Tooth decay – How to relieve cavity pain and why should you get a cavity repair filling

Tooth decay or dental caries is a chemical erosion on the tooth enamel caused by bacteria that gradually expands until it causes irreversible damage, such as teeth rotting and breaking, and even tooth loss. 

Although there are many methods to prevent dental cavities and different treatments to remove and reverse tooth decay, it is currently estimated that more than 90% of the world’s population has cavities.

That is why we want to explain everything about dental caries:

  • Why does it occur?
  • How to reverse tooth decay?
  • What are tooth cavity symptoms?
  • What is a cavity repair?
  • Prevention.
  • How to strengthen tooth enamel?

Why and how does tooth decay occur?

Cavities appear due to the acid attack produced by certain bacteria that accumulate in the mouth. 

Constant acid attack demineralizes tooth enamel, weakening it and leaving it prone to bacterial infection. 

Bacteria produce these acids from sugars ingested by the patient, so people who consume sweets frequently are more likely to develop tooth decay. 

If in addition to a diet rich in sugars, people do not follow an appropriate oral hygiene routine, the risk of developing early tooth decay increases as bacteria manage to accumulate in the mouth and cause severe effects.

To summarize, the cause of tooth decay can be one or several of these factors:

  • Poor oral hygiene.
  • Accumulation of bacteria.
  • A diet rich in sugars.
  • Frequent consumption of snacks.
  • Weakened tooth enamel.

Types of dental caries

dental caries are classified according to where they appear, the types of caries are: 

  • Coronal caries: It is the most common and occurs in the crown of the tooth, specifically on the masticatory surface (molar caries). 
  • Fissure caries: This occurs in the natural grooves and fissures of the teeth, areas in which bacteria can accumulate more easily, it is very common in kids and it is usually reversible by using a sealant for teeth. 
  • Interdental caries: This occurs at the point of contact between teeth, it is quite common since this area is difficult to access when performing oral hygiene, it’s hard to notice until it happens in a highly visible area, eg. a cavity between the front teeth. 
  • Root caries: This occurs in the root of the tooth, root caries advance faster because in this area there is no tooth enamel.
  • Cervical caries: Occurs in the neck of the tooth, just where the root and crown meet and it’s also known as gumline cavity, just like root caries, this advances at great speed since it attacks a weaker area. 
  • Secondary or recurrent caries: This occurs in areas close to where a cavity has already occurred or even under a cavity filling.

Incipient dental caries (early cavity)

Incipient caries are initial dental caries, enamel presents a small cavity that’s hard to see by the naked eye, but even so, the cavity is active and should be treated as soon as possible. 

Incipient cavities are very difficult to detect because they simply manifest as a white spot on the enamel that only a dentist can notice during a checkup.

Rampant caries

Rampant caries is an aggressive type of tooth decay where 10 or more teeth are affected, it is also known as nursing bottle tooth decay since it’s very common in babies and kids who drink formula or milk and don’t get their mouth properly cleaned before sleep, yet, rampant caries can appear at any age.

Rampant caries is very aggressive, progresses rapidly, and often causes the loss or fracture of teeth, so the treatment has to be quick and aggressive too.

Symptoms of tooth decay

What are the symptoms of dental caries?

Surprisingly, caries does not cause any kind of discomfort in its beginnings, this is because the tooth enamel is not innervated, so no pain is perceived.

However, as tooth enamel weakens, caries get closer to the dentin, the next layer of the tooth that is much softer than enamel and although it is not innervated either, it has tubules that allow the passage of stimuli to the dental pulp.

The dental pulp is where the dental nerves are located and the stimuli are perceived.

So once caries has reached the dentin, the symptoms of caries are:

Sometimes it is possible to see holes in the teeth, and although caries’ color is white, it can sometimes look like a brown or black hole in the teeth.

Tooth decay treatment

Cavity treatment varies according to how severe is dental decay. In mild tooth decay cases, it is enough for the dentist to apply fluoride treatment for teeth to reverse tooth decay by remineralizing cavities, but the truth is that very few cavities are discovered at this early stage.

Most cases require getting a tooth cavity filling, in this case, the dentist removes the carious dental tissue and then rebuilds the tooth with composite resin (cavity filling or artificial tooth enamel) until getting it back to its original shape.

In severe tooth decay cases where cavities have caused deep damage to the dentin and pulp, an endodontic treatment or root canal treatment will likely be required.

This consists of removing the dental pulp and filling the space with sterile materials to later reconstruct the dentin and enamel, in this way, the natural tooth can be saved.

If endodontic treatment fails, the only option left is the decayed tooth extraction.

Eliminate cavities naturally

Unfortunately, no natural remedy for dental decay is effective, the only way to get rid of cavities is with the help of a dentist, the sooner you visit one, the better it will be for your oral health.

Natural remedies will only waste valuable time allowing tooth decay to spread further and cause more damage.

filtered cavities

A leaking cavity or leaking filling occurs when the material used to restore the tooth after a cavity removal does not adhere perfectly to the natural enamel, allowing the passage or filtration of saliva, food residues, and later bacteria that can cause the failure of the cavity treatment.

Tooth decay treatment cost

Without insurance, the average cost of a composite filling costs between $200 and $500 per tooth, while amalgam fillings cost from $50 to $150 per tooth.

Porcelain and gold fillings are way more expensive, with prices going around $1.200 per tooth.

Insurance companies will cover the majority of the cost, and in some cases, they could cover the entire treatment.

Wisdom tooth decay

Tooth decay on wisdom teeth is quite common due to the difficulty of reaching this area during the oral hygiene routine which facilitates plaque accumulation and therefore dental decay formation.

Different from other teeth, when it comes to third molars, the suggested treatment is the decayed wisdom tooth extraction since performing a cavity filling won’t be effective in the long term.

Tooth cavity pain relief

Toothache from a cavity can be terrible and negatively impact daily life, so, even when the best option is to visit a dentist as soon as possible, taking over-the-counter medication can provide temporary cavity pain relief or even stop cavity pain.

Painkillers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen are highly effective in relieving tooth decay pain, just keep in mind that this is a temporary solution and you still need to see your dentist.

Frequent questions

How to prevent cavities or stop tooth decay?

The key point to the prevention of dental caries is to have a complete oral hygiene routine. A proper routine includes:

Keep in mind that smoking is a risk factor for developing cavities and many other oral conditions, therefore, stopping smoking is the best way to prevent cavities.

How to strengthen tooth enamel?

Tooth enamel can be strengthened using fluoride, as it remineralizes worn enamel. You can use fluoride toothpaste to restore your enamel or opt for fluoride applications done by your dentist.

How long does it take for tooth decay to destroy the tooth?

A cavity takes several years to cause visible damage or even cause the first symptoms, it is estimated that a dental cavity takes at least 4 years before passing through the dental enamel and reaching the dentin.

This period may vary since the exact duration depends on the location of caries, the consumption of sugars, and other factors specific to each patient.

What happens when caries reach the dental pulp?

When decay reaches the pulp it can cause pulpitis, which is an inflammation of the nerves of the tooth.

This can cause a lot of pain and inflammation and depending on the severity of each case getting a cavity filled might not be enough so a root canal treatment or even a tooth extraction may be necessary.

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