Cavities and Fillings
How can the hardest substance in the human body turn to mush? Most of us know that sugar is a major culprit, and we've had fillings to fix cavities since childhood.
Teeth are decayed by the acids in our mouth produced by bacteria (plaque) consuming sugars and carbohydrates. That acid is what turns our teeth into mush.
Watch a video on the Progression of Tooth Decay
However, you may not be aware of early tooth decay. Here are some signs that may indicate cavities in your teeth:
- Sensitive to sweets, food, or cold temperatures
- Brown-stained pits or craters in your teeth
- Broken teeth or broken old fillings
The solution for a cavity depends on many things, including: how large the cavity is, where the cavity is on the tooth, and where the tooth is in the mouth.
The solution may be as simple as placing a tooth-colored filling or even a crown for very large cavities. Fillings can be made from metal, plastic or porcelain. The majority of fillings placed at the Lewisporte Dental Clinic are white in colour.