Cavities are formed when harmful bacteria dig into your enamel and try to find their way inside the pulp. Its target is the main structure of your tooth. These bacteria usually come from the sugary snacks and beverages you consume. Now, cavities won’t affect just one tooth but multiple at a time, and how many cavities are normal to develop depends on your dental care regimen.
How Many Cavities Is Too Many?
An average adult can have 4-5 fillings in their mouth. If this number exceeds, an underlying issue is waiting to be treated. This can be due to diet and lifestyle habits, which can certainly be changed. Too many cavities can also form due to hormonal changes, insufficient fluoride absorption, and genetic factors.
Available Treatment for Cavities
Finding an adult without a single cavity in their mouth is rare. It can be hard to go on with your routine life with a cavity. They leave the inner structure of your tooth vulnerable to bacteria. Therefore, dentists recommend the following treatments to remove the decayed portion in your tooth and seal the passageway those bacteria dug for themselves. These treatments rely on the severity of your cavity.
- Fluoride Treatment
When it is just a budding stage of your cavities, where it is limited to your enamel, a fluoride treatment can be a great help. It can reverse the cavity from the beginning point. The professional fluoride treatment is more effective than the fluoride in your toothpaste and mouthwash. Such fluoride is available in gel, liquid, or varnish form. The dentist just brushes it over your teeth and lets it cure them. - Dental Fillings
Fillings are for those cavities that are beyond the capacity of fluoride treatment. They are recommended when the cavity has already reached the dentin. These dental fillings are tooth-colored composite resin, porcelain, or dental amalgam. They are not a lifetime solution but are effective in preventing further decay. - Dental Crowns
Crowns are used when the inner structure of your tooth is compromised beyond the dentin. When you are not left with sufficient tooth structure to protect your tooth. Therefore, your dentist considers placing a custom-tailored covering on your tooth.They remove the decayed part and shave away more of your weakened or decayed tooth structure to ensure a perfect fit. Dental crowns are usually made of gold, silver, porcelain, metal, or resin.
- Root Canals
When the bacteria succeed in invading your pulp, where all the nerves and blood vessels reside, it causes an infection. Hence, your dentist steps in and removes the infected pulp to save your tooth rather than extracting it. They drill down to the pulp and remove it. They can also place medicine to clean away the infection. Then, the infected pulp is replaced with a filling called gutta percha. - Dental Extraction
This is used as a last resort when the bacteria have decayed your tooth inside out. Your dentist finds themselves unable to save it. So, before it affects neighboring teeth and rots inside your mouth. They prefer dental extraction. This can leave an empty socket in your mouth and trigger other teeth to shift. Getting a dental implant or a bridge can prevent it from happening.
Concluding Thoughts
Although plenty of treatments exist to treat cavities, prevention will always be better than cure. Understanding how many cavities are normal should not make you relax; instead, focus more on increasing your dental hygiene.
The key is to get professional fluoride treatments often to repair the cavities at the earliest stage. Visit our seasoned pro, Dr. Saba Ahmed, at Village Park. Our doctor delivers oral hygiene presentations at local schools and appears on local news for her expertise. Dial (281) 376-4444 to reach out.