Dental cavities happen to be one of the most common dental diseases around the globe affecting more than half of the world’s population. One in every 4 American adults suffers from dental cavities. CDC recently published this data as a part of its oral health survey.
Dental cavities, also known as dental caries by dental professionals, is a bacterial diseases of the teeth. Dental cavities result from the destruction of the organic portion and dissolution of the inorganic part of the teeth.
Poor oral hygiene leads to plaque accumulation on our teeth’ surface. Plaque is a sticky whitish-yellow film that firmly adheres to the teeth’s surface. Plaque houses millions of bacteria, and some of these are disease-causing. These bacteria proliferate and metabolize sugars from the food we eat to release toxic by-products. These by-products are acidic in nature and attack the teeth. With time, the plaque hardens and forms tartar or calculus, which is difficult to remove and needs professional cleaning.
The acidic attacks wear off the teeth and slowly leads to the formation of dental cavities. Dental plaque and calculus are also responsible for gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
Scheduling regular dental cleaning appointments near you in Southern Delaware will help remove this bacterial accumulation. Ideally, it is recommended you schedule a dental check-up and cleaning once every 6 months to stay on top of your health. Regular cleaning will prevent the accumulation of bacteria-laden plaque and tartar, thus helping you prevent dental cavities.
If it’s been quite some time since you visited a dentist, it is time to schedule an appointment with us today at Southern Delaware Dental Specialists. If you have any more questions or would like to know more about our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and our team will be here to assist you with impeccable oral health.