What are Dental Caries?

Dental care and hygiene are a daily part of your health and grooming routine. Not only is it important for a clean white smile, but it is also necessary to prevent caries from forming. Dental caries are destructive and can have a long-term, negative effect on your teeth. To best prevent damage to your teeth it is important to first understand what dental caries are.

Dental caries are the medical term for what is commonly referred to as dental cavities or dental decay. They are an erosion of the teeth that results in holes or pits in tooth enamel. As these holes grow larger in size they may cause pain and sensitivity, particularly if the decay reaches the root and eventually the pulp of the effected tooth. This may result in a fractured tooth or even complete tooth loss.

A buildup of plaque is the general cause of dental caries. Plaque is a sticky substance that adheres to your teeth and is formed by a combination of the food that you eat, acid and bacteria. With proper brushing and flossing, a majority of this buildup can be removed. However, when poor dental hygiene is practiced cavities are formed.

Dentists check for dental caries at every office visit, even if there is no complaint of pain. If they are detected early, before the acid erosion has gone through the enamel, the caries can potentially be reversed. If the decay has made its way through the enamel, reversing the damage is not possible and the caries will likely continue getting worse if not treated by a dentist.

A common treatment for dental caries is to fill the tooth with a composite resin or dental amalgam. In other cases the decay is removed and a crown is placed on top of the problematic tooth or a root canal may be necessary.