Preventing caries is of vital importance to our general health. It is one of the most frequent dental pathologies in children and elderly people, although we can all suffer from it. Caries can cause us to lose our teeth due to certain bacteria. These bacteria wear down the enamel and move towards the interior, becoming very painful depending on the state in which it is found.

At Alvarado Dental Clinic, we want to give you our advice.

How do we identify caries?

We can identify the production of caries if we observe that the tooth is changing colour. At first, white stains usually appear that turn brown when the cavity has already crossed the enamel, at which point a cavity is formed.

In the case of reaching the extreme, when it touches the nerve of the tooth, other symptoms will appear such as pain or swelling in the gum. Unfortunately, the end result will be the wear of the root and the falling out of the tooth.

How to prevent caries?

The most important thing is a good prevention in order not to have symptoms of caries. As prevention we recommend:

• Maintain good oral hygiene, establishing brushing routines.
• Avoid foods with a high sugar content. Replace them with other healthier ones, such as wholemeal, fruit and vegetables.
• Stop smoking. It reduces our immune capacity, feeding the proliferation of bacteria.
• Carry out fluoride rinses. After brushing, it helps to strengthen the enamel and hinders the appearance of the bacteria that cause cavities.
• Educate children about the importance of good oral hygiene. Parents are a very important influence, as lack of awareness is one of the main factors.
• Use dental floss. With it, a deeper dental cleaning can be carried out and it is complementary to brushing.
• Seal any fissures that may be present to avoid the proliferation of caries.

Do caries affect our body?

The answer is yes.  We should know that our body contains 48 billion bacteria, but the bacterium Streptococcus mutans, is one of the bacteria that damages our body.

It can have a significant impact on our bodies in the long term. As soon as the bacteria touches the blood vessel located under the tooth, it can enter our circulatory system, reaching other organs such as the brain, lungs or heart.  The infection of this bacteria in these organs can cause us very dangerous diseases, such as pneumonia, gastritis, nephritis or a vascular accident. That is why it is very important to prevent caries, so that these problems do not appear.

Visit your dentist

Without a doubt the best prevention is to visit our trusted dentist regularly. He can help us prevent, treat and monitor our condition. He is also the professional who can best guide us in the development of good oral habits.

We think that a dental cavity has an easy solution, it is true. But it is easier to prevent it and to have a beautiful smile.