Most people don’t think of tooth decay as a “disease” but a recent study called the Global Burden of Disease 2010 founded that untreated tooth decay – also known as dental caries – was the most common of 291 major diseases and injuries. They estimate that cavities affect close to 4 billion people and the resulting toothache and pain prevent them from eating and sleeping properly.  Professor Wagner Marcenes said “This total does not even include small cavities or mild gum diseases, so we are facing serious problems in the population’s oral health.”

Here in America we have been seeing an increase in tooth decay, especially among children. The reasons most likely include: constant snacking on high carbohydrate foods, drinking soda, energy and other sugary/acidic drinks, and drinking less fluoridated water.

The good news is we can prevent many cavities from forming by forming good dental hygiene habits and visiting the dentist regularly will let us catch small problems before they become big ones.

If you do need to have a cavity filled we are long past the days of mercury-filled amalgam fillings which left ugly black shadows on your smile. Today dentist use tooth colored composite material that are free of metal and mercury. These dental fillings match the color of your teeth so your smile looks just as beautiful after your filling as before!

When a cavity is extremely large or if an old, large filling has failed and decay has formed below it you may need to have a dental crown. Very large fillings leave a tooth vulnerable to cracking and breaking — even using modern dental materials. The solution is the dental crown. This enables us to save the tooth and ensure that a long lasting, strong restoration is in place that will last for years.

Find out more about preventing cavities and your options for treatment if you do have cavities by contacting Medford, OR cosmetic dentists Rothfus Family Dental  at 541-858-7994 today.