Can you get your teeth cleaned if you have cavities?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Cavities can also be treated with teeth cleaning. Firstly, a cavity is a type of dental caries, a tooth condition caused by tissue infection. Generally, it is accompanied by pain. Teeth cleaning is needed when there is a significant build-up of tartar around the teeth, which if not promptly cleaned, can lead to gingivitis and even periodontitis, potentially causing tooth loss. During cavities, teeth cleaning can be performed. However, teeth cleaning involves ultrasonic removal of tartar around the teeth. If the cavities are deep, the cleaning process may cause discomfort or severe pain. Therefore, it is necessary to treat the cavities first before proceeding with teeth cleaning to avoid significant pain during the cleaning process.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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Can tooth decay pain be relieved with Sichuan pepper?

If a patient has dental caries and is experiencing considerable pain, and there are no medications available nearby, they can temporarily use Sichuan peppercorns for pain relief. This is because certain components within Sichuan peppercorns can alleviate some of the pain, although they do not treat the dental caries directly. Thus, it is recommended that if a patient is suffering from toothache due to dental caries, they should seek timely treatment at a hospital. The specific treatment plan should be based on the extent of damage caused by the dental caries. If the damage is minor, the tooth generally does not require special treatment; however, if the dental caries are severe and have damaged the tooth structure, root, or even the dental nerves or gum tissue, it is advisable for the patient to consider tooth extraction followed by a dental restoration. The specific recommendations should still be based on a doctor’s diagnosis and a tailored treatment plan should be established.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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Does removing a cavity-affected tooth have any impact?

Cavities, also commonly referred to as tooth decay, can impact daily life depending on the situation. Generally, if the cavity is not severe, extraction is not necessary, and treatment should be attempted if possible. However, extraction can be harmful, as it creates a gap. The teeth adjacent to this gap can be affected, leading to tilting towards the gap or becoming loose, which may impact how the teeth come together when biting. The body has a protective mechanism that can automatically close this space, but although this closes the gap, it may destabilize the overall bite alignment and function, potentially affecting the temporomandibular joint function. Therefore, if tooth decay occurs, it is advised to seek prompt treatment at a formal dental hospital or a major hospital’s dental pulp department, where the decayed and necrotic tissue can be removed and the cavity filled to restore the shape of the tooth crown and some of the biting function.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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The concept of dental caries

Cavities, also known as dental caries or tooth decay, are caused by bacterial infection that damages the hard tissues of the teeth. Once cavities occur, it is essential to intervene with dental treatment as soon as possible. Strictly speaking, cavities represent a bacterial infection caused by the failure to remove food residues timely after eating. Bacteria break down glucose, producing lactic acid, which causes demineralization of the teeth. Once cavities occur, it is crucial to undergo dental filling treatment promptly, commonly referred to as dental restoration. If the progression of decay is not promptly halted, it can lead to further complications over time, including pulpitis which causes toothache or night pain, pain during sleep intense enough to wake one from sleep, and in severe cases, facial swelling.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Will children's cavities grow new teeth?

Children's cavities can also regrow new teeth. Cavities, also known as dental caries, refer to the destruction of hard dental tissues under a bacterial infection. It is crucial to treat children's cavities early, otherwise, they may affect the underlying new teeth. If the cavity reaches the level of periapical inflammation, meaning the dental pulp tissues become pus-filled or necrotic, and gum abscesses appear, it could cause the newly emerged teeth to develop caries. Sometimes, it may also lead to abnormal eruption pathways of the new teeth, such as abnormal eruptions on the lip side or cheek side, resulting in misaligned teeth, which can impact the arrangement of the child’s primary or permanent teeth.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Will tooth decay affect the replacement of teeth?

Cavities can have a certain impact on tooth replacement. Cavities are a chronic progressive destructive disease caused by bacterial infection of the hard tissue of the tooth. If not treated in time, it may further develop, forming pulpitis or even apical periodontitis. Once it reaches the stage of apical periodontitis, it may form a gum abscess, or even swelling. During the process of new teeth eruption, they emerge outward through the position of the old tooth roots by absorbing the roots of the old teeth. If there is severe inflammation in the eruption pathway, it may lead to the destruction of the dental follicle of the new tooth, causing a developmental defect in the enamel of the new tooth. Therefore, it is possible that cavities can affect tooth replacement.