Everything You Need to Know About Rotten Teeth

Rotten teeth can be a big nuisance, as they not only look bad but are also rather dangerous for your dental and overall health. Luckily, such a big problem can have a rather simple solution.

Good oral hygiene, as well as diet and habit changes, can do wonders to eliminate rotten teeth. If all of them fail, different dental procedures (especially dental crowns) can help you combat this condition as well. You can visit many great dental care specialists to get a tooth crown in Flint, MI, and they will also offer you other rotten teeth treatment options.

Read on to find out what causes rotten teeth, what effects this condition has on your body, and how you can fight it.

Rotten Teeth: Main Causes

Rotten teeth are caused by tooth decay, which, in turn, has several different causes. The main cause of tooth decay is cavities caused by plaque. However, other dental conditions can cause it as well

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay starts with the forming and solidifying of plaque, which is a thin translucent film made of bacteria and food particles that covers your teeth. If this film is not removed immediately or at least promptly, it starts to get solid, forming a hard coating called tartar.

After the tartar forms, only a good dental specialist can get rid of it. Until they do, the bacteria in tartar interact with everything you eat, especially sugars. When they combine with sugars, an acid forms in your gums, and it starts slowly eating away at your teeth. That is when tooth decay starts to advance.

If left untreated, tooth decay slowly spreads through a single tooth, and then it spreads to other teeth as well. By this time, you probably won’t feel any pain or discomfort yet. But as soon as the decay spreads, the pain will follow. Your teeth will also start to look worse.

They will have dark brown or black spots all over, and they may even begin to chip or crack. When that happens, getting professional help is a must.

What Are the Effects of Rotten Teeth on Your Body?

Although it might not seem so, rotten teeth can cause many serious health problems. Here are some of them:

Weak Immune System

It is normal for people with rotten teeth to have a weak immune system, as they have too much bacteria in their bodies. A weak immune system makes it easy for them to catch different diseases and viruses. Additionally, it can make them feel lethargic, tired, and dizzy.

Respiratory Infections

Tooth decay is caused by an excessive amount of bacteria in your mouth. As you breathe, you breathe these bacteria in, and they can get into your respiratory tract. Over time, the bacteria can cause an infection and lead to pneumonia.

Diabetes

You will often hear that those suffering from diabetes are prone to developing dental or gum diseases. While this is true, the reverse is possible too. The excess amount of bacteria in the mouth caused by tooth decay can make blood-sugar regulation challenging. That, in turn, can cause diabetes to develop quickly.

Sepsis

Rotten teeth can also cause bacteria to enter your bloodstream, where it can lead to an infection. This infection is called sepsis, and it can be easily treatable, or lethal, depending on the amount of damage. Sepsis is one of the most serious health issues rotten teeth can lead to.

How to Prevent and Treat Rotten Teeth

Now that you’ve seen the main causes of rotten teeth, as well as the health issues they can lead to, it’s time to look into prevention and treatment options.

Better Oral Hygiene

Regular oral hygiene is the key to preventing rotten teeth. If you brush your teeth and floss every day, you will remove most of the plaque from them. That way, tartar will never form, and the possibility of tooth decay will be almost fully eliminated.

Diet Changes

Certain foods and drinks cause cavities and plaque to appear more than others. These include different sauces, sugars, carbonated drinks, coffee, wine, and so on. Eliminating these foods and drinks from your diet will be beneficial for both your dental and your overall health.

Quitting Smoking

Smoking is one of the leading causes of many dental conditions. Tooth decay is no exception. Thus, cutting nicotine out of your life would be beneficial for your oral health.

Dental Crowns

The prevention options above will work if tooth decay isn’t too advanced. However, if it is, changing your diet or hygiene habits won’t be able to do much. In cases like these, your teeth are already chipped or cracked, or they’ve fallen out entirely, and getting dental crowns is the only solution.

Dental crowns are little caps that your dentist puts on your damaged teeth. Of course, they clean your tooth and remove all damaged areas before putting a tooth crown on it. Dental crowns will greatly improve your smile and give you back the confidence you once had in your appearance.

A great thing about tooth crowns is that they are rather durable. A study has found that these crowns can last up to ten years without needing any repairs or replacements. So, you will not have to worry about the crown breaking or slipping off. Your new smile will be shiny, and rotten teeth will slowly fade into memory.

A Few Parting Words

As you have read, rotten teeth are a serious health issue that needs to be tackled as soon as it appears. You can tackle it by improving your oral hygiene, changing your diet, and quitting smoking. However, if the damage to your teeth is too severe, these options will not do.

In such cases, getting dental crowns is the best way to eliminate the damage of rotten teeth. So, don’t wait any longer. Incorporate all changes we suggested, or visit your local dentist and ask about dental crowns. It is time to get your shiny smile back.