Treating Dental Decay in Brisbane CBD
When it comes to tooth decay, it’s likely you’ll experience the effects of it at some point in your lifetime – if not several times. And while it’s normal, it’s often also avoidable.
Decay tends to be a bacterial problem. The bacteria feed off the organic matter, like food, that has been left behind from insufficient oral hygiene. The bacteria leave a wake of destruction in the tooth structure, which can develop into a cavity in the tooth.
If it’s not treated, the cavity will grow and destroy the tooth, causing more sensitivity and pain as more of the nerve becomes exposed by the progressing decay.
How to Prevent Decay
Brushing twice daily and flossing is the minimum necessary to maintain good oral hygiene. Visiting a dentist every six months to clean those areas you probably can’t reach on your own with a toothbrush will also prevent decay.
Sometimes, people are born with teeth that naturally have weaker enamel and gums or defects in their teeth, making them prone to decay. When this is the case, we suggest patients visit our office once every three months for a check and clean.
You can also use preventative products to protect your teeth, like fluoride, as well as calcium products like Tooth Mousse® and Tooth Mousse Plus®. Those mousse products can be applied to your teeth daily to help strengthen them and make them a bit more resistant to the bacteria.
Recommended Treatments to Protect Your Teeth
If your decay is in its early stages, our team may just clean the bacteria away, apply fluoride and monitor it to see if it’s growing into an actual cavity.
If it’s a larger area of decay, we may have to add a filling. That requires numbing the area, cleaning out the decay, disinfecting it, and using a white material to fill in the hole left by the decay.
If it’s extensive decay and nerves are involved, it will likely require a root canal treatment to settle the nerve. Our team will perform an extraction if the tooth cannot be saved.
Call Us to Keep Your Smile Healthy!
If you have sensitive areas of your mouth, you can see a darker spot on the tooth or teeth, or there is a smell associated with an area of your mouth, it’s time to call for an appointment.
Likewise, if it’s been a while since your last clean and checkup, we’re here for your preventative dental care needs.
Contact us today to schedule a visit!
* Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner such as a Specialist Oral Surgeon.
