Even though cavities are one of the most common problems people have with their teeth, many do not know much about them. There’s a vague connection to sugar and maybe gum disease, right?

Call us today at our Laredo, TX dental offices (Junction Drive at 956-242-6745 or Winfield at 956-517-2695) and schedule your next appointment. Our dentists have the right combination of experience and training to help identify and treat cavities. However, you have to call first.

Why Your Teeth Get Cavities

Sugar is related to getting cavities, but it’s not the cause. That honor belongs to harmful bacteria that live in your mouth.

Everyone has some of these. They live off tiny food particles that get stuck on your teeth and gums. As they multiply, they release an acid. When this happens on your teeth, that acid starts burning a hole in the enamel. That hole is called a cavity.

Where does sugar enter this? Although those bacteria can eat anything, they thrive on sugar and carbohydrates. If you eat a lot of sugar, or if you don’t brush and floss regularly, you are increasing your risk of cavities and gum disease.

Damaged enamel cannot be regrown; it has to be repaired. That’s exactly what a dental filling does. Our dentists will first remove any failing enamel (and the bacteria living there). Then they will fill in the cavity. This ensures the cavity will not get worse and that you can chew with that tooth like normal.

Rare Facts About Cavities And Fillings

Here are some little-known facts about cavities and dental fillings.

1. You Can Get Tooth-Colored Fillings These Days

In the past, the only treatment for a cavity was a metal amalgam filling, usually made mostly of silver or gold. These fillings do the job, but they do not look normal in your smile. There is even evidence suggesting metal fillings hurt your teeth in the long-run.

That’s why you need to call our Laredo, TX dental offices today. Although metal fillings are available, you can get a tooth-colored filling instead. Made from a composite resin material, these do the same job as metal fillings. However, they blend in with your smile.

2. Cavities Will Keep Getting Worse Until Treated

Since cavities are caused by bacteria, that hole will keep getting worse until you get a dental treatment. Cavities are one of those problems that will not go away on its own. Ignoring a cavity means your tooth can be in jeopardy.

Call Davenport Dental Group today and schedule an appointment for a dental exam. There are no nerves in your enamel, so you could have a cavity without knowing it. Only a thorough dental exam from our highly trained dentists can find cavities so you can stop them from getting worse.

3. You Can Need A Root Canal If The Cavity Gets Too Deep

Inside your tooth is dental pulp. This is where your nerves and blood vessels for the tooth are located. If a cavity gets deep enough, it will break through and allow those harmful bacteria to infect your dental pulp.

Not only is this very painful, it makes your whole tooth brittle and only a root canal can help. By calling either of our two Laredo dental offices today, you can help prevent that scenario by getting a tooth-colored dental filling early enough.

4. You Can Need A Dental Crown If The Cavity Gets Too Big

How deep a cavity gets is not the only concern. If a cavity gets too large, there won’t be enough healthy enamel for a dental filling to bond with. It will just fall out. Worse, the whole tooth is in danger of fracturing open one day.

Call Davenport Dental Group today and schedule a dental exam to spot cavities before they get too big. If a dental filling won’t stay, our dentists have the training needed to seal up the tooth (and hold it together) with a dental crown.

5. Dental Fillings Are Not Expected To Be Permanent

Fillings last a long time, but you can have one fall out. That’s because the bond between the filling and your enamel begins to weaken over time. In other words, it’s normal to replace an old filling. That’s why some people go ahead and schedule an appointment to replace older, metal fillings with new, tooth-colored ones.

Call us today at our Laredo, TX dental offices (Junction Drive at 956-242-6745 or Winfield at 956-517-2695) to schedule your next appointment. Remember that you can have cavities without realizing it. Thankfully, our dentists are not just trained and experienced in identifying cavities. They can use tooth-colored dental fillings and dental crowns to repair them.