Dental Caries

Dental Caries

Also known as tooth decay, is the permanent breakdown of teeth due to the activity of bacteria in the mouth. Initially starting as loss of mineral in the enamel, which progresses into tiny openings or cavities. Small cavities may not always produce pain, but moderate-sized cavities often cause pain when eating hot/cold foods and sweets. Large cavities may encroach on the pulp (nerve and blood vessels) which lies in the centre of the tooth, when this occurs, a nasty toothache may develop prompting a visit to your dentist.

When detected in its early stages, dental caries may be re-mineralised with Tooth Mousse (a product which contains calcium ions). However once a small cavity has formed, dental restorations (fillings) are required. Sometimes very large cavities cannot be treated with restorations, and a root canal treatment or a dental extraction may be needed.

At Clover Dental, we will assess your teeth for dental caries at your regular check up, with an oral examination and dental radiographs (x-rays) to check for cavities between the teeth.