Dental Caries - What Dental Caries Are and How You Can Prevent Them?

Dental Caries - What Dental Caries Are and How You Can Prevent Them?

Dental caries are nothing more than cavities to those of us that are not dentists. They are caused by a lack of good personal hygiene as well as consuming too many sugary foods and beverages. Genetics have something to do with it also. This is why some people lose all of their teeth at an early age while others keep theirs for a lifetime.

Dental caries are very common in third world countries where dental care is not provided. The disease is the most prevalent in Latin American countries, Asia, and Africa. However, in the United States it is said that dental caries is one of the most common childhood diseases, much more so than asthma. Adults are also susceptible, especially those over the age of fifty.

The number of people affected in underdeveloped countries has decreased due to preventative measure to help reduce the risk of dental caries. Many organizations have also been helping teach members of third world countries better oral hygiene practices, so that they will have a smaller chance of having the dental caries disease.

If dental caries are spotted in the early stages, then major cavities and other dental care can usually be prevented. The area can be treated appropriately. However, in most cases, dental caries are not found in time and you must see a dentist to get the tooth repaired before it dies. Dental caries erode the teeth, causing holes in the tooth's surface. If the hole makes it through the top two layers of the tooth, then the dentin will be affected. This is when a major cavity is formed. Unfortunately, by the time this condition is discovered the person is in an extreme amount of pain because of exposure to the nerve. Depending upon how deep the cavity has progressed, the dentist may be able to use a permanent filling to repair the tooth. Other treatments that can be provided are a cap on the tooth, a root canal, or extraction of the tooth, depending on how extreme the damage is.