So, can you fix cavities at home? Unfortunately, no. Only a dentist can repair a cavity, so you should make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible. However, you do have the power to halt the decay and prevent future damage.
You won't be able to rid of any cavities on your own, however. There is only one tried and true method to get rid of a cavity once it's formed, and that involves a trip to the dentist.
The short answer: No, and removing a cavity at home isn't recommended. In fact, it's not even possible, especially if the decay has advanced past the hard, outer enamel shell of your tooth into the softer dentin below it.
Enamel can repair itself by using minerals from saliva, and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. But if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage that a dentist has to repair with a filling.
Treatment of cavities depends on how severe they are and your particular situation. Treatment options include: Fluoride treatments. If your cavity just started, a fluoride treatment may help restore your tooth's enamel and can sometimes reverse a cavity in the very early stages.
A common question we receive from children and parents is, “can you brush away a cavity?” Once a cavity is fully formed in the tooth, unfortunately, it's impossible to just improve your brushing and make it go away. However, the early stages of a cavity can be reversed with good brushing habits.
Depending on the damage done to the dead tooth, it could fall out in weeks or months. But, it is not recommended that a patient wait that long. If a tooth dies or becomes rotten with decay, you should visit your dentist ASAP.
But now there is a new cavity treatment called silver diamine fluoride (SDF). SDF is an FDA-approved liquid used to treat cavities without an injection or drilling. This new treatment can be great for young children, special needs/medically compromised patients, or anyone fearful of dental treatment.
Repairs damage caused by cavities: The American Dental Association states that by getting rid of plaque, baking soda helps stop cavities that are in the beginning stages of forming, and actually repairs the damage they cause.
What Does a Cavity Look Like? While it is usually difficult to see a cavity in its beginning stages, some cavities start with a whitish or chalky appearance on the enamel of your tooth. More serious cases can have a discolored brown or black color. However, most often there are no distinguishable red alerts.
Benefits of using salt to brush teeth
It may be caused due to excessive consumption of sugar, accumulation of plaque, and a pH imbalance in the mouth. Brushing teeth using salt, especially sea salt, reduces the acidic content in the mouth and balances the natural pH level, thereby preventing tooth decay.
Foods That Reverse Cavities
Good sources of fiber are dried fruits such as dates, raisins and figs, and fresh fruits, like bananas, apples, and oranges. Other options include veggies, such as beans, brussels sprouts, and peas, along with peanuts, almonds, and bran. Calcium has long been known to benefit dental health.
Brushing alone is not enough
If the answer is no, that's usually the reason. Brushing helps remove bits of food and plaque from your teeth, but it doesn't always get the food and bacteria from between them. Most adult cavities form between the teeth. These are called interproximal cavities.
Brush with Baking Soda
Put a small amount of baking soda on your toothbrush (around a tablespoon is fine), and then wet the toothbrush. Brush your teeth like you normally would with toothpaste and then rinse. You can also replace a little bit of the baking soda with a pinch of salt and follow the same instructions.
There is no way to fill up a tooth cavity or treat it at home. The best you can hope for is relieving the symptoms of cavities. It would be best to visit the dentist for proper tooth hole treatment. However, there are drug store products that can help you deal with any pain associated with the cavity.
Use dental wax or temporary filling material, available online, to protect the exposed tooth. This is only a temporary solution until you can get the filling repaired at your dentist.
Cavities are a gateway to infection, which can spread fast the longer it goes untreated. As soon as an infection makes its way into your bloodstream, it can travel throughout the rest of your body, which has fatal consequences. Without treating a cavity, you risk serious illness and death.
If cavities aren't treated, they get larger and affect deeper layers of your teeth. They can lead to a severe toothache, infection and tooth loss. Regular dental visits and good brushing and flossing habits are your best protection against cavities and tooth decay.
Cavities don't go away on their own, and if you don't treat them in time, they can spread to the entire surface of the tooth, and then to other teeth. Cavities tend to widen and deepen, making your teeth brittle and more prone to cracking or breaking.
If your cavity hurts, it's not too late to save your tooth. When cavities are small, they tend not to hurt too much, but they'll start to cause pain as they grow. That's usually when you notice them. With a visit to your dentist in Wilmington, we can often save your tooth!
In most cases, by the time you notice the symptoms of tooth decay, it will be too late to reverse the damage with natural methods. You will need to consult your dentist to prevent the damage from spreading to other areas of the tooth.
Tooth decay is the most prevalent – and preventable – disease in children, but drinking more tap water can help prevent cavities. Drinking more water has a number of practical benefits which help improve oral health.