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There are many reasons why patients lose teeth. It’s fairly common to take a knock to the mouth with a baseball or dislodge your tooth after a fall, but we have noticed a startling rise in tooth loss due to decay. More commonly known as a cavity, tooth decay is often associated with children after Halloween, but adults are just as vulnerable to the condition as children.
But how does tooth decay happen? And what can I do if I have it? Today, the API Laval team is here to offer some explanation and advice on how tooth decay occurs and the best course of action if you’re experiencing it.
How Does Tooth Decay Occur?
When you eat, the bacteria that live in your mouth feed on the food that is leftover. The bacteria digest these food particles and then dispel an acid waste. This acid waste forms the plaque that builds up on your teeth and gum lines, and this is what eats away at your teeth.
Plaque slowly digs through the layers of the teeth and into the pulp. When it descends into the pulp, which is the soft center of the teeth where nerves and blood vessels live, pain and sensitivity occur.
Causes Of Tooth Decay
If the course of tooth decay is caught early, your dentist can usually remedy this with tooth-colored fillings or a root canal. But if the damage is too great, a dentist may need to remove it.
In order to keep things from escalating to that point, we want to help you keep tooth decay at bay. A few common causes include:
- Poor Oral Care – As obvious as it seems, not keeping up with your daily oral health regimen can hurt you. Since bacteria thrive on the food particles left over in your mouth, it’s important that you brush at least twice per day. Start flossing regularly as well, as the toothbrush can’t always reach between your teeth and gums.
- High Sugar or Carbohydrate Foods – The food that best sustains the bacteria are foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates. As the bacteria consume these, they dispel the acid that often forms plaque and erodes away the enamel.
- Lack of Saliva – Saliva is a vital component of your oral health, as it’s the substance that washes away the leftover crumbs and food particles in your mouth after you eat. A lack of saliva, also known as “dry mouth,” can indicate that you don’t drink enough fluids. It could also be a sign of other adverse health conditions, so pay a visit to your dentist or doctor to get a diagnosis.
- Smoking or Secondhand Smoke – Tobacco is harmful to your mouth, but many patients may not know that even secondhand smoke can cause damage after a prolonged period.
- Avoiding the Dentist – Overall, one habit to maintain is to keep going to the dentist. By not attending your regular checkups, plaque can build up on your teeth and accelerate the progress of tooth decay.
How Dental Implants Can Help
At our office, we offer a variety of quality tooth replacement treatments for our patients. But at we recommend that most patients pursue dental implant treatment. They not only look and feel as natural as real teeth, but have a bonus of improving your oral health as well.
When a dental implant is embedded into the jawbone, a process known as osseointegration begins. The implant is constructed from titanium, which is biocompatible with the jawbone. This triggers the bone to regenerate and weave fibers around the implant to form a strong bond. During this regeneration, it effectively plugs the area from tooth decay and other forms of periodontal disease as well.
We carefully customize every dental implant to fit comfortably in your mouth. Even more so, the porcelain crown on top can be shaped and stained to imitate your neighboring teeth to an unrecognizable degree.
Warning Signs Of Tooth Decay
If you suspect that a dark spot on your tooth or a bit of sensitivity may be a sign of emerging tooth decay, take a look at our list below for some common warning signs:
- Toothaches and tooth sensitivity
- Swelling near a sore tooth
- Frequent bad breath or bad tastes on your tongue
- Cracks and crevices forming in your tooth
- Discoloration or dark spots on your teeth
Treat Your Tooth Decay
At API Laval in Laval, QC, we proudly accept new and current patients in and around the area. If you’ve lost one or more teeth recently or are at risk of losing a tooth to tooth decay, pay us a visit and contact us for a consultation. We will evaluate the state of your oral health and tooth decay, discuss your treatment options in preparation, and ultimately help determine if dental implants are best for you.