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Cavities are one of the most common dental conditions. According to research from the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary at the University of London, over 50 percent of the global population, or roughly 3.9 billion people, suffer from untreated caries. Even in the United States, where dental care is higher quality and more accessible, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has found that 92 percent of adults have suffered from decay at one time or another, while 26 percent currently have untreated cavities. At Advanced Dental Health, we offer restorative dentistry procedures to address decay and other dental damage. Dr. Todd Holton, and the rest of our team are committed to helping you preserve and enhance your smile. In the following blog post, we explain the tooth decay treatments we offer at our Phoenix dental practice.

Do You Suffer from Caries?

Over a quarter of American adults have untreated decay and many of them have no idea. Spotting the signs of cavities can help you treat them before they worsen. You may suffer from caries if:

• Your tooth becomes discolored with light or dark stains
• Tiny holes form in your enamel
• Your tooth becomes sensitive to heat, cold, or sugary substances
• It is uncomfortable to chew
• You develop a toothache

Contact us for a consultation if you experience any of the above symptoms.

Stopping Decay Before it Starts

No one wants a cavity. Proactive care can help you avoid the hassle, expense, and discomfort of decay. To stop caries before they develop, you can:

• Maintain excellent oral hygiene, brushing your teeth at least twice a day for at least two minutes, flossing at least once a day, and using antibacterial mouthwash.
• Improve your diet, avoiding sugary or starchy foods.
• Rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless xylitol gum after eating.
• See us twice a year for dental exams and cleanings so we can monitor your oral health, clean plaque and tartar from your enamel, and provide further suggestions. 

Preventive Procedures

If you are at high risk for decay or wish to fortify your teeth against it, Dr. Todd Holton can perform preventive procedures. For example, at the end of your cleaning, we will coat your teeth in a fluoride varnish to help strengthen your enamel and ward off decay. We can also place sealants, thin layers of plastic, over the chewing surfaces of your teeth to stop bacteria-filled plaque from building up in these regions.

Tooth Decay Treatments

The type of treatment we recommend for your caries will depend on the progression of your decay. If you have a small cavity, we can place a filling to repair it. During this procedure, one of our dentists will remove the decayed portion of the tooth, clean it, and fill it with a tooth-colored material. If decay has damaged more of your tooth structure or caused an infection, we may recommend treating the underlying issue and placing a custom-made dental crown over it to protect and beautify it. In the most extreme cases, decay may have damaged so much of your tooth and the surrounding tissues that we recommend extraction to preserve your oral health. 

Contact Advanced Dental Health Today

To learn more about tooth decay or find out if one of our treatments may be appropriate for you, contact our practice to schedule a consultation with Dr. Todd Holton.