The main goal of your daily oral hygiene routine is to keep your mouth fresh and prevent the onset of tooth decay and gum disease. When you brush and floss your teeth every morning, you remove the bacterial deposits that form plaque and can cause cavities in your enamel. While keeping up with this important habit is critical to maintaining your oral health, you must visit your dentist on a regular basis to inspect your efforts and provide professional cleaning as well. This is because your dentist has the tools to be your partner in the fight against decay! Each time you sit in our chair, you also allow us to detect any existing cavities and treat them before they expand in size and damage your tooth.
At your Prairie Village, KS, dentist’s office, we provide general cleanings to help you prevent tooth decay and examine your smile to treat signs of decay whenever they present. Staying on top of your semiannual visitation schedule helps you remove harmful bacterial deposits before they can permanently damage your teeth. Your dentist also has the ability to remove tartar deposits that your at-home tools cannot treat on their own. Because removing a cavity permanently alters the structure of your tooth, we will place a filling to return your tooth’s strength.
When Decay Takes Hold On The Surface Of Your Teeth
Cavities, also known as dental caries, are the result of acidic wear upon your tooth’s enamel. When bacteria in your mouth feed off of the remnants of your food and drink, they combine to form a plaque on the surface of your teeth. As bacteria feed, they produce an acidic byproduct that causes erosion. Left untreated, these plaque buildups eventually cause cavities or holes in the tooth’s surface. Because this hole exposes the insides of your tooth, an untreated cavity leaves you susceptible to painful infection of your tooth’s pulp. This is why regularly brushing and flossing your teeth to remove plaque and visiting your dentist every six months is so important for maintaining oral health.
Removing Your Cavity And Placing A Filling
When we find a cavity, we will advise removing the decaying part of your tooth and placing a dental filling. Materials available today provide a discreet appearance through tooth-colored resin that matches your natural enamel. This allows you to avoid the distracting presence of a metal amalgam filling when treating your decay.
Speak With Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist About Treating Cavities With A Dental Filling
While no one looks forward to receiving a cavity, this problem occurs for many people of all different ages. By promptly treating your carry and placing a dental filling, we can help stop the spread of decay and strengthen your smile! For more information, contact your Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office today at 913-901-8585.
