Dental Caries (causes and symptoms)

Dental caries is also known as the tooth decay. It can be defined as the infectious microbial disease of the hard structure of the tooth, causing the localized dissolution and destruction of the calcified tissue of the tooth structure.{{more}}

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease. For a particular tooth to get caries, there should be a carious prone tooth structure, like the tooth having deep pits and fissures, microbes like streptococcus mutans, food particles and the time. If all these factors are present, then the tooth gets caries. The microbes will ferment the food particles and produce acid. This acid will cause the dissolution and the destruction of the tooth surface causing caries. These microbes, along with the food particles and other cells, also form the plaque which adheres to the tooth surface, causing other dental problems, like gum diseases. It is also the causative factor for caries.

Signs and Symptoms of Dental Caries

1. The signs and symptoms of the carious tooth depend upon the extent of the caries and the intensity. If the caries is not very deep, then initially the patient may not feel anything, but if it reaches dentine, then the patient can have hot and cold sensation and if it further involves the pulp, then the person can have severe pain and swelling.

2. Sometimes the carious process is very slow. It is not acute, but chronic. The patient may not feel much discomfort and the decay affects the pulp making the tooth non vital.

3. The discoloration of the tooth is another sign of the carious tooth.

4. The patient complains of food lodgment in that area which has a cavity. Sometimes the cavity is not visible. It is hidden; only x-ray can help to diagnose the cavity.

5. If the cavity is in the anterior tooth, then it gives a very unaesthetic appearance.

6. There is difficulty in chewing from that side.

7. All these signs and symptoms point towards the presence of caries, but detailed clinical examination, history and the x-rays are required for making the diagnosis.

Dr Keith John

Email:drkeithjohn@gmail.com

Clinic: SVG Dental Corporation

Telephone: 784-456-2220

Cell: 784-526-0752