Cavities and tooth decay occur when bacteria breaks down the tooth enamel, forming cavities. This dental disease has been confirmed to be the nation’s top chronic disease, occurring in adults and children alike. Tooth decay is also 4 times more commonly occurring than asthma. What is surprising about this fact is that tooth decay is a disease that is largely preventable, with the main preventive measure being nothing more than good dental hygiene.
Tooth decay is a disease that anyone can find themselves dealing with. Everyone consumes food and tooth decay is all about food breakdowns being stuck in teeth that produce bacteria and acid which ruin the tooth’s enamel. Some dentists suggest that even taking the most preliminary measures like brushing your teeth twice a day and regularly getting them checked by a dentist can easily prevent tooth decay. So why is it the most occurring chronic disease in the USA? A specialist describes the lack of education about oral hygiene and oral health may be the reason. Children simply do not understand the relevance of oral hygiene and consume a lot of candy without care and it is the case of simple unawareness as well as improper access to dental healthcare in an adults’ case.
The symptoms of tooth decay include pain in that tooth, swelling, and bad breath. Often times, the tooth is decayed so much that it becomes loose and drops out or it has to be removed manually to stop the pain and swelling. Since such cases can occur with any age group, many young individuals are unhappy with having a missing tooth or many missing teeth. Luckily, most of these young individuals should have good bone so they can be fit for dental implants, which is the best option in such a case.
Dental implants are artificial teeth made using metal and porcelain. If the jaw bone is healthy, a dental implant can be screwed into the bone, thus being an effective replacement for the actual missing tooth. The procedure for a dental implant takes a few months as the initial surgery has to heal over time before the crown can be placed on the implant, but the end result is a very authentic looking tooth that is a permanent solution.
However, it is best to maintain good oral hygiene and health so tooth loss from tooth decay doesn’t become a problem in the first place. With effective awareness raised regarding dental health and hygiene, the rate of people suffering from tooth decay can decrease significantly. On a mass level, the least that should be mutually performed to prevent tooth decay is that every individual flosses regularly, brushes their teeth twice a day, and take bi-monthly visits to the dentist and take the same measures with their kids as well.
