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HOLES IN TEETH AND GUM DISEASE
How does it happen?
Dental plaque is a soft, sticky and invisible layer of bacteria that forms on everyone's teeth. You might have noticed the 'furry' feeling on your teeth when you haven't brushed for a while, that is plaque building up on your teeth.
Bacteria in plaque turns the sugar from sweet food and drinks you eat into acid. This acid will then start 'attacking' your teeth and does not stop for approximately 20 minutes after you finish eating the sweet food or drink. This is called an acid attack and it happens every time you have something with sugar in it.
There more acid attacks you have during the day from eating sweet food and drinks, the more chance there is of getting holes in your teeth. It is therefore important to limit the number of times during the day you have a sweet snack or drink.
Brushing your teeth twice a day to remove the plaque that builds up on your teeth everyday is also important. If plaque is not regularly removed it can harden into tartar. This increases the chances of developing tooth decay, as tartar cannot be removed by brushing. Tartar can only be removed by a dentist.
Gum disease can develop when there is a build up of plaque and tartar at the gum line (where your teeth meet the gums). So it is important to brush and floss not only to avoid holes, but also to prevent gum disease.
To read more about oral health care,
click here...
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Pictures of holes and gum disease
In this picture you can see what holes in teeth looks like:
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What happens when there is a hole in
my tooth? When there is a hole in your tooth it is important to go to the dentist to get it fixed, or it will continue to grow bigger and deeper into the tooth. To stop the hole from growing bigger, the dentist will remove the decayed areas of the tooth. As some parts of the toot is lost, the dentist will place a filling to get the tooth back to its original shape. If a hole is detected at and early stage, less of the tooth will be lost and only a small filling will be needed. By regular oral health care as well as going to the dentist for a check-up every 12 months, you can avoid getting large holes. |
In these pictures you can see what gum disease looks like:
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| Gingivitis is the beginning
stage of gum disease, the gums will become red and swollen. One sign of gum disease is that the gums bleed easily when you brush. Don't stop brushing though, as brushing will help remove the plaque which is causing gingivitis. Make sure you brush where the teeth meet the gums! |
Periodontitis is the later stage of gum disease. If plaque build-ups where teeth meet the gums are not removed if can lead to Periodontitis. At this stage gums and bone surrounding the teeth start breaking down, and can eventually lead to tooth loss. At this stage gum disease can only be stopped by a dentist, however by regular oral health care and going for a dental check-up every year you can avoid getting Periodontitis at all! |
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What is root canal treatment?
If holes in teeth are left without being fixed by a dentist, they will grow bigger and deeper into the tooth. A large hole, which grows close to the pulp of the tooth, can result in infections in the root canal/s of your teeth.
This is because bacteria can more easily enter into the pulp. The bacteria can then make its way down to the root canal/s and will develop an abscess (the yellowish patch under the left root of the tooth in the below diagram).
The abscess, which is full of pus, will push against the bone surrounding the tooth. It can't escape as there is nowhere for it to go, and this can cause a lot of pain!
The only way to get the pus out is to have root canal treatment, or get the
tooth
pulled out. Root canal treatment clears all the pus and
bacteria out of the canal, then a crown is put on top of the
tooth to cover the hole and prevent further infections. However, it is not
always successful, and
it may need to be done again. To read more about
how to avoid getting large holes in the first place, click here...
Source of diagram:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Root_Canal_Illustration_Molar.svg
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