Teeth
are the hardest part of our body. Significantly, teeth plays a role in chewing
(old concept), while the newer concept says that they helps to sense, feel the
food which is missing in artificial teeth and essence of teeth is in defining
the individual’s personality. Presently, cosmetic and esthetic factor is one of
the most prime factors in defining the health of oral cavity.
Building
blocks for teeth are calcium and phosphorous, which are prone to dissolve under
acid, formed during the fermentation of stuck up food. Tooth has layered
pattern, ‘enamel’ on the top followed by ‘dentin’ and the deepest part being
the ‘pulp’. Pulp is a type of tissue with rich supply of blood and nerves. Function
of pulp is creating hard tissue of tooth during development, however once tooth
is fully matured it can survive without pulp as then tooth continues to be
nourished by the surrounding tissues.
Natural
tooth when exposed to prolonged acid attack from dietary sources and stuck up
food, there is dissolution of tooth and cavities are formed. It’s recommended to
get those cavities filled up as early as possible to avoid large destruction of
tooth.
Stage I-
In case of gross destruction of tooth the pulp gets infected with bacteria and
all different types of microbes and the oral food taken has the potential role
in increasing inflammation.
Symptom
–pain /sensitivity but not continuous
Stage II-
Inflamed pulp with due course of time gets dead and necrotized and pus/abscess
is formed.
Symptom
– severe uncontrollable pain with sleepless nights, swelling, if still
unattended, fever too.
So
from here doctor is left with 2 options
1.
Tooth extraction – tooth is lost and requires artificial replacement
2.
Root canal treatment/therapy – natural tooth is preserved in an uninfected
state- Best option to select from patient’s aspect.
Saving
the natural tooth with root canal treatment has many advantages:
·
Efficient chewing
·
Normal biting force and sensation
·
Natural appearance
·
Protects other teeth from excessive wear
or strain
Prevention
Initially
in a usual course, when tooth erupts, its free from defects like cavity, but it
requires time to mature so that it can be resistant to acid attack from different
dietary sources. Few easiest ways to get rid of all this mess
Diet
modification – prevent frequent exposure to sweet food and beverages, have your
favorite sweets in a single go to your heart’s content.
Fluoride
application—the easiest way to prevent and stop the caries process
Dental
sealants – blocks some of the deep pits and grooves in tooth this no chances of
food stuck up.
Professional
cleaning/scaling
