All prey to dental caries. In fact, according to the WHO, more than 60% of children in school worldwide and almost 100% of adults have cavities. And not only on the back teeth. They can appear on all teeth, even the incisors, whether temporary or permanent. In short, if there is a tooth, then there can be decay. Dental caries can therefore develop in the mouth of children, and this from an early age.
Doctor Noémi Schlusselberg, dental surgeon in the Hauts-de-Seine, guest of Without an appointment Thursday, discusses ways to prevent and treat dental cavities. She recalls that a cavity is “demineralization of hard tissue which is due to the acid fermentation of sugars by bacteria”. That is to say, an excess of cariogenic bacteria and sugars in the mouth leads to the formation of holes in the teeth, the famous dental cavities.
Signs of cavities: color and pain
Observing her teeth and those of her child can help identify cavities. The black spots that we sometimes see on the teeth are indeed cavities, but stopped cavities. That is, a cavity started to develop due to poor brushing or too much sugar in the mouth, but eventually stopped developing because brushing habits and diet have changed. The cavity is not cured, however it does not progress any more. Conversely, a very active caries in the process of widening is rather yellowish, even orange, and is visible to the naked eye when it is sufficiently developed.
Pain can also be a sign of cavities, but pain is not the same in adults and children. In adults, fleeting pain caused by cold or sugar can be a sign of a small cavity. Conversely, a more intense and lasting pain is the sign that the cavity is more installed, therefore more serious. The child’s temporary teeth do not have the same physiology as the adult’s permanent teeth. Therefore, it is not the cavity itself that hurts, but rather the fact that food gets lodged in the cavity formed by the cavity and presses on the gum which ignites.
Frequent visits to the dentist to counter the progression of cavities
If pain appears, Doctor Noémi Schlusselberg strongly advises to go to the dentist. If a cavity is left untreated, it progresses to the dental pulp, which is the network of nerves and vessels inside the tooth. An infection of the dental pulp can then cause the formation of an abscess. Untreated cavities can even lead to a stage where the tooth is completely destroyed. But do not panic, this is a very long process and it depends on each one.
To treat decayed teeth, the dentist removes all areas of the tooth that have become soft due to decay. If the cavity has not reached the dental pulp then the dentist has composite resins to fill the cavity and prevent a new cavity from forming. On the other hand, if the dental pulp is reached, further treatments are necessary. Sometimes it is necessary to place a crown or even remove the tooth.
Gestures and reflexes to avoid cavities
To avoid cavities, brushing your teeth is obviously essential, twice a day minimum, in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before going to bed. After the last brushing of the day, you don’t eat or drink, except water. Otherwise you have to brush your teeth. In this regard, it is necessary to supervise the brushing of children’s teeth, and this as soon as the first teeth appear. According to Doctor Noémi Schlusselberg, as long as a child does not know how to write in attaché, he does not have fine motor skills to brush his teeth alone.
In addition, some people have more risk factors for developing tooth decay and therefore need to go to the dentist more regularly. There are, in fact, different qualities of teeth and saliva. Very tight or overlapping teeth are more likely to develop cavities. A person who has had cavities before will also be more likely to develop cavities again. Doctor Noémi Schlusselberg advises to go to the dentist every six months in the case of a child who has already had cavities. As soon as the first permanent teeth appear, the dentist can apply a fluoride varnish to strengthen the teeth and prevent cavities.
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