What is Tooth Decay?

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Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us.

It is our great pleasure to provide you with the Dear Doctor – Dentistry & Oral Health Digital Library. Written exclusively by the foremost dental educators and clinicians in the field of dentistry, this library provides you with the latest developments and advancements on all aspects of dentistry to help you make the best decisions for your dental health. Such decisions can change not only your smile but your life for the better. If you have any questions after exploring the library, please feel free to ask our team.

You can get started by either searching for a dental term or procedure in the search box or you can view some popular articles below. Once the articles open, please feel free to print, email and share them with your friends and family.

Featured Article on Teeth Whitening – View all

Teeth Whitening – Brighter, lighter, whiter...
The subconscious impact of a white smile is radiant health, happiness, warmth and invitation. This phenomenon has been reinforced with the spread of American culture worldwide, where an especially white smile has even been coined a “Hollywood smile.” Today brighter, lighter, whiter teeth have become a norm. Tooth whitening by bleaching is a successful, conservative, relatively inexpensive and safe alternative... Read Article

Featured Article on Porcelain Veneers – View all
	Smile Design Enhanced with Porcelain Veneers In part two of the series on Smile Design, Dear Doctor takes an in-depth look at Porcelain Veneers, a superior yet minimally invasive technique for smile enhancement. We'll explain not only when they're appropriate, but also when they're not... Read Article

Featured Article on Cosmetic Dentistry – View all
	Cosmetic Dentistry – A Time For Change Join us as we review the myriad of possibilities available to you for cosmetic dental change. But the biggest part is not just how your smile looks, it's how you feel when you show it... Read Article

Featured Article on Dental Implants – View all
	Dental Implants – Your Third Set of Teeth A discovery fifty years ago paved the way for one of dentistry's most exciting, natural looking and successful tooth replacement systems. Learn how dental implants might just possibly change your life... Read Article

Featured Article on Tooth Decay – View all
	What is Tooth Decay? – And How to Prevent It! Tooth Decay is an infection, and many people don't realize that it is preventable. This article is the first in a series about tooth decay, perhaps the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Explore the causes of tooth decay, its prevention and the relationship to bacteria, sugars and acids... Read Article

Featured Article on Restorative Dentistry – View all
	The Natural Beauty of Tooth Colored Fillings The public's demand for aesthetic tooth colored (metal free) restorations (fillings) together with the dental profession's desire to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible, has led to the development of special “adhesive” tooth colored restorations... Read Article

Featured Article on Oral Hygiene – View all
	Oral Hygiene – Dental Health for Life The best tools for maintaining your oral health and minimizing dental problems are a quality toothbrush, toothpaste, a roll of dental floss, approved mouthwash and good diet. Unfortunately, myths and folklore abound on how and what to use to best effect. This article cuts through the confusion with a winning game plan for oral health... Read Article

Featured Article on Periodontal (Gum) Disease – View all
	Understanding Gum (Periodontal) Disease Have your gums ever bled when you brushed or flossed? This most commonly overlooked simple sign may be the start of silent (periodontal) disease leading to tooth loss. Learn what you can do to prevent this problem and keep your teeth for life... Read Article

Featured Article on Laser Dentistry – View all
	Lasers Shine a Light on Dentistry Lasers have revolutionized medicine and now they're beginning to blaze a new trail in dentistry. Today, at the dawn of the 21st century there are a variety of dental uses for lasers, from diagnosing cavities and the removal of gum and tooth structure to the treatment of disease... Read Article

Featured Article on Smile Makeovers – View all
	The Impact of a Smile Makeover Americans are catching on to the emotional and social importance of a healthy, beautiful smile, and they're seeking out ways to improve their smiles. Learn why and what a change could mean for you... Read Article

Featured Article on TMD – View all
	TMD – The Great Impostor This “chameleon” of dental disorders manifests in a variety of ways, including joint pain, sinusitus, ear pain, tooth and headaches. The causes of TMD, its signs and symptoms and what can be done to treat this common disorder... Read Article

Featured Article on Dentures – View all
	Implant Overdentures for the Lower Jaw Implant overdentures represent a major change for the dental profession and the public. The lower jaw two-implant overdenture may be considered a more appropriate starting point over regular dentures... Read Article

Featured Article on Root Canals – View all
	“I'd Rather Have a Root Canal...” A common misconception is demystified. Get the real story about this much maligned procedure that eases pain, rather than causes it... Read Article

Featured Article on Invisalign – View all
	Invisalign Orthodontics The orthodontic treatment using clear aligners consists of a series of aligners that you change about every two weeks over a course of treatment lasting six to eighteen months depending on how much movement is needed... Read Article

Featured Article on Dental Injuries – View all

The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries
Accidents to the teeth, jaws and mouth can happen at any time during any sporting activity. Proper attention can save pain, alleviate anxiety and costly dental treatment. A little knowledge, as they say, can go along way. This field-side guide briefly explains some simple rules to follow when dealing with different dental injuries and when you need to see the dentist... Read Article

Featured Article on Mouthguards – View all

Plaque is an insidious substance-a colorless, sticky film that blankets your teeth and creating an environment in which bacteria erode tooth enamel, cause gum irritation, infection in inner structures such as pulp and the roots, and in extreme cases, tooth loss.

Some of the biggest culprits causing plaque are foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates, including soda beverages, some juices, candy and many kinds of pasta, breads and cereals.

Plaque also can attack fillings and other restorations in your mouth, which can lead to more costly treatment down the road.

Plaque is one of the biggest causes for tooth decay. It also causes your gums to become irritated, inflamed, and in some cases, bleed. Over time, the decay process may cause your gums to pull away from your teeth, a condition called receding gums. In addition, the long-term decay process can lead to infections in your gums and can eat away at the bone structures under the teeth.

Inside your teeth, decay can gradually destroy the inner layer, or dentin, the pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves and other tissues, and the root.

Periodontal disease is advanced gum disease. This serious condition occurs when the structures that support your teeth-the gums, the bone, break down from the infection. Pain, hypersensitivity and bleeding are some of the signs of periodontal disease.

Simple Preventative Measures

The two best defenses against tooth decay and gum disease are a healthy, well-balanced diet and good oral hygiene, including daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing and rinsing. Most public drinking water contains fluoride, but if you are unsure of your water supply, then use a good quality mouth rinse containing fluoride.

A good way to help your oral health between brushing is chewing sugarless gum; this stimulates your body's production of saliva, a powerful chemical that actually neutralizes plaque formation and rinses decay-causing food particles and debris from your mouth.

In some cases, our office can prescribe anti-cavity rinses or apply special anti-cavity varnishes or sealants to help fight decay.