A cavity, also called tooth decay, is a hole that forms in your tooth. Cavities start small and gradually become bigger when they’re left untreated. Because many cavities don’t cause pain in the beginning, it can be hard to realize that a problem exists. Regular dental appointments can detect tooth decay early.

根据这一点梅奥诊所，空腔和蛀牙是世界上最常见的健康问题。任何有牙齿的人都可以开发出蛀牙，包括婴​​儿。

发现你有一个洞穴可能会出现惊喜。如果您认为您有一个良好的口腔卫生惯例，这尤其如此。但是，即使您的牙医提供此新闻，也有办法治疗腔并防止新的成型。

腔的症状取决于衰变的严重程度。它们包括：

Tooth cavities are caused by plaque, a sticky substance that binds to teeth. Plaque is a combination of:

  • 细菌
  • 唾液
  • 酸
  • 食物残渣

Everyone has bacteria in their mouth. After eating or drinking foods with sugar, bacteria in your mouth turn sugar into acid. Plaque starts forming on your teeth soon after eating or drinking anything sugary. This is whyregular brushing很重要。

斑块粘在牙齿上，斑块中的酸可以慢慢地侵蚀牙齿珐琅。牙釉质是一种坚硬的保护性涂层，可防止蛀牙。随着牙齿珐琅削弱，衰变的风险增加。

每个人都面临蛀牙的风险，但有些人的风险较高。危险因素包括：

  • 太多的含糖或酸性食物和饮料
  • a poor oral hygiene routine, such as failing to brush or floss daily
  • 没有得到足够的氟化物
  • 口干
  • 饮食障碍，如厌食症和贪食症
  • 酸回流疾病，这可能导致胃酸戴上牙釉质

Cavities develop more often in the back teeth, according to the梅奥诊所。这些牙齿具有凹槽和开口，可以捕获食物颗粒。此外，在刷牙和牙线时，这些牙齿有时难以达到。

告诉你的医生对牙齿敏感性或疼痛等不舒服的症状。在口试后，您的牙医可以识别蛀牙。这Healthline FindCare toolcan provide options in your area if you don’t already have a dentist. However, some cavities aren’t visible from an oral exam. So your dentist may use a dentalX射线寻找腐烂。

治疗options depend on severity. There are several ways to treat a cavity.

Tooth fillings

牙医使用钻头并从牙齿中移除腐烂的材料。然后，您的牙医用物质填充牙齿，如银，金或复合树脂。

Crowns

For more severe decay, your dentist may place a custom-fit cap over your tooth to replace its natural crown. Your dentist will remove decayed tooth material before starting this procedure.

Root canal

When tooth decay causes the death of your nerves, your dentist will perform a root canal to save your tooth. They remove the nerve tissue, blood vessel tissues, and any decayed areas of your tooth. Your dentist then checks for infections and applies medication to the roots as needed. Finally, they fill the tooth, and they might even place a crown on it.

早期治疗

如果您的牙医在早期阶段检测到牙齿腔，则氟化物处理可以恢复牙釉质并防止进一步衰减。

处理痛苦

Cavities and tooth decay can be the cause of a lot of pain and discomfort. You may want to find ways to soothe irritation while you wait for your dentist appointment. According to the梅奥诊所，有一些事情可以暂时处理不适的事情：

  • 保持你的口腔卫生惯例。继续刷牙并清洁口腔的所有部分，包括任何敏感区域。
  • 店头交易(OTC试) pain relievers.如果您可以使用OTC麻醉剂，请与您的医生联系。
  • 观看你吃的东西。Stay away from extremely hot or cold foods when eating or drinking.

如果没有处理，牙齿腔会导致各种并发症。这些包括：

  • ongoing tooth pain
  • a tooth abscess, which can become infected and trigger life-threatening complications, like an infection that enters the bloodstream or败血症
  • 脓液的发展围绕受感染的牙齿
  • an increased risk for breaking or chipping a tooth
  • 咀嚼食物难点

You may cause damage to your tooth that can’t be reversed if you put off seeing a dentist. At this point, the only way to fix the cavity is for your dentist to remove the tooth and replace it with an implant or bridge.

牙齿蛀牙是一个常见的牙齿问题，但你可以通过执行以下操作来降低风险：

  • 每天至少用氟化物牙膏刷牙。
  • Floss at least once daily, as recommended by the美国牙科协会。
  • Eat fewer sugary and acidic foods, like sweets, candy, juice, soda, and refined carbohydrates.
  • Limit snacking between meals.
  • Consider getting dental sealants on your teeth.

以下食物可以帮助抗蛀牙：

  • 富含纤维的水果和蔬菜
  • calcium-rich foods
  • 木糖醇无糖口香糖
  • unsweetened black or green tea
  • 氟化物的水

此外，别忘了每年至少两次牙医，常规牙齿清洁。这使您可以为您的牙医发现的任何问题进行治疗，这将有助于防止未来的牙科问题。