{"id":624,"date":"2019-08-07T01:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T01:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.machiasdental.com\/?page_id=624"},"modified":"2021-07-12T03:44:52","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T03:44:52","slug":"cavities-and-tooth-decay","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/machiasdental.com\/procedures\/dental-problems\/cavities-and-tooth-decay\/","title":{"rendered":"Cavities and Tooth Decay"},"content":{"rendered":"

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CAVITIES AND TOOTH DECAY<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/div>[vc_column_text]Tooth decay is the process of a\u00a0tooth\u2019s mineral content being dissolved<\/b>. A cavity, or caries, is a hole in a tooth that is caused by tooth decay.[\/vc_column_text]
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<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Do I have a cavity?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]A cavity, or caries, is a hole in a tooth that is caused by tooth decay. If you\u00a0experience pain when eating<\/b>\u00a0something cold or sweet, and the pain goes away fairly quickly, you may have a cavity. If it is a cavity, the\u00a0sooner you get it taken care of<\/b>, the less severe the damage will be. A toothache that is not sensitive to cold may have another cause.\u00a0See Dr. James Sparaga<\/b><\/a>\u00a0for proper diagnosis and treatment.[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What causes tooth decay?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]The foods we eat react with the bacteria in our mouth to form acids that can\u00a0eat away and decay<\/b>\u00a0the hard tissue of our teeth. Plaque is the bacteria most responsible for tooth decay. A cavity, or caries, is a hole in a tooth that is caused by this decay.[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What is a cavity?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]The foods we eat react with the bacteria in our mouth to form acids that can eat away and decay the hard tissue of our teeth. A cavity, or caries, is the\u00a0actual hole in the tooth<\/b> that is caused by this decay.[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What will Dr. James Sparaga do to fix my cavity?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]Simple cavities are treated with a filling. Dr. James Sparaga will use a drill or dental instrument to remove the decayed tooth tissue, and\u00a0replace that removed tooth structure with a filling<\/b>. The filling will either be a metal amalgam, or will be a tooth-colored composite. Some cavities are too large for a filling. If the damage is very extensive, and too much of the tooth tissue has decayed, Dr. James Sparaga may recommend a\u00a0dental crown<\/b><\/a>. If the cavity has been left untreated, and the tooth has become infected, this serious condition is called an abscess, which might require a\u00a0root canal<\/b><\/a>. The sooner you have your tooth examined, the more options Dr. James Sparaga will have to preserve your natural tooth.[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]How can I prevent cavities?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]The best prevention is to floss and brush your teeth twice a day, especially after meals or snacks. Brushing<\/b>\u00a0helps remove the plaque, bacteria that forms on teeth, which is the major cause of tooth decay.\u00a0Dental floss<\/b>\u00a0can get into the spaces between teeth where your toothbrush can\u2019t reach.[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why should I take care of a toothache?<\/b>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[vc_column_text]First, the toothache could be a\u00a0sign of a non-dental problem<\/b>, and not a problem with the tooth itself. If the problem is with the tooth,\u00a0early treatment is important<\/b>, because Dr. James Sparaga wants you to keep as much original tooth structure as possible. An early cavity can be filled before the tooth abscesses and needs a root canal. An\u00a0early abscess can be treated<\/b>\u00a0with a root canal, instead of tooth extraction. A tooth that is too far damaged and infected may have to be extracted to prevent further damage to the mouth, and extraction is always Dr. James Sparaga\u2019s last resort.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1566565257042{padding-right: 5px !important;}”][vc_column_text] CAVITIES AND TOOTH DECAY [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ el_width=”10″ accent_color=”#e5b250″][vc_column_text]Tooth decay is the process of a\u00a0tooth\u2019s mineral content being dissolved. A cavity, or caries, is a hole in a tooth that is caused by tooth decay.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1566565261293{padding-left: 5px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”1631″ img_size=”800×550″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Do I have a cavity?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]A cavity, or caries,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":602,"menu_order":30,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"yoast_head":"\nCavities Tooth Decay Help at Machias Dental, Machias, ME<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tooth decay is the process of a\u00a0tooth\u2019s mineral content being dissolved. 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