Dental caries or cavities seem harmless at its early stages. They start to create holes in your teeth so tiny you won’t even notice it. The truth is, it poses several risks to your oral health if you don’t receive early cavity treatment. That’s why dentists urge parents to bring their kids to the clinic at their young age to promote early oral hygiene care. This way, it’s easier to prevent the formation of cavities and extensive dental procedures in the future.

How do cavities develop on your teeth? 

One way to effectively avoid cavities from developing on your teeth is to understand how they are created. Do you know why dentists always advise you to keep away from sweets? They’re not forbidding you to enjoy these delicacies. In fact, there’s an important reason for this. 

Sweets like candies, juice, and soda have sugar that easily attracts bacteria. If these food elements aren’t properly removed from your teeth, they become breeding grounds for oral diseases. Even when you brush your teeth after eating sweets, it’s still prone to developing caries. That’s why you need to regularly see your dentists so they could perform cavity treatment options to keep your smile healthy.

Preventing dental caries 

While you already know that seeing your dentist regularly is an essential part of your oral care, there are other ways to prevent cavities. 

• Chewing on sugar-free gum after meals. This technique has shown benefits on your teeth according to experts. Since you stimulate a good saliva flow while chewing, this prevents bacteria and plaque buildup. It can already be one good way to practice early cavity treatment without going to the clinic.
• Oil pulling as an oral regimen. Oil pulling is a traditional method where you swish coconut or sesame oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes before spitting it out. Patients who practice this claim that it helps in reducing the risks of cavities and gingivitis.
• Cutting out sugar intake. For most patients, it is a challenge to stop eating sugary foods or drinking sweet beverages. Especially that sugar is a recipe to every delectable treat, you will need an effective motivation to stop having it. However, once you’re able to cut out on sweets, you’ll less likely to develop cavities. 

Early cavity treatment 

There are various cavity treatment options today to help you save your teeth from cavity damage. These procedures depend on the severity of your case and dentists perform the ones that are most suitable for you.

1. Remineralization

Even before dental caries begins to develop on your teeth, you could already practice remineralization. This natural process costs you nothing by just making sure that you keep away from foods that are harmful to your teeth, such as sweets. Aside from that, you may strengthen your teeth health by intaking vitamins and calcium-rich foods.  It’s also important to keep hydrated as dry mouth is very susceptible to bacteria. This early cavity treatment is the most effective and may be done without much effort.

2. Fluoride treatment

One effect of dental caries is the damage on your tooth’s enamel. Fluoride treatment helps in preventing the spread of the destruction and may reverse it. Fluoride helps in restoring the strength of your tooth enamel and effectively shields the teeth from bacteria growth. You may get fluoride from tap water, toothpaste, and from a professional fluoride treatment using gel, foam, liquid or varnish.

3. Fillings

Dental fillings or restorations are common cavity treatment options for patients that are already suffering tooth decay. Fillings are made of materials such as amalgam, composite resin or porcelain to cover up a damaged tooth. Depending on where the damage has occurred, your dentist will also consider the most suitable type of filling for you. 

Cavity issues are quite manageable, however, you should always consult your Ontario dentist to ensure the health and beauty of your smile.