Submitted By Dr. Russell
At Russell Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, tooth decay (cavities) is treated with a comprehensive approach. Tooth decay results from an infection called dental caries. Left untreated, dental caries can lead to pain, tooth loss and more serious infection. Treatment requires time, expense and generally some level of discomfort. There is a large gap between what patients understand about dental decay and what is reality. Most patients who have a significant history of problems with tooth decay feel frustrated and hopeless and that they are destined to a lifetime of problems because they have “weak” or “soft” teeth. I hope to help you understand that dental decay is a treatable disease!
What is dental caries and why do some people struggle with it more than others? Dental caries is the demineralization of tooth structure caused by acid that is released by bacteria. As minerals are pulled out of teeth, the tooth becomes soft and eventually a cavity forms. Once the cavity forms, the resulting damage must be repaired surgically (with restorative dental treatment such as a filling, crown, or onlay). If dental caries is caught early enough and has not resulted in cavitation of tooth structure (the tooth has lost significant minerals, but an actual hole has not formed), it can be healed by your body with remineralization. This happens when saliva returns mineral content to the tooth and is only possible when a neutral (non-acidic) environment is present.
People who suffer from dental caries have an acidic environment in their mouths that harbor acidogenic (acid-producing) and aciduric (acid-thriving) bacteria. Bacteria are always present in great numbers in the mouth. What is important is whether one has a healthy flora of bacteria or an unhealthy (pathogenic) flora. The good news is that dental caries is preventable and treatable!
How is this done? At Russell Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, the answer is: Caries Management By Risk Assessment (CAMBRA). CAMBRA addresses the underlying problem (acidic environment), rather than just the outcome (tooth decay). We perform a comprehensive review of your specific risk factors and then provide guidance on how to modify those risks. We may prescribe medicine to treat the bacterial part of the problem. Treatment typically requires removing the majority of harmful bacteria from your mouth with medications and routine oral hygiene. Then, creating and maintaining an environment that allows a healthy bacterial flora to re-populate the mouth. Our CAMBRA screening process includes a simple test (a quick swab of your plaque) that tells us if your bacteria are producing more acid than normal, which allows us to be more specific in treating your risk factors.
CAMBRA can significantly reduce your risk for future tooth decay, which in turn saves you the time, money and discomfort associated with surgical treatment of tooth decay.
For more information, give us a call at 360-943-8182. Also, visit our website: http//:www.russelldentistry.com
You may also visit http://www.carifree.com/patients/ to learn more about the the screening process and medications that we use.
