🦷 How to Tell If You Have a Cavity: Early Signs & Prevention

Let’s Talk About Cavities 🦷

Everybody. The dentist’s office is the place where you hear those words that make you shudder: “You’ve got a cavity”. 😱 Cavity, which is decay of the tooth, is the leading cause of dental diseases. The point is that you can not only stop the development of the cavities but you can even prevent them gaining a bigger local!

The tooth decay has started with the plaque, which is a bacterial sticky film, that covers your teeth and eats away at your enamel by giving your teeth acid. Subsequently, the protective layer of the tooth is completely or partially eroded, and henceforth the tooth becomes a hole or a cavity.

This time, we will talk about the little holes created by the mouth as well as the way to uncover them in the stage of the first signs. Additionally, we will provide the reader with some professional advice from Lema Dental Clinic in Istanbul on how to preserve one’s smile from cavities. Come on, let us dive in! 😁

🧠 Early Signs of Cavities You Shouldn’t Ignore

Not to say that rotten spots in the teeth area (cavities) do not appear from one night to the next—they are actually slow in their growth. Knowing the early warning signs of decay is the key to halting it in the very beginning stage. The signs of decay include the following:

1. 🧃 Tooth Sensitivity

The first symptom of a tooth decay is the tooth sensitivity. A tingling sensation should be felt if you get a blow of acid in your mouth in the case of hot, cold, and sweet food.

Moreover, with the progress of the cavity, the sensitivity may feel as a sudden and sharp pain to the person. 😣

Lema Hint: In the case of sensitivity to sweet, hot, or cold foods, the dentist should be visited as soon as possible to locate regions where the cavity might be developing.

2. 🦷 Visible Holes or Cracks in Your Teeth

Cavities sometimes come to the surface. Therefore, you may detect:

• Dark spots appearing on the surface of your teeth
• Holes or dents in your teeth
• Cracks that can be easily seen

It’s more than likely that the cavity has already moved from the early stage if you can see a hole or crack in your tooth.

Lema Tip: It is very important to identify a cavity at its smallest size because it will be possible to save your tooth from other complicated works like fillings or crowns.

3. 😷 Bad Breath or Unpleasant Taste in Your Mouth

If you are constantly gripped with bad breath or find a bad taste in your mouth particularly after brushing, decay or a growing cavity might be the main reasons. The reason for this is bacteria that multiply in decay areas and generate sulfur compounds that bring about foul-smelling breath.

Lema Tip: If you experience all these symptoms, namely bad breath, brushing, and mouthwash use, still not being helpful, make sure to visit your dentist for a checkup. 🦷

4. 🦷 Tooth Pain When Eating or Chewing

Trying to eat with the tooth that is decayed will definitely make you feel sharp and unbearable pain. So, if the cavity is located near the tooth’s nerve, it is not surprising that you undergo a sharp and unbearable pain when eating or chewing. Usually, this kind of pain happens along with pressure on the tooth or when the decayed area is infiltrated by food.

Lema Tip: Tooth pain is mostly a late-stage symptom of tooth decay. The earlier points out, the simpler, quicker, and more affordable becomes the treatment. 🧑‍⚕️

5. 😕 Discoloration or Staining on Your Teeth

When cavities grow, they lead to changes in the color of the teeth especially near the decayed area. Teeth may look like:

• They may look yellowish or darker
• They may be mottled with areas of brown or black

Lema Tip: Should you find a stain that brushing doesn’t remove, then a cavity might be the cause. Go to a dentist so that it is found early. 🦷

🏥 How Cavities Are Diagnosed and Treated

In case that you have the mentioned symptoms and signs above, you should at once see a dentist. At Lema Dental Clinic in Istanbul, we apply modern diagnostic procedures to identify caries at an early stage and to avoid the extension of the lesion.

The method is explained in this way:

1. Examination and X-rays

The dentist by the help of a thorough investigation and the support of X-rays will locate the dental caries. To be more precise, they will also use X-rays to go beyond the surface and find any decay between your teeth or under the gums if they are not able to see it with the naked eye.

2. Treatment Options

The plans for treatment will be a reflection of the stage of decay once a cavity has been detected:

• Fillings: In the case of small cavities, a dentist removes the decayed part of the tooth and then fills it with resin, amalgam, or some other material of the composite. 🦷
• Crowns: If the decay has been going for a long time, your dentist can suggest a crown as a mean to protect the tooth by allowing the destruction to be reversed and stopped. 💎
• Root Canals: In case the cavity is in the pulp of the tooth (the nerve), the root canal procedure will be done to take out the infected tissue and to retain the tooth. 🏥

🦷 How to Prevent Cavities and Maintain a Healthy Smile

It is absolutely true that tooth decay can be a least thought of case! Here are some ‘must do’ tasks for you to keep good oral health and to have cavities not to form in your teeth:

1. Brush and Floss Regularly

Daily brushing of the teeth twice and flossing once is the simplest way to keep off the cavities. Plaque and decay-causing foods are removed in the process.

• Use fluoride toothpaste that helps build the enamel.
• Brush for 2 minutes, and make sure that you have brushed the underside of your teeth and areas around the gums. 🦷

Lema Tip: It is advised that you make your child brush and floss daily–this habit will play the main role in keeping your child away from cavities and will also contribute to your child’s developing of healthy teeth during his/her whole lifetime. 🧒

2. 🍎 Eat a Balanced Diet

Good and healthy tooth-friendly foods along with the intake of proper meals can do this job of strengthening the teeth and decayed parts of them will be prevented from increasing further:

• In fact, these apples and carrots are just what people may need to help their teeth get rid of plaque naturally. 🍏🥕
• The likes of cheese and yogurt are made of a good amount of calcium and, in that way, contribute to enamel strengthening. 🧀
• Spinach and kale provide the body with many of the vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain healthy gums and teeth. 🥬

Lema Tip: Start by being careful with the things you eat and drink, and try not to eat too many sugary snacks or drink sugary liquids that will feed the bacteria that cause cavities. 🍬🍔

3. 🦷 Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Regular dental check-ups are an absolute necessity for both the prevention of cavities and detection at an early stage. At Lema Dental Clinic, we are recommending coming for a dental visit every six months because of these causes:

• Professional cleanings
• Early cavity detection through X-rays and exams
• Fluoride treatments to help prevent tooth decay

4. 💧 Drink Water and Rinse After Eating

Water drinking through the day is a must for teeth. It removes the food particles that have stuck in the teeth and helps to neutralize acids that might cause enamel breakdown.

Lema Tip: After eating sugary or acidic foods, drink water to rinse away any harmful particles and keep your mouth hydrated.

🏥 Why Choose Lema Dental Clinic for Cavity Prevention and Treatment?

In Lema Dental Clinic Istanbul, the staff is specialized in the field of cavity prevention and treatment to keep teeth healthy and strong. Here is what we can do for you:

💡 Final Thoughts: Prevent and Treat Cavities Early

Dental caries is not a cause for worry for long if the problem is tackled at the earliest stage. Through the use of a well-organized oral hygiene routine, taking healthy diets, and making regular visits to the dentist, you are able to keep your smile safe and stay away from dental caries.

Moreover, when a cavity forms, keep in mind that Lema Dental Clinic in Istanbul is always available to offer you a solution with the help of safe and effective methods, which return your tooth to its normal function and appearance.