The most effective way to keep your smile healthy for life is to prevent any oral health concerns from forming. However, this isn’t always 100% successful for everyone, which is why tooth decay and other concerns still develop so frequently. Fortunately, the development of tooth doesn’t necessarily mean that your fight to preserve your healthy smile is over. Today, we examine three different ways to address tooth decay, from preventing it to addressing its more severe forms, and how effective treatment can save your tooth from the infection.

1. Stop it from ever developing

Preventing tooth decay isn’t particularly difficult or tricky. The condition forms from oral bacteria overwhelming your teeth by gathering excessively on their surfaces. Therefore, preventing it largely centers on preventing the buildup of oral bacteria on your teeth. This means brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day as well as attending routine dental checkups and cleanings. The catch is that both routines take a high level of consistency to be effective. Skipping even one visit or dental hygiene session can give bacteria enough time to start the tooth decay process.

2. Clean and fill the cavity early

While preventing tooth decay can be relatively easy, allowing bacteria a chance to infect your tooth can also be easy, and may occur before you notice it. This can lead to tooth decay forming in your tooth structure and causing a cavity, or hole in the tooth, to form. The decay in the tooth will continue progressing, and as it does, the cavity will grow larger. If treated early, however, this can be stopped and the cavity filled with a biocompatible tooth filling. After the cavity is cleaned, your dentist can place a biocompatible, tooth-colored resin in the cavity to restore the tooth’s health and integrity.

3. Remove all the decay from inside the tooth

Severe cases of tooth decay are the cases in which the infection in the tooth has reached its inner pulp chamber. The tooth’s nerves and blood vessels rest in this chamber, where they travel to the jawbone through the tooth’s root canal. An infection in these structures can put the tooth at serious immediate risk of being lost or having to be extracted. However, the tooth may still be saved from extensive decay through personalized root canal treatment.

Learn how to treat your case of tooth decay

Tooth decay is different for everyone, with the main difference being how severe the condition is allowed to become before it’s treated. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Modern Smile in North Hollywood, CA, today at 818-763-9353. We also proudly serve patients who live in Burbank, Toluca Lake, and all surrounding communities.