Dental caries

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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Are dental caries and tooth decay the same?

Cavities and tooth decay refer to the same condition. Cavities are a professional medical term, also known as tooth decay or dental caries, which is a bacterial disease causing damage to the teeth due to various factors. It is generally caused by frequent consumption of sugar or lack of oral care for vitamins. In the early stage, the symptoms of the disease are not obvious, and there might be only minor color changes on the surface of the tooth. However, as time goes on, the decay of the tooth worsens, gradually leading to the formation of cavities. If the disease continues to develop, it could also lead to pulpitis and periapical periodontitis, thus it's crucial to treat cavities at an early stage.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Tooth decay lacks what element

Cavities are a type of dental hard tissue defect caused by bacterial infections. The factors leading to cavities primarily include bacteria, food, host, and time, mainly due to bacteria using food residues to produce acid demineralization in teeth, resulting in cavities. Cavities may also be due to incomplete enamel development during the prenatal calcification of teeth, which can occur if there is a calcium deficiency in the mother during pregnancy. Therefore, teeth are more susceptible to decay after they emerge, so cavities might be caused by a calcium deficiency during prenatal development. In addition, cavities are also related to postnatal factors, such as not brushing or rinsing promptly which allows food residues to remain, or due to the consumption of sweet foods, especially sugars, which bacteria break down to produce acids that cause tooth decay.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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Can children's dental caries be treated with fluoride application?

Children's dental caries are greatly related to fluoride deficiency, so fluoride application is a very important method to prevent dental caries. It is generally recommended that children have their teeth fluoridated once every 1-2 years, which has a very good effect in preventing dental caries. However, if caries have already occurred, dental treatment is needed. This treatment involves removing the necrotic carious tissue. If the teeth are just affected by decay of the dentin or enamel, then the necrotic dental tissue is removed and repaired. If pulpitis has developed, then root canal treatment is necessary. After treatment, fluoride application can also be performed to prevent further decay of the teeth.

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
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What should I do if my tooth hurts the day after getting a cavity filled?

Toothache the day after grinding a cavity-ridden tooth may be due to the cavity being deep and close to the pulp chamber. The pain could be caused by not placing a protective pulp material at the bottom of the cavity during the dental filling. It is recommended to remove the filling material and then place a layer of protective pulp material at the bottom of the cavity, and to observe further. The pain experienced the day after grinding may be due to injury during the grinding process or from exposure to very cold or hot substances, which can stimulate the nerves and cause pain. It could also be due to improper handling during the procedure. If the pain is mild and does not affect eating, it generally is not a serious problem. However, if the pain is severe, it is advisable to visit the dental department of a regular hospital for a re-examination. During treatment, avoid spicy, irritating, and very hard foods, and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Wisdom tooth has a cavity, should it be pulled or filled?

Whether to extract or fill a decayed wisdom tooth first depends on the condition of the wisdom tooth itself. If the wisdom tooth has erupted properly, is not impacted, and participates in occlusion and chewing food, it can be preserved and continue to function in chewing. If the eruption of the wisdom tooth has caused resorptive damage to the anterior teeth through compression, or if the wisdom tooth is impacted and recurrent pericoronitis occurs, there is no need to forcefully preserve the tooth. It can be extracted after inflammation control, and the extraction will not affect chewing functions.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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How to Prevent and Care for Dental Caries

Cavities have a high incidence rate, especially during childhood. If oral care is neglected, dental decay can occur, thus the prevention of cavities is very important. The main cause of cavities is dental plaque, which necessitates good oral hygiene. It is essential to develop the habit of brushing teeth daily with the correct technique. It is important to start teaching children to brush their teeth after they turn three, striving to brush once in the morning and once at night, rinse after meals, and particularly brush before bedtime. It is also advisable to reduce the consumption of sugary foods. Currently, the best prevention method is to apply a dental sealant, which is a protective coating on the teeth to shield them from bacterial erosion. If decay occurs, it is crucial to seek immediate treatment at a hospital to repair the damaged dental tissue and restore health.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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How to treat cavities in 3-year-old children?

If a three-year-old child has cavities, it is necessary to go to the pediatric dentistry department promptly for cavity removal treatment. Depending on the severity of the child's cavities, if it is severe, the child may need to have teeth extracted. If it is mild, the child will need to have fillings. It is important to pay attention to the dental care of the child. Make sure the child brushes their teeth morning and evening, rinses their mouth after meals, avoids drinking carbonated beverages, eats fresh vegetables and fruits, and drinks formula milk to enhance nutrition.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What are the treatment methods for children's dental caries?

If children have dental caries, it is crucial to treat them actively, even if the caries are on primary teeth, timely repair is necessary. Once a child's teeth begin to erupt, it is important to start brushing their teeth and maintaining good oral hygiene. If caries have already developed, take the child to a pediatric dental clinic for tooth repair. This is especially true for the back molars, which, even though they may be replaced at the age of six, still need to be repaired throughout the process. Otherwise, it will affect the eruption and alignment of the permanent teeth later on. Therefore, if children develop dental caries, it is essential to visit a hospital as soon as possible for dental treatment, and once all the molars are in place, fissure sealants should be applied.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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Can cavities be transmitted to other people?

Cavities are not contagious to other people. Cavities themselves are not considered a contagious disease. The development of this condition is a long-term and complex process, not merely caused by the transmission of pathogens. Initially, there are some pits and fissures on a patient's teeth which are easily attacked by acidic substances produced by bacteria, leading to the demineralization of calcium in the enamel, thereby softening and collapsing the enamel. If a patient frequently consumes sweet foods and neglects oral hygiene, not brushing or rinsing thoroughly, it could lead to bacteria decomposing these sweet food residues, continually damaging the patient’s teeth and resulting in cavities.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
1min 6sec home-news-image

How to treat cavities in the early stage?

Cavities, also known as dental caries, are a chronic, progressive, destructive disease caused by bacterial infection of the hard tissues of the teeth. Based on clinical manifestations, cavities can be classified into incipient, moderate, and deep caries. Incipient caries are limited to the enamel layer and might present as demineralization of the teeth, a condition that can be treated with tooth remineralization. If the cavity reaches the dentin layer, clinically it is characterized by pain while eating or sensitivity to cold, heat, or sweet and sour stimuli, and this condition requires the removal of the decayed dental tissue followed by filling treatment. Early treatment of cavities usually does not involve noticeable pain; however, if not treated promptly, the decay can further progress and potentially lead to nerve infection of the tooth, causing severe pain.