Tooth Decay

The foremost reason behind tooth decay is poor oral hygiene. When we brush our teeth, we remove a sticky layer on our teeth comprising food debris and bacterial colonies called dental plaque. When regular brushing and flossing are ignored, the dental plaque remains adherent and hardens over time to become calculus.

Both calculus and tartar provide an ideal environment for the harmful bacteria to live inside them and replicate. During this process, they release harmful toxins that make the saliva acidic. This results in the removal of minerals from the enamel into the oral cavity, leaving the enamel weak and vulnerable. This is called tooth decay. 

Over time, the weakened enamel layer is destroyed and the underlying dentine and pulp tissues are exposed. At this stage, you will only experience transient pain that goes away as soon as you stop drinking or eating hot or cold. This problem can be easily treated by removing the damaged tissue and replacing it with a suitable filling. However, if treatment is not done timely, the pulp gets irreversibly inflamed causing continuous, severe toothache. When this occurs, your dentist will treat the problem by performing root canal treatment in Nowra.