Cosmetic dentistry specialist Dr. Steven Kacel, D.D.S., has been practicing in the North Shore area for more than 29 years. Thanks to his use of of state-of-the-art equipment, and his continuing education, he has become known as a prominent expert in his field. Here, he explains what people should watch out for with tooth decay.
Tooth decay can be tricky for patients to figure out because for the most part, there really aren’t any signs that patients will notice when their teeth are first beginning to decay.
Some lesser-known things that people can watch out for, though, are dark areas around the gum line, which is definitely a sign that tooth decay is occurring. Or, for people who have recently gotten their orthodontics off, sometimes you can see where the tooth has actually chipped away while the braces were on.
As a dentist, we are watching for some other things when it comes to tooth decay. The main things that dentists watch out for are shadows through the enamel. And of course we have our x-rays that we can look to in order to help interpret whether what we are seeing is actually decay or whether that is something called decalcification, which can pop up from time to time in patients. Although it is not technically decay, decalcification is essentially a structural weakness in the enamel, so that’s not good to have, either.
More important than simply watching for it, people should be actively trying to prevent tooth decay from happening by following their dentists’ instructions and guidelines. That means brushing twice a day and flossing once a day — the same time every day, ideally. What causes tooth decay to happen in the first place is that bacteria grows in the mouth. The specific bacteria is a normal flora that’s supposed to be in the mouth, but sometimes it gets overfed by our personal eating habits, which can lead to the tooth decay that we see. By eating habits, I typically mean when people eat too much candy or refined sugars. And, you know, some fruits can actually lead to tooth decay, as well. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not necessarily the dentist. The sugar inside an apple is still sugar, and eating too much of it — in combination with failing to follow your dentist’s recommendations as far as brushing and flossing — can easily lead to tooth decay. So that is something to watch out for.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
