It is a common misconception that if you brush and floss regularly, you will never get cavities. Depending on your diet, age, health, and other factors, you can experience tooth decay even with the best preventive care. At Woodland Hills Dental Arts of Woodland Hills, CA, we understand that cavities can happen even when you do your best to practice good oral hygiene. Tooth-colored fillings are a quite common treatment to restore a tooth that has developed caries.
Common Causes Of Cavities
You may already know that a sugary diet and sipping on beverages like coffee and soda all day can lead to the formation of caries. However, you may not know that other factors can cause this as well. Younger children are at a higher risk of developing dental decay because of their common snacks, potentially poor oral hygiene routines, less exposure to fluoride, and more. Older adults can also be higher at risk for caries due to common problems such as receding gum lines and dry mouth that can be caused by age-related health issues.
The Purpose Of A Filling
If caught in the earliest stages, there is an opportunity to reverse tooth decay with fluoride treatment and better brushing. If the cavity is not prevented in the early stages, the tooth can be restored with a filling. With this process, the decayed part of the tooth is removed. Then, a material is placed in the hole that is left behind. This is usually a composite material, but there is also silver amalgam, porcelain, and other materials available to use.
There are several benefits to tooth-colored composite resin fillings. First, this helps restrengthen the tooth after the damage caused by decay. In addition to this, the color of the composite blends in with the rest of your teeth, so no one will be able to notice that you have had dental work done. This is also one of the safest materials to use, as traditional metal fillings could harm the tooth if exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures.
Ignoring A Cavity
Ignoring tooth decay can cause several bad side effects. You may have chronic bad breath, sensitivity when eating or drinking certain things, pain while chewing and talking, and more. Tooth decay can also spread, and if ignored for long enough, the need for more invasive dental work such as root canals is increased. If you continue to disregard these problems, you could lose the entire tooth. Do not wait until it is too late to restore your tooth.
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
Visit Woodland Hills Dentistry today for a cleaning and examination so that we can monitor for cavities. Call Woodland Hills Dental Arts in Woodland Hills, CA, today at (818) 347-5124. We also proudly welcome patients from Thousand Oaks, Westlake, Encino, Sherman Oaks, and all surrounding communities.