It can be a tricky time when we see our teeth beginning to fail us; well, sometimes that’s what it feels like. Unfortunately, we still live in a society that stigmatises and shames people for having decay issues. Surely, we can all recognise that little embarrassing feeling when we have to admit to friends or family that we’re off to get fillings, and even though they’ve likely got one too, it’s still hard. So, we at Haymarket Dental Care want to put to bed all these dental niggles and naggles surrounding decay and reassure patients that decay is normal, and even though we’d want to avoid it, these things sometimes just happen.
What Is Decay?
Let’s break this down. Decay happens when acids from food debris start to attack the teeth; you can imagine it to be similar to either dampness or mould on walls, but instead of it growing on walls, it’s growing on your teeth. Now we all know that if dampness is left untreated, it can spread up the wall and begin to cause serious damage to the surrounding walls; this is the same with decay. If left untreated, decay can begin to spread across our teeth and rot them right down to the root. In turn, this decay is what causes teeth to fall out, which we obviously want all our patients to avoid.
But Why?
Okay, so hopefully, you understand what decay is a little bit better now, and if you still have questions, by all means, contact our dentist in Haymarket to clear up any further queries.
Now comes the why. Our teeth can, of course, show signs of decay for a few different reasons, but we at Haymarket Dental Care find that the most common cause of decay is poor oral hygiene. We’re sure you know by now that poor oral hygiene is the root of so many different dental health issues, but despite this, there are still hundreds of people across the UK neglecting their daily brushing practices.
If we don’t brush our teeth correctly, paying particular attention to the gum line, the backs of the teeth and the space between them, it’s amazing how quickly plaque and bacteria begin to build up and start sending out all those nasty little acids! Not what you want or need.
If you are unsure of what we mean by “oral hygiene best practices”, then it’s best to book an appointment with our dentist in Haymarket so that they can advise you on better ways to clean your teeth and even refer you to a hygienist if necessary.
What Can Be Done To Stop The Spread ?
As we mentioned earlier, fillings are the way in which we practically clear up decay for patients. This process involves removing the decayed site and then filling it with a substance to protect the tooth's core and nerves; this can all be done by our dentist in Haymarket. The filling process usually works wonders; however, it must sit alongside good oral hygiene moving forward to give lasting results.
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