Protecting Your Smile from Oral Bacteria

Maintaining good oral health habits such as flossing, brushing, and being conscious of your snack intake are great ways to keep your teeth cleaner throughout the day. While you may be partaking in these activities, unfortunately, harmful bacteria still may be attempting to threaten your smile’s health. Cavities are actually a more common dental circumstance than one might initially believe, which is why the office of Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry in Dallas, Texas stresses the importance of attending appointments to ensure your oral health is taken care of. If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity, chances are, you may be experiencing the effects of a cavity.

The Threat of Cavities

Cavities occur when harmful oral bacteria live on and eat away at your teeth, creating a hole or cavity in the tooth. When they first begin to form, cavities are not too difficult to manage and treatment can be relatively simple. If left unchecked, however, the bacteria is permitted to grow and continue wearing down your tooth, causing tooth decay and even loss.

So, what can be done to combat these organisms? When you attend your scheduled appointment, your dentist will clean your teeth thoroughly so as to remove the harmful organisms that are threatening the integrity of your smile. Following this, your dentist may perform a dental filling, which consists of filling the hole with a dental composite, then hardening it to create an air-tight seal. The composite is shade-matched to your teeth to provide a seamless cosmetic finish, while the tight seal works to prevent bacteria from entering and infecting your tooth again. This is a relatively simple and straight-forward process to combat the damage done by these organisms, but this can only be done if caught early on.

Negative effects of Oral Bacteria

When bacteria are harming your smile, it is creating acids that break down its structure. Just like any other disease or condition left without resolution, it will continue to do so until there is nothing left, which is the defining purpose of tooth decay. Once enough of the tooth is gone, a threshold of no return is hit and you will no longer be able to save the oral structure with a regular filling, resulting in either a root canal procedure or even extraction of the infected structure. To learn more about the effects of decay and other diseases, contact our office.

Dallas Dentist Recommends Restorative Care

Staying on top of your oral health is crucial for a lasting smile, and at Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry, we prioritize your health and comfort. For more information on the restorative processes, we can offer, contact our office in Dallas, Texas by calling (972) 329-7645 to schedule your appointment today.