Symptoms and causes of tooth decay

Tooth decay is, today, one of the most common dental diseases most prevalent in the world. It is considered an infectious disease because during its development different types of bacteria are involved. When a tooth is affected by caries bacteria demineralize, ie they destroy the hard tissues that form the tooth.

Depending upon the progress of caries, the lesion may be more or less superficial. The decay can impair only the outermost layer of the tooth enamel, but it can continue moving up to more harm internal tissues such as dentin and finally the dental pulp, ie, the nerve of the tooth.

Symptoms and causes of tooth decay

Depending on the degree of development of caries, size and depth, symptoms may appear very weak from pain or discomfort to very severe or disabling, accompanied by abscesses, boils, and even fever. Generally, the closer the caries, more painful and usually symptomatic dental pulp.

In Dentistry we believe that the cause of tooth decay could be designated as the effect of three factors: sugars, sugar degree we eat; bacteria and predisposition available to individuals to develop caries.

There are other reasons why the nerve of the tooth may be affected, as in the case of injury, ie, blows to the teeth generated by kids, sports accidents, etc.. These can also cause pain and emergency situations that require immediate attention.

Last but not least important, they are non-destructive bacterial or processes, which is the same, the wear of the teeth. The tooth decay may be due to physiological factors due to age or disease, caused by habits or "hobbies" as a very aggressive brushing; excess highly erosive tooth paste; nail biting, nail biting or action called bruxism, teeth grinding movement and clenching. Often the loss of tooth tissue is so remarkable that even affects the dental pulp causing different clinical symptoms such as tooth sensitivity, pain caused by taking cold things, sugary foods, acids, etc; pain or boils.