Your daily routine is critical for removing plaque, stray food particles and other bacterial deposits before they can contribute to problems with gum disease and tooth decay. This consists of brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that includes fluoride. You also need to make an active effort to floss between each of your teeth and at the gumline at least once each day.
If you don’t follow through with your oral hygiene routine, or you skip one of your checkups, you could be at an increased risk of suffering a cavity on one of your teeth. Should you notice something strange with one of your teeth, such as heightened sensitivity or a change in the surface texture, you need to have it examined by our dentist, Dr. Derek C. Barnes as soon as possible.
If it a minor cavity is caught early, the doctor might be able to treat it with a filling. This calls for the doctor to numb the tooth and local gum tissues. Then all traces of decayed tooth enamel will be removed. This also involves creating the proper surface texture needed to securely bond the filling in place. A composite dental filling is typically used to treat a single surface cavity on a tooth that appears in your smile because it can be shaded to match the surrounding tooth enamel. Amalgam dental fillings are more common for treating cavities on a back tooth. They often are created from a blend of dental grade metals.
If you live in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, and you are concerned that a cavity has formed on one of your teeth, you should call 704-849-6700 to have it treated and repaired at Derek C. Barnes, DMD.