3 Ways to Deal with Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is common enough that most people will experience it at least once in their lives. However, it’s also highly preventable, and you can increase your chances of avoiding it or preventing it from developing more than once with the right level of dental care. At our Pella, IA, dental office, we can help you prevent tooth decay before it develops, or treat it in its earliest stages before it becomes too severe. If it does reaches a more severe stage, we can design more appropriate treatment to remove the decay and save your tooth before it’s lost or requires extraction.

Preventing it before it develops

Tooth decay is caused by oral bacteria – the same bacteria that forms dental plaque on your teeth every day. As they consume and metabolize the nutrients in your food and beverages, they produce harmful substances, like acids, that can weaken and destroy your tooth enamel. Once this occurs, bacteria can more easily infect your tooth, leading to tooth decay. To prevent this, keep your teeth clean of plaque and oral bacteria by brushing them at least twice every and flossing at least once. Also, be sure to visit your dentist for routine checkups and cleanings at least twice a year.

Treating it as soon as soon as possible

If tooth decay does develop, sticking to a schedule of routine dental visits will increase your chances of catching it in its earliest stages. This allows us to treat your decay and the cavity it causes before they can lead to extensive tooth erosion and damage. Fortunately, we can stop most mild to moderate cavities and restore your healthy tooth structure with a custom, tooth-colored filling. We’ll carefully clean away the harmful bacteria and infection, then place biocompatible tooth resin into the cavity to fortify and protect your tooth structure.

Saving your tooth when decay is severe

In severe cases of tooth decay, the discomfort and damage to your structure can become intense. That’s because the infection has reached the inner chamber of your tooth, called the pulp, and directly infected the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth. Treating severe tooth decay is more involved than preventing it or addressing it early. The treatment often involves removing the infected tooth tissues from the pulp and root canal, then filling the structures with biocompatible material to fully restore your tooth.

Learn how to deal with your tooth decay

If you experience tooth decay, or want to learn how to successfully prevent it, then we can help with customized restorative treatment. For more information, schedule an appointment with us by calling Allen & Neumann Family Dentistry in Pella, IA, today at (641) 628-1121.