It goes without saying that your smile is going to face a number of concerns throughout the course of your life. From dangerous decay and infection to the effects of certain foods you consume, and everything else in-between, there is not much your smile is safe from. Because of this, it is up to you to prioritize your oral health with routine preventive care, both at home and in-office. While you may be doing everything right, it only takes one instance of falling short for an issue to occur. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS dentist will take a look at the dangers of dental decay and why it is best to treat cavities sooner rather than later.
Sooner is Always Better
For many common ailments such as a sore neck or a headache, one of the best pieces of advice that can be followed is to just give it time. More often than not, the situation will address itself or a little rest can help you feel better in no time. For other issues, such as oral health concerns, time will never be on your side.
You see, dental decay is an infection in the teeth that cause the otherwise healthy structures to become weak, thus breaking down in the process. It occurs when hyperactive oral bacteria lurk in the hard-to-clean areas of the mouth where they feed off of the food we consume. Certain foods such as sugars cause these bacteria to produce a harmful acid that actively breaks down your teeth, and a small hole will form.
In its earliest stages, decay presents itself as a small hole known as a cavity. As time progresses, so will your cavity, and you will eventually face the possibility of extensive treatment such as a root canal to save it. In more extreme cases, extraction might be your only bet.
Reducing Your Chances of Tooth Loss
Whether you recognize it or not, dental decay is only going to get worse with time. What’s more? The longer the problem persists, the less likely your chances are of receiving successful treatment. Indeed, losing a tooth is a very real possibility, and it is for this reason that your dentist recommends treating the issue early with a dental filling.
Benefits of Lifelike Treatment
When you come in for your filling treatment, our team will take care to not only remove the decaying portions of your tooth but to clean the area so that your chances of the filling taking are higher.
Next, we will fill the open hole with a tooth-colored composite dental resin to provide a lifelike solution. Once it has been shaped to fill in all gaps, we will then cure the material and you will be all set!
Schedule Your Appointment
To learn more about the dental filling process, contact Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling 913-681-5500 to schedule your next appointment with our team.