Almost every person suffers from dental disease from time to time. The most common dental disease is caries. It is a process of destruction of hard tooth tissues. First, caries affects the tooth enamel and if left untreated, the process begins to affect the deeper layers of the tooth and can lead to its complete destruction. If the disease starts, a hole appears in the tooth enamel; it gradually increases, allowing pathogenic bacteria access inside the tooth. This leads to the fact that other diseases join caries, aggravating the situation. What are the causes of caries and is it possible to protect yourself from it?

This disease does not occur on its own. It is caused by special cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis and actinomycetes living in the oral cavity. But why do some people rarely experience caries, while others are forced to visit the dentist every year, or even more often? The fact is that each organism has different resistance to these microorganisms. It has been noted that people with weak immunity are more susceptible to the effects of cariogenic bacteria.

Attention! Bacteria live and multiply in dental plaque. Brushing your teeth can remove plaque, but using a toothbrush can only remove soft deposits. Within a few days, plaque turns into hard tartar, which cannot be removed on your own. To get rid of it, you need to see a doctor.

Using special instruments, the doctor will break up and remove hard deposits. If you do not get rid of tartar in time, cariogenic bacteria will continuously attack the tooth, and this will sooner or later lead to caries.

There are many reasons for the occurrence of caries, but we encounter some every day: improper oral care, poor water quality, lack of vitamins and minerals in the body - it is necessary to pay attention to these factors, because. we can control them.

Bacteria require certain conditions to actively reproduce. These conditions are:

• poor oral care;
• poor cleaning;
• the predominance of foods rich in carbohydrates (flour, sweets) in the diet, as well as a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits;
• low-quality drinking water with low calcium, fluorine, phosphorus content;
• lack of vitamins;
• decreased immunity;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• disruption of the formation of teeth, which can be caused by diseases suffered in childhood (tuberculosis, rickets).

Under the influence of these factors, plaque begins to accumulate on the teeth - a favorable environment for bacteria. The enamel becomes thinner, becomes brittle and is affected by caries. To avoid this, it is necessary to eliminate or reduce the influence of harmful factors.

Why does tooth decay still occur?

As mentioned above, the main causes of the disease are cariogenic bacteria that actively multiply in food debris and dental plaque. But, in addition to this, there are several additional factors that increase the risk of caries. What does this include?

Diagnosis of caries

If the carious process has already developed, it becomes visible to the naked eye, but at the initial stage it is impossible to independently determine the presence of the disease. This can only be done by a dentist using special equipment. Three main types of examination are used: vital staining of tooth enamel, ultraviolet irradiation, and x-rays.

Stages of the disease

Like any disease, caries develops gradually and has several stages. Dentists distinguish three stages of disease development.

• Early caries. At this stage, the tooth retains its integrity, but a small white spot appears on its surface. Gradually, the enamel becomes pigmented, acquiring a grayish tint, and its surface becomes rough.
• Average caries. At this stage, the carious process affects not only the enamel, but also the next layer of the tooth - dentin, as a result of which a cavity appears in it, which gradually increases in size.
• Deep caries. If the patient does not see a doctor, the carious process continues its destructive effect and affects the deep layers of the tooth. At this stage, others may join the main disease.

This figure shows caries in three stages: early, middle and deep caries.

Each person develops caries at a different rate - some quickly, some slowly. Usually in adults the disease is chronic and sluggish. In children, this process occurs much faster, since baby teeth are not as strong as permanent teeth. The rapid course of the disease is called acute caries.

Patients who neglect their dental health and do not treat tooth decay are at risk of complications. Untreated caries destroys the hard tissues of the tooth and extends beyond them. What complications may arise?

Pulpitis

Inside the tooth there is a neurovascular bundle - the pulp. When the inflammatory process affects it, pulpitis develops. The disease is characterized by severe pain. If measures are not taken, the pulp tissues die and the tooth is deprived of its source of nutrition.

Periodontitis

Periodontitis is inflammation of the periodontium. Periodontal tissue is the tissue located around the tooth. The inflammatory process spreads to the canals located inside the tooth and covers nearby tissues. If pus accumulates in the root area, this indicates the development of a periodontal abscess.

Tooth cyst

Dental tissues are destroyed, leading to the growth of granulations and the formation of a cavity that is filled with pus. To treat a cyst, the dentist makes a puncture and removes the formation.

Flux

Patients often come to the dentist with a swollen cheek. This condition indicates the development of gumboil. Flux occurs when the periosteum, the tissue covering the bone, becomes inflamed. The periosteum peels off, and the resulting cavity is filled with pus. In this case, the patient needs urgent treatment. The doctor makes a small incision, drains the pus, cleans the cavity, and then prescribes the patient a course of antibiotics. If the tooth can still be saved, treatment of pulpitis and periodontitis will be required. In this case, the flux will not develop again.

Many people believe that caries is not a serious dental disease and turn to the dentist after the appearance of pain. But the pain indicates that caries has already reached a severe stage and dangerous consequences may appear in the form of pulpitis, periodontitis, cysts or gumboil.

Prevention of caries

In order not to suffer from caries and its consequences, you need to try to prevent the disease. Methods for preventing caries:

• Regular teeth cleaning. To keep your teeth healthy, you need to brush them twice a day - in the morning, after waking up, and in the evening, before going to bed. The procedure should take at least two minutes and not be limited to cleaning the surface of the teeth. It is also necessary to clean the interdental, peri-gingival spaces and tongue, since microbes also accumulate there. To make brushing as effective as possible, you need to choose the right toothpaste and brush.
• Mouth rinse. In addition to brushing your teeth regularly, dentists recommend rinsing your mouth with water after every meal. This helps to wash away acids left by acid-containing foods from the surface of the teeth, as well as get rid of food particles stuck in the spaces between teeth. In the morning and evening after brushing your teeth, you need to use special mouth rinses. They freshen breath, slow down the process of plaque formation, and also strengthen the enamel, saturating it with minerals.
• Replenishment of fluoride deficiency.

  Attention! Fluoride is an important trace element that affects the strength of tooth tissue. It is found in drinking water, but not all regions have sufficient amounts of this substance. A lack of fluoride leads to thinning of tooth enamel.

  This problem can be solved by fluoridating drinking water. But the easiest way to care for your oral cavity is to use rinses that contain fluoride. Another way to compensate for fluoride deficiency is to eat foods rich in this element, such as fish and other seafood.

• Food temperature. Sudden temperature changes are harmful to tooth enamel, since such exposure leads to the appearance of microcracks, into which microbes then penetrate. To avoid this, do not eat too hot, cold or contrasting foods.
• Regular visits to the dentist. Often, patients consult a doctor only when their teeth begin to hurt. This is wrong. To prevent caries, it is recommended to undergo periodic medical examinations with a dentist in order to promptly identify the first signs of the disease. Adults need to visit a doctor at least once every six months, and children every three months, since their teeth decay much faster.

Do not neglect preventive examinations. This will help to detect dental problems in time and avoid possible complications.

Caries is considered to be a dental disease in which hard dental tissues are affected and enamel and dentin are destroyed. The progression of the carious process leads to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the pulp, which in the future can lead to pulpitis, periodontitis or a fistula on the gum.

Today, caries occupies a leading position among all known dental diseases. According to available data, caries disease affects about 90% of the adult population.

Moreover, the incidence of caries is higher in economically developed countries, which is explained by the total consumption of sugar-containing products. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, there has been a depressing trend of increasing incidence in childhood. Already from the age of five, 70% of children have caries of varying depths.

Features of caries formation

The formation of caries occurs due to the harmful effects of harmful microorganisms on tooth enamel. Constantly present in the oral cavity, they process food debris stuck in the teeth. As a result of the decomposition of carbohydrate compounds, organic acids are formed.

An increase in the concentration of organic acids has a detrimental effect on calcium salts - they are washed away by an aggressive acidic environment. Systematic erosion of calcium salts ultimately leads to demineralization of teeth.

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body. Its chemical composition is dominated by minerals, mainly hydroxyapatites. These mineral compounds show high sensitivity to acids, so the enamel begins to deteriorate at pH 4.5.

Caries rarely appears on its own, for no apparent reason. Most often, the pathological state of the body acts as a key pathogenetic link in the development of carious disease. Weakening of general and local immune functions, diseases of the digestive system and unbalanced diet provoke caries.

Modern medicine has approximately 400 theories of the origin of this dental pathology, but most of them focus on the fact that failure to comply with hygiene rules leads to the appearance of plaque on the enamel, which is the source of the disease.

A person who does not pay due attention to regular and proper brushing of his teeth exposes his tooth enamel to the destructive action of plaque. Plaque increases along the entire perimeter of the teeth, especially in teeth that are difficult to reach with a brush and areas where it is difficult for it to be eliminated naturally.

As you know, food during chewing often gets stuck on the side surfaces of the teeth and in the recesses of the masticatory organs. Over time, a strong bond of plaque with the tooth surface is formed.

Active begins proliferation of bacterial flora, the main part of which is streptococci. Plaque gradually thickens due to the mineral salts contained in the salivary fluid. The formation of plaque and mineral salts is called dental plaque.

Causes of cariogenic damage to teeth

Dental plaque, being a habitat for bacteria, creates conditions for them to produce lactic acid, which, in turn, can demineralize teeth. Demineralization is the first stage of caries disease.

Streptococcal microorganisms are involved in the formation of complex sugars, one of which is dextran. This polysaccharide is produced from sucrose, which is found in large quantities in easily digestible carbohydrates, so an excess of sweet foods in the human diet is directly related to the development of caries.

How actively cariogenic bacteria will manifest themselves depends on the genetic characteristics of the person. Many people have weak resistance to caries pathogens, and people with strong immunity, and in the absence of chronic pathologies, demonstrate good resistance to caries.

Persons with immunodeficiency conditions are at risk. In children who have had exudative diathesis and rickets, caries is diagnosed twice as often. Qualitative and quantitative disturbances in the composition of saliva create the prerequisites for a decrease in its antibacterial properties, which several times increases the risk of carious lesions.

Somatic abnormalities and nutritional deficiencies that accompany the period of formation of dental structures significantly weaken the resistant response. Pathological diseases of enamel hereditary nature, such as aplasia and hypoplasia, together with other extreme factors increase the likelihood of developing caries.

The human environment plays an important role in the genesis of carious disease. Thus, living in industrial areas polluted by industrial emissions, the body’s protective function is depleted, and dental problems appear.

The further health of the teeth largely depends on the state of the dental system during the formation period. If teeth have developed and erupted without visible complications, this significantly reduces the risk of caries.

Forms of caries and their brief characteristics

Stage of carious stain. A chalky stain forms on the surface of the tooth and gives the damaged area a yellowish tint. This is the initial stage of tooth decay, so the surface is still smooth. You can't miss the moment, you need to contact your dentist urgently, since further development of the disease will lead to an increase in the cost of treatment procedures.

Early stage of caries The treatment is painless; you just need to remove the stain. After this, the enamel remineralization procedure is carried out. To do this, special solutions, for example, calcium gluconate, are applied to the neck of the tooth. The use of infiltration-impregnation method is widespread.

Superficial caries. This stage is characterized by softening of damaged tooth enamel. It can be easily removed using an excavator. Patients rarely complain of pain. Pain may occur from sweet or sour food getting into the carious hole.

Visual inspection allows you to detect rounded enamel defects. When the process is chronic, the edges of the defect are flat; when the process is acute, the edges droop. Chemical irritants and cold foods also cause pain.

Average caries. At this stage, penetration of caries into the deep layers of enamel is observed. Damage to the enamel-dentin tissue begins. The damage to the tooth becomes more pronounced. A bad tooth causes paroxysmal pain. The dentist removes the affected part of the tooth, treats it with antibacterial solutions and installs a permanent filling.

Deep caries. Deep damage to the dentin layer occurs. The morphofunctional feature of dentin and pulp explains their reactive and dystrophic changes. Inflammation or necrosis may develop when damaged areas are irritated by a drill and medications.

Types of dental caries and areas of its localization

1. Cervical. The name comes from the fact that the spots appear on the neck of the gum, next to the gum. There is increased sensitivity of the tooth.
2. Bottle. This kind of caries occurs only on baby teeth. It is treated with remineralization therapy and careful oral hygiene.
3. Radical. It affects the tissues adjacent to the tooth root. Pain and increased sensitivity appear.
4. Fissure. The location is in the center of the tooth. In this case, the cervical and root zones are not affected.

Clinical observation made it possible to establish that the methodology and tactics of caries treatment are determined depending on the severity and speed of carious destruction. In connection with this there is classification of caries forms according to the severity of the process:

• Compensated. Chronic caries. Degenerative processes occur slowly. Carious cavities are lined with hard, pigmented dentin.
• Subcompensated. Caries of moderate intensity, without pronounced symptoms.
• Decompensated. Acute course of caries. The disease develops rapidly, many carious cavities appear, which are filled with soft dentin. A great danger is posed by systemic damage to the masticatory elements, when almost all teeth in the cervical area are affected.

Methods for diagnosing caries

Treatment of dental caries and its prevention

For effective treatment of caries, diagnosing the disease at the earliest stage is important. The time it takes for a carious spot to develop into a deep cavity takes about a year. This is why it is so important to visit the dental office at least once every six months.

Treatment tactics will depend on the severity of caries. Before starting treatment procedures, remove plaque, dry the surface of the teeth and treat with antiseptics, for example, chlorhexidine.

A restorative application that normalizes the mineral composition of the enamel is used at the stain stage. Small areas affected by cariogenic bacteria are often sanded off and then remineralized and coated with a protective mixture.

Superficial, medium and deep forms of caries require removal of the affected tissue. After this, the formed cavities are cleaned and a filling compound is introduced there. Sometimes a badly damaged tooth cannot be saved - it is advisable remove pulp and nerve.

In order not to experience all the unpleasant consequences of caries, it is not enough to use a high-quality fluoride toothpaste or antibacterial rinse. To avoid the development of caries, it is necessary a whole range of events:

• Limit the amount of carbohydrates consumed, especially sweets and chocolate, and sugary carbonated drinks.
• Include solid foods, solid vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth after eating. Chlorhexidine-based solutions are suitable for daily rinsing.
• Follow the rules of technique for cleaning tooth enamel.
• Use xylitol chewing gum after meals.
• Have an annual preventive examination.
• Monitor the state of the immune system and treat emerging diseases in a timely manner.

A hole in a tooth is what dentists call caries.

Caries begins with the softening of tooth enamel and the penetration of a bacterial infection into the tooth. Bacterial waste products contain acids that corrode the surface of the enamel and, as a result, microscopic cavities form in it.

If pathogenic microorganisms are not removed from such cavities in a timely and thorough manner, a carious process develops.

In our article you will learn what causes caries, as well as methods of treating it.

Why does tooth decay occur?

The human mouth is naturally inhabited by millions of bacteria, which, in the course of their vital activity, process carbohydrates into lactic, formic, butyric, propionic and other organic acids. Food debris, colonies of microorganisms and the acids they produce mix and form a porous plaque on the surface of the teeth.

Tooth decay is usually a consequence of poor diet and poor oral hygiene.

Lack of the habit of regularly brushing your teeth provides acids with prolonged contact with the enamel and leads to the appearance of primary carious lesions of small depth on it.

Inflammation of the pulp is accompanied by severe pain due to the presence of a large number of nerve endings in it. In general, the process of caries development can be lengthy and take up to 2 years.

Caries usually affects molars with a large chewing surface. Due to the specific shape and position in the dentition, it is quite difficult to remove plaque and food fibers from them, so acids have a long-term destructive effect on the enamel.

Factors that increase the risk of caries

Diet and diet

There is an excess of fast carbohydrates in the modern human diet. By eating large amounts of foods containing starch and sugar, we provide bacteria with material to convert into acids that destroy tooth enamel.

The risk of developing caries increases if you have a habit of constantly snacking between meals.

Chocolate, bread, dried fruit, chips, sweet sodas and other typical snack foods contribute to intense plaque formation that remains on the teeth for at least several hours before the next brushing.

Then the first microscopic damage occurs on the surface of the enamel.

Poor oral hygiene

Irregular and ineffective mechanical brushing of teeth, internal surfaces, peri-gingival, interdental spaces and tongue not treated with a toothbrush create a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

Dry mouth

Since saliva helps keep the surface of the teeth clean from plaque, neutralizes some acids and promotes the remineralization of enamel, any disturbances in salivation increase the risk of developing caries.

A decrease in the amount of saliva produced can be a consequence of smoking, taking a number of medications (antihistamines, beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs) or radiation therapy to the head and throat.

Gum pathologies

One of the common problems with gums is their natural subsidence and exposure of the necks of teeth that do not have an enamel coating. In places where there is no enamel, teeth are even more susceptible to the aggressive effects of acids and the occurrence of so-called cervical caries.

Bottled water

Regular tap water contains essential minerals and fluoride, which protect teeth from decay. Commercial drinking water does not contain fluoride, depriving us of this protective factor.

Unsatisfactory condition of fillings

Over time, fillings can wear out, sag, crack, and their fixation weakens. Such defects create ideal conditions for the accumulation of microorganisms and often lead to relapse of caries.

Symptoms

At the initial stage, signs of caries may be mild, but as the pathological process develops, the following symptoms are often observed:

• pain when eating sweet, sour or salty foods;
• increased sensitivity to temperature: pain reaction to cold air, very hot or cold food;
• change in the color of the enamel, the presence of black, brown or gray spots on it;
• holes and other visible violations of the integrity of tooth enamel;
• bad breath;
• unpleasant or tart taste in the mouth;
• pain when biting;
• inflammation of the gums;
• throbbing or aching pain;

Treatment methods

Treatment methodis selected by the doctor based on the stage and nature of the carious process:

Before and after caries filling

1. Remineralizing therapy. It is carried out to treat the disease in the initial stage. The affected areas of the enamel are treated with fluorine, calcium and phosphorus preparations to saturate it with minerals lost under the influence of organic acids.
2. Filling. If the carious process has reached the deeper layers of the tooth lying under the enamel, then the damaged areas are removed using a drill and replaced with durable ones.
3. . If there is significant caries damage, the doctor may recommend installing a crown instead of a regular filling. This is done in cases where the filling is not able to sufficiently restore the strength of the tooth. To install a crown, the destroyed part of the tooth is removed, the remaining part is cleaned and slightly reduced in size. A specially made individual crown covers the entire tooth, restoring its original shape.
4. . The method is optimal for treating caries in the inner part of the tooth - the pulp, where blood vessels and nerve endings are concentrated. After removing the inflamed pulp, the root canals are treated and filled.
5. Delete. This treatment method is used if the carious destruction of the tooth is so great that it cannot be cured and restored using its own root. Since removal can change the configuration of the dentition and affect chewing function, in the future the patient is recommended to resort to implantation and prosthetics.

Prevention

There are professional measures to protect against caries, offered by dental clinics: a professional teeth cleaning procedure, mineralization and fluoridation procedures to strengthen the enamel, sealing cavities (fissures) on the chewing surface of teeth, and correcting malocclusion.

The simplest measures available to everyone will also help reduce the risk of developing the disease and its complications:

1. Visit your dentist twice a year to catch potential problems early.
2. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for 2-3 minutes, and preferably after each meal.
3. Don't forget to also remove plaque from your tongue when brushing your teeth.
4. Use not only a regular toothbrush, but also other aids: dental floss, toothpicks, interdental brushes.
5. Use a fluoride mouthwash after brushing your teeth.
6. Change your toothbrush at least once every three months.
7. Drink clean water (or rinse your mouth) after eating and drinking sugary drinks to remove excess sugar from your mouth.
8. Include solid foods (such as raw vegetables and nuts) in your diet to naturally clean teeth.
9. Avoid food with contrasting temperatures, this leads to cracking of the enamel and infection.

Caries is considered the most common dental pathology that affects patients of any age. The maximum incidence rate is recorded in children of preschool and school age, as well as people over 30 years of age. The development of caries is facilitated by the natural abrasion and thinning of the enamel coating, which occurs as a result of increased load on the chewing surface of the teeth. For this reason, the first carious cavities form mainly on large and small molars, intended for grinding and chewing food.

Caries on the front teeth is a fairly serious aesthetic problem and can lead to the development of psychological complexes. But this is not the only reason why pathology needs to be treated over time and enough attention should be paid to its prevention. Carious teeth are a constant source of infection, which can spread to the lower respiratory tract, nasopharynx, and paranasal sinuses.

During pregnancy, caries can lead to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the blood and infection of the fetus, which is fraught with malformations and developmental defects. In order not to miss time and seek help in time, it is important to know what caries looks like and how it manifests itself.

Causes and pathological factors

The main reason for the development of caries is the activity of pathogenic microorganisms that enter the oral cavity with low-quality food or raw water. Dirt on the surface of the hands also contains a large number of germs and bacteria and can cause the growth of pathogenic flora.

Proper brushing of teeth and the use of additional hygiene products and methods help to completely remove bacterial plaque from the surface of the teeth, but if a person neglects sanitary and hygienic standards, the risk of caries will be very high.

The likelihood of developing carious cavities is lower in people with strong immunity, since cells of the immune system are able to suppress the proliferation and activity of bacteria and prevent the onset of the pathological process. Provoking factors include any conditions that negatively affect the immune system and can cause a weakening of the protective functions of the cells of the mucous layer.

These include:

Violation of the secretory function of the salivary glands can also lead to the development of caries. The saliva of humans and some animals (such as dogs) contains lysozyme, a type of enzyme that has antibacterial properties. Lysozyme destroys the cell membrane of bacteria and causes their death, therefore, with a lack of saliva, the natural protective mechanisms of the oral cavity cannot work at full strength.

The role of nutrition in dental health should not be forgotten. The daily diet should contain a sufficient amount of foods that contain calcium and phosphorus. All types of seafood and fish are especially rich in these elements. The record holders for calcium content are squid, sesame seeds, hard cheese and cottage cheese products.

Important! The most important element that makes up tooth enamel is fluoride. The main source of fluoride compounds for the human body is drinking water. If it does not contain enough of this element, fluoride deficiency may develop, leading to thinning of the enamel coating. You can check the level of fluoride in tap water in private laboratories. The cost of a sample, depending on the region, can range from 3,000 to 7,000 rubles.

What does the disease look like at an early stage?

The initial manifestations of caries are deformation and demineralization of tooth enamel. During this process, the most important mineral salts, constituting more than 95% of the volume of the outer layer of the tooth, are actively washed out from the tissues of the enamel coating of the dental crown. Externally, initial caries can be identified by characteristic white or cream-colored spots (dentists call them chalk spots) located on the surface of the tooth enamel. These areas are characterized by roughness, which can be determined by running the tip of the tongue over them.

At the same time, other symptoms of the infectious process may appear, for example:

• bad breath;
• slight pain when interacting with acid-containing products, cold or hot air currents (indicates hyperesthesia of tooth enamel);
• inflammation of the gums, which goes away without specific treatment in 10-14 days;
• lack of smoothness and shine of the enamel layer in areas with signs of carious process.

The initial stage of the disease is the only form of caries that can be cured with medication at home. For this, the patient is prescribed topical medications containing an increased concentration of fluoride or bioavailable calcium. They can come in the form of a varnish or gel, which is applied to the surface of the teeth for several months. The main disadvantage of such drugs is their high cost (in the range of 2000-3000 rubles).

Pay attention! The duration of such treatment can vary from 2-3 months to six months. This group of drugs should be used strictly according to the regimen recommended by the doctor, since an overdose can negatively affect the condition of the teeth and even cause systemic poisoning of the body.

Medium and deep form of damage

If the patient did not receive the necessary treatment at the early stage of caries, the pathological process spreads into the deep layers of dentin - the main hard mass that makes up the tooth. Dentin, located in the dental crown, is covered with enamel, which performs a protective function. The root part of dentin is surrounded by cement, which has the structure of bone tissue. When the enamel is destroyed, the infectious process penetrates the dentin layer, which contains many nerve endings. At this stage, a person experiences sharp or dull pain, which can intensify while eating and drinking and when pressing on the sore area.

The area with the carious process darkens and acquires a dark yellow or brown color (in some cases, black cavities can be observed). Dark dots and lines appear on the surface of the tooth, which in a few weeks will become carious cavities in the form of holes of different sizes. This process is explained by the rotting of hard tissues and the growth of bacterial flora, whose representatives feed on dead and rotted cells and gradually destroy dentin.

The result of deep caries in the absence of timely treatment is always acute pulpitis - inflammation of the pulp (dental nerve). The pathology is accompanied by severe pain, which is difficult to relieve with painkillers. With pulpitis, the nerve is often removed - dentists call such a tooth dead. A dead tooth is more susceptible to destructive processes and hypersensitivity reactions, so it is better not to let the disease affect the pulp and treat caries at the stage of a demineralized spot.

Fissure damage: what does it look like?

Fissures are small depressions and grooves on the surface of the chewing teeth that arise as a result of constant chewing load. It is quite difficult to recognize fissure caries on your own, since it is not always possible to conduct a visual inspection on your own due to the inconvenient location of large and small molars.

The situation becomes more complicated if the grooves are too deep - in this case, only a dentist can identify the carious process. If there are no cavities on the surface of the tooth, pathological changes can be determined using transillumination with special solutions that are applied to the teeth and highlight areas with carious processes.

Signs of fissure caries are:

• brown or black lines on the surface of the chewing teeth;
• painful reaction during chewing or brushing teeth;
• aching moderate pain that occurs at rest in the absence of any mechanical impact.

Pay attention! To prevent damage to fissures, the doctor may suggest filling the groove with a special hermetic material (dental sealant). The procedure helps to minimize the risks of infectious processes on the surface of fissures and reduces the risk of developing caries on chewing teeth by 40%.

Tooth neck caries: signs

The cervical area is considered the most vulnerable to pathogenic factors, since the thinnest layer of tooth enamel is located there. Because of this, carious cavities in the cervical area form faster than in other parts of the tooth. At first, a person may notice small spots in the lower part of the teeth (almost at the gum itself), which over time begin to increase and form a carious cavity. The defect can spread to the root region, and also reach the middle of the dental crown. With such a clinical picture, it is practically impossible to avoid tooth breakage and destruction.

The treatment regimen for cervical caries is quite complex and includes several stages:

Pay attention! To reduce the risk of relapse, dentists recommend polishing and grinding the installed filling. The first procedure should be performed immediately after filling the cavity. In the future, polishing should be done in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician.

What does a filling defect look like with recurrent caries?

The situation when it returns again after treatment occurs in 20-30% of patients. Experts believe that the main reason for this is non-compliance with doctor’s recommendations after treatment. Improper brushing of teeth, insufficient hygiene measures, consumption of large amounts of sugar and foods high in carbohydrates, glucose and fruit sugars - all this can lead to relapse of caries and the need to replace filling material.

Also, the causes of recurrent caries can be:

• doctor errors during treatment;
• insufficient calcium intake;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• deep fissures on the surface of chewing teeth;
• incomplete removal of rotted tissue;
• abrasion of the filling material or its shrinkage.

If the disease recurs, the first sign may be a change in the color of the filling, yellowing of the tooth enamel, and the appearance of black spots. If the pathological process occurs under a filling, caries can be noticed only after the formation of a voluminous carious cavity that will extend beyond the edges of the installed material.

How to prevent caries?

The main preventive measures to prevent caries and other infectious processes in the oral cavity are proper and timely brushing of teeth and correction of the diet. The daily menu should include foods rich in calcium and phosphorus, dairy drinks, fresh vegetables, berries and fruits.

It is recommended to regularly consume fresh greens, but it is important to monitor the acid content. For example, sorrel contains a lot of oxalic acid, which negatively affects tooth enamel and can cause dental hyperesthesia.

Toothpaste and brush should be of high quality. It is better to buy products from well-known manufacturers that have proven themselves in the market and produce several lines of therapeutic and preventive hygiene products designed to eliminate various dental problems.

Toothpastes and brushes from well-known manufacturers and their costs

To prevent caries, it is necessary to limit the consumption of berries, citrus fruits, marinades and other foods containing acids. You should also avoid confectionery products, carbonated drinks, products with added yeast and those made from premium wheat flour. After each meal, you should thoroughly rinse your mouth with boiled water or special balms that relieve inflammation, destroy bacteria and provide antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity.

Caries is a serious dental problem, prone to rapid progression and frequent relapses, so it is important to take preventive measures to prevent it and consult a dentist in time to treat the initial stage of the carious process. Preventative examination is recommended at least 2 times a year. People prone to dental diseases, patients with weakened immune systems and children are recommended to visit the dental office 2 to 4 times a year.

Video - What caries looks like