No one enjoys a trip to the dentist. At the dentist office, you’ll endure having your teeth poked and prodded and most likely will experience dry mouth or end up choking on water during the rinse phase of your tooth cleaning. Yet, we endure the dentist usually twice a year for one reason alone: good oral health care.
Most of us want teeth that look good. After all, when you first meet someone, odds are he or she notices your teeth within the first 10 seconds. We use our teeth several times a day and want them to be in top order. We may obsess over food bits being stuck in our teeth, especially when we’re around others. Most of us care about our breath as well, which is also an indication of good oral health care.
And while we’re at the dentist office, we hope for a clean bill of health, which really means we hope for no cavities. But what is a cavity? What causes a cavity? How do we prevent cavities? And why should we care about cavities? Flossy Brush has invented an all-in-one cavity fighter in the form of a toothbrush plus floss to give you the best chance of fending off cavities. Read more below for specifics.
THE ANATOMY OF A CAVITY
A cavity of the tooth is essentially tooth decay. Cavities are permanently damaged areas of your tooth that create holes. Cavities and decay of your tooth are common tooth problems.
CAUSES OF CAVITIES
All cavities are caused by bacteria that eat away the enamel of your tooth and then eventually the inner tooth itself. However, what we do (or don’t do) can greatly affect the development of cavities. Common causes are:
- Not brushing teeth
- Frequent snacking or eating
- Eating or drinking sugary foods or drinks
Anyone with teeth can get cavities (even infants). Cavities are most commonly found in children and older adults.
PROCESS TO CAVITY FORMATION
- Formation of plaque. Plaque is a clear, sticky film that coats your teeth. This film is from sugars and starches that are not washed off your teeth either by brushing or by water. Bacteria feed off sugar and starches and thus begin to attack your teeth. If plaque is not removed like in regular dental cleanings, a harder substance called tartar can form, which actually locks the bacteria in and makes it harder to remove these nasty bugs.
- Plaque — the bad guy. Once plaque is on your tooth, they attack the enamel of the tooth, the protective outer covering of the tooth. If eaten away, the tooth’s inner layers (known as dentin) are now exposed , paving the way for cavities to form as this bacteria continues to eat away your tooth. This is where sensitivity comes in as the nerves are below this inner layer of tooth, and you usually begin to notice a cavity at this stage.
- Finally, the bacteria reaches your nerves and blood vessels in your tooth known as the pulp. The pulp is irritated by the bacteria’s presence and notifies you of its irritation in the form of pain. This is the stage where infection can occur and tooth loss — the stage you want to prevent.
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT CAVITIES?
If left untreated, cavities will grow as the bacteria continues to eat away your tooth. The bacteria will affect the deeper areas of the tooth and can cause infection, severe toothache, and eventual tooth loss. Since you are only given one set of adult teeth, it’s important to keep these teeth as healthy as possible, so they last you a lifetime.
If you visit the dentist regularly (the American Dental Association recommends you visit the dentist for a check-up regularly), he or she will check for cavities at every visit. This ensures cavities are found while they are still small and can be filled before they even approach a dangerous point.
Flossy Brush was founded with the intention of improving oral health care. Its unique, all-in-one design has a toothbrush plus a flossing device together. This helps you not to forget to floss, which is very important in preventing cavities. We have soft and ultrasoft nylon tips on our toothbrushes for comfort and coverage. The compact head is designed to reach the hard-to-reach places easily. Our integrated floss device accepts any type of floss and makes flossing easy.
Flossy Brush cares about your oral health care. With Flossy Brush, your kids will begin to enjoy brushing and flossing, forming lifelong habits, and you’ll begin to see results with every use. Order yours online today!