Dental Caries

What is dental caries?  Dental caries or tooth decay is an irreversible infection usually bacterial that causes demineralization of the hard tissue.

Tooth + bacterial in plaque + sugar = acid production.  

Acid then dissolve enamel and form cavity.

Common sites of tooth decay:

-Biting surface of the back teeth
-In between teeth
-At the root surface

Do you know what is plaque?  Plaque is actually soft food which sticks to the tooth surfaces after we eat.  Plaque will begin to build up on teeth within 20 minutes after eating.  If plaque is not removed thoroughly and routinely:

Plaque will mineralized into tartar which lead to gingivitis and periodontitis

Demineralization/tooth decay of tooth surface begin

Prevention:

Oral hygiene is necessary to prevent cavities and gum problem.  How do we get and achieve good oral hygiene?

This is through good tooth brushing technique that can remove plaque effectively.  For cleaning in between teeth we should use dental floss.

Last but not least, we need to go for scalling every six months in dental clinic. By maintaining good oral hygiene we will not get problem like bad breath and we also can smile confidently to others and feels good.