Dental cavity – 10 questions about the prevention and treatment of cavities

Dental cavities – symptoms?

• At first, your tooth may become sensitive when you drink hot or cold or eat something sweet.
• As the cavity progresses, the tooth may sometimes ache. If your tooth aches, book an appointment to see your dentist.
• It is worth remembering that it is individual what kind of symptoms dental cavity causes.
• A cavity does not necessarily cause any symptoms. You will not necessarily experience toothache until the cavity has reached the dental nerve.

What causes dental cavities?

• A cavity develops in a tooth when bacteria in the plaque on your teeth digest sugar, producing acids that dissolve minerals from the tooth enamel.
• When many acid attacks accumulate and the teeth are not cleaned of plaque, the tooth surface softens and a cavity begins to develop.
• The cavity first enters the enamel of the tooth, from where it progresses to the bone beneath the enamel.
• Eventually, an untreated dental cavity will progress to the nerve of the tooth - unless the dentist can repair it in time.
• Taking care of your teeth and filling cavities is important because oral health has a surprisingly large impact on your overall health.

How will my dentist treat a cavity in my tooth?

• Usually, the dentist will fill a cavity that is progressing. Filling a tooth means that the dentist removes the softened part of the tooth, either with hand instruments or a drill. The hole is filled with a filling material and shaped to fit your bite.
• If the cavity has reached the nerve of the tooth, root canal treatment can be performed on the tooth.
• A large dental cavity or a cavity in a very awkward place may result in the dentist being unable to fill it. In this case, tooth extraction may be the best solution.
• There's no need to worry about pain, as our dentist will always check the anaesthetic is working before the procedure and ask you how you feel during treatment.
• Are you suffering from a major or minor dental fear? At Mehiläinen, we focus on identifying and treating dental fear, so you can come to us just as you are. Our dentists have a wide range of methods for treating patients with fear.

Can a cavity in a tooth heal by itself?

An incipient cavity means that the enamel is softened and damaged. The cavity is then only inside the enamel, which means it has not reached the dentine.

You can try to stop the cavity from developing like this:

• Care and clean your teeth more carefully.
• Eat and drink fewer foods and drinks with a high sugar content. Even the smallest changes matter.
• Use fluoride and xylitol products according to the instructions of your dentist.
• If you have any small cavities in your teeth, see your dentist regularly.

Why do I get more cavities than others?

Cavities are individual. Maybe you are one of those whose teeth accumulate decay and tartar more easily than others?

Factors that contribute to this include:

• the amount and composition of saliva
• pregnancy, diabetes and certain medications that alter the secretion or composition of saliva
• eating rhythm and quality of diet
• having cavities in your teeth where food is easily trapped
• if there is room for improvement in cleaning your teeth

If your dentist always finds more cavities during your check-up, you should clean your teeth more thoroughly and have more frequent check-ups.

Your dentist will advise you on suitable cleaning routines and tell you how often you should have your teeth checked. For many, it's a year, for some it's six months - and for others it's just once every two years.

What can I do to prevent cavities in my teeth?

The most important thing is to clean your teeth well, avoid snacking and see your dentist regularly.

Good dental care looks like this:

However, few people are perfect at taking care of their teeth at home, so don't beat yourself up if you get cavities. And you won't be scolded by our dentists either.

Roman Rajala, our dentist in charge, was interviewed for this article.