulting in fractured teeth. The treatment for dental caries will depend on how bad the caries is, but you should visit a dentist 강남역치과 if you notice any of these signs.

Causes

The main cause of dental caries is the accumulation of plaque and acid in the mouth. Bacteria present in the mouth produce acids that attack the morphologic and physiologic features of the teeth. The most common cause of dental caries is the presence of acid-producing commensal bacteria. The acidity damages the dentin of teeth. One of the commensal bacteria also produces an adhesive agent that bonds dental debris to the surface of teeth. This debris becomes Dental Plaque.

The bacteria in the mouth convert sugars and carbohydrates into acid. These acidic metabolites attack the enamel, leading to cavities. In addition, poor oral hygiene practices and lack of proper dental care encourage the growth of these bacteria. It’s important to remember that certain genetics and tooth structures may increase the risk of dental caries. For this reason, it is recommended to practice proper oral hygiene and limit the consumption of sugar-containing food and drinks.

Treatment of Dental Caries

In the early stages, the affected areas of a tooth may be too small to notice. As the decay progresses, it begins to erode the enamel, exposing the dentinal tubules, the passages that nourish the tooth’s nerve. In this stage, pain and swelling may be felt when chewing, or even when the tooth is just plain uncomfortable. Treatment for dental caries is typically a filling, which can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin.

In more advanced stages of the disease, operative approaches can be used to stop individual carious lesions and prevent the development of new ones. Although the destruction of a tooth’s structure cannot fully regenerate, optimal dental hygiene practices and topical fluoride can promote the remineralization of small lesions. In this situation, dental caries treatment aims to preserve the remaining structures and prevent further damage. Generally, the treatment is completed in about 6 months.

Costs

In Japan, there are approximately 861 million people with undiagnosed caries in the outer enamel and 1,562 million in the inner enamel. It would cost the country $358 million to $525 million to treat each case. Treatment with fluoride varnish would cost a self-pay patient approximately $308,216 per year. Even more expensive would be the costs of full-coverage restorations for cases where caries have spread into the dentin. Fortunately, many people can avoid these high costs by practicing proper oral hygiene and visiting a dentist regularly.

In one study, 1200 randomly selected adults were surveyed for the presence of dental caries. Out of them, 79 were caries active, while 179 were inactive. The inclusion criteria were that participants were aged between 20 and 65 and were classified in the same caries risk group in two consecutive check-ups. This study has important implications for policymakers because it highlights the need for a health-economic evaluation of dental care.