Defeating Tooth Decay with Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists

Though tooth replacement is a specialty of your Park Ridge implant dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas warn that prevention is the preferred method of preserving your whole and healthy smile. While gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss, it isn’t the only way to lose a tooth. Aside from traumatic injury, severe tooth decay can also lead to the loss of your tooth if not treated promptly. Luckily, you’ll have plenty of chances to treat tooth decay before it can claim your entire tooth.

Cavities Are Preventable

Cavities and toothaches are common symptoms of tooth decay, and are the result of late detection. Before decay can cause holes to form in your tooth structure, bacteria must first slip past the formidable enamel that covers and protects your teeth. To accomplish this, certain oral bacteria produce acid after consuming sugar and other carbohydrates. The acid weakens your enamel and depletes your teeth of the minerals enamel is comprised of, making it harder for the protective layer to regain its strength. You can limit the amount of acid produced every time you eat by controlling your oral bacteria population and the plaque they produce as protection, which should be the focus of your daily brushing and flossing routine.

The Progression of Tooth Decay

Missing a spot or two of plaque once in a while is natural, but it can also place your teeth at an increased risk of tooth decay. After about 48 hours, plaque turns into tartar; a calcified (hardened) substance that’s too much for your toothbrush and floss to handle. Attending a dental checkup and cleaning every six months can help ensure that plaque and tartar remain under control and your teeth safe from decay. However, if inadequate hygiene allows acid attacks to compromise your tooth enamel, decay-causing bacteria can soon slip past it and infect your tooth’s structure, leading to cavities and worse, if left unattended.

Learn More from Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists

To learn more about protecting your teeth from tooth decay and other potentially hazardous dental issues, or if you need to replace one or more teeth lost to severe dental disease, schedule an appointment with your Park Ridge implant dentists by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919. Located in the 60068 area, we proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.