Do you have tooth decay? The top 3 symptoms to look out for
Did you know that tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in Australia? The latest research from the Australian Dental Association found that 1 in 3 adults in Australia over the age of 15 had untreated tooth decay. (Source: Australian Dental Association). It is also the most common cause of hospitalisation in young children.
The good news is that tooth decay is a 100% preventable disease. This means with the right oral hygiene habits and dietary measures, you can avoid getting tooth decay.
What actually is tooth decay?
Tooth decay is the breakdown of tooth structure caused by acids. These acids are produced by certain bacteria in the mouth which feed on sugars from the foods you eat.
But how do you know if you have tooth decay?
By and large, tooth decay in its early stages often has no symptoms. So most people will not know they even have tooth decay. This is why it is still important to your dentist every 6 months for a dental checkup even if you are not having any problems. Tooth decay can be diagnosed during your dental checkup visually, through feel (the dentist uses a probe to feel for softened decayed areas), and/or via x-rays which show the breakdown of the teeth where they touch together.
If your tooth decay is more advanced, then it is more likely you will have some symptoms of tooth decay.
Here are the top 3 symptoms of tooth decay:
1. Sensitivity to certain things. The most common is sensitivity to sweet foods, but tooth decay can also cause sensitivity to cold food or drinks. So if you have noticed that when you eat or drink something sweet, you have discomfort in your teeth, you may want to have your teeth checked for tooth decay.
2. Pain. If you have pain from a tooth or teeth, you may have tooth decay. Unfortunately, if you are having pain, it may mean the decay in your tooth may have gotten so large that it has infected the nerve of your tooth. If this is the case, your dentist may need to discuss options with you such as tooth removal or a root canal filling.
3. Appearance of discolouration on your tooth. Typically decay causes a colour change on the tooth. This can range from a white opaque appearance if the decay has just started, to a brown to black colour in advanced tooth decay.
To book in for a dental checkup with our Claremont dentists to see if you have tooth decay, call us on 6143 5655. You can also book an appointment at our Claremont dental clinic using this booking portal.
