We’ve been warned about cavities since we were children overeating sweets.Cavitieshappen as a result of tooth decay.

Cavities are caused when there is food that is left to decay on your teeth.

Bacteria live in theplaqueon your teeth and break down sugar to produce acid.

Female patient with open mouth receiving dental inspection at dentist’s office

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The acid demineralizes the enamel, or protective outer layer, of your teeth.

If not stopped, it can cause a cavity.

A cavity between two teethwhether between twomolarsor other teethis known as an interproximal cavity.

If you have ever had a cavity, the chances are you have had an interproximal cavity.

This article will discuss what an interproximal cavity feels like and what can be done to treat it.

Here we will narrow down some of the treatment options to consider when struggling with cavities.

Remineralization

Remineralization is a natural tooth repair process.

Your body takes calcium and phosphate minerals from your saliva and deposits them in your enamel.

Tooth demineralization happens naturally.

It can become a problem when your body cant replace what you lose.

Lots of factors affect demineralization, including mouth bacteria, mouth acid, and saliva.

Remineralization helps replace those lost minerals to keep your teeth strong and prevent tooth disease.

Remineralization agents work to strengthen the enamel by helping them absorb minerals such ascalciumandphosphate.

A filling seals a hole, or cavity, in the tooth.

Your dentist applies a numbing gel to the gums.

Once this has taken effect, they inject a local anesthetic into the gum.

The last step involves polishing and adjusting the filling so that your bite feels normal.

Having frequent pain when you bite down can be a sign that your tooth may needroot canal surgery.

The diseased tooth pulp is removed.

Medication is sometimes put into the root canal to clear any infection.

Then the pulp is replaced with a filling.

This also treats potential infections anddental abscesses.

Crown

Your teeth can get damaged over time.

A dental crown is cemented into place on your tooth and it covers the visible portion of the tooth.

The root must be extracted, or pulled.

Tooth extraction is a fairly simple procedure that will involvelocal anesthesiato numb the area.

Your oral surgeon will then extract the entire tooth, including the root.

Bone-grafting material will be placed in the extraction socket, in some cases.

Regular Dental Examinations

The most essential step towards preventing cavities is having regular examinations by a dentist.

For the most part, cavities can only be detected by a dentist or a dental X-ray.

Prevention

There are many simple steps that one can took to help prevent cavities.

These steps begin with good oral and dental hygiene.

They can be due to bacteria and not maintaining good oral hygiene.

An interproximal cavity is a cavity that forms between two teethwhether between two molars or other teeth.

If you have ever had a cavity, the chances are you have had an interproximal cavity.

There are many ways to treat cavities, including fillings, root canals, or crowns.

Maintaining healthy oral habits can prevent cavities from building up in the future.

There are many simple steps in cavity prevention.

Frequently Asked Questions

In general, a filling should take an hour or less.

It could take longer or require a second visit, depending on the materials used for the filling.

A tooth-colored filling will be used to give the teeth a more natural look.

Usually, cavities that develop between teeth are often not visible to the naked eye.

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