Decay most often occurs in your back teeth (molars and premolars). These teeth have lots of grooves, pits and crannies, and multiple roots that can collect food particles. As a result, they're harder to keep clean than your smoother, easy-to-reach front teeth. Certain foods and drinks.
Teeth with deep grooves in them are more likely to trap foods and develop cavities. Similarly, misaligned teeth may collect food particles and bacteria between them. If your genes have cursed you with thin tooth enamel, you may also be more prone to develop cavities.
In general, adults develop an average of three cavities during their lifetimes. This means that the average adult has three or four fillings in their mouth. Some patients end up with ten or more fillings depending on how well they care for their teeth.
1. Insufficient oral hygiene. The quickest way to welcome cavities is to slack on dental care. Not brushing or flossing regularly, and not using mouthwash or brushing your tongue will leave your teeth vulnerable to decay.
In examined caries teeth, the molars were the most significantly affected at 45%.
For teens and other age groups, the most vulnerable teeth to cavities and decay are those in the back of your mouth. Known as molars or premolars, this category includes wisdom teeth—if you keep them in, that is.
Most cavities occur in the molars and premolars. Their rough surfaces make it easier for them to grind up food when chewing. The bumpy, uneven surface is a perfect place for food particles to stick.
If you're eating a lot of sugar, you're more likely to get cavities. Too many chips and crackers don't help either. The starches in them break down into sugars as they're chewed in your mouth. Plus, the particles easily get stuck in the small spaces in your mouth.
Consumption of sugary and starchy foods and the lack of proper oral hygiene, and avoiding regular dental checkups and cleanings are the primary reasons for cavities developing in your mouth.
Therefore, it is important to consult with a dentist near you before having more than three fillings placed in a single tooth.
Though good oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing helps in preventing cavities, you may still get cavities. The reasons can be many, like the spaces between teeth that easily trap food, consuming too much cavity-causing foods and beverages, avoiding regular professional-level cleanings and checkups, etc.
A Diet High In Sugary And Starchy Foods And Sugary Drinks
Sugary and starchy snacks contribute to decay, and sugary drinks like cola, sweet tea, energy drinks, and sports drinks are even worse. Maintain a balanced diet and avoid sugary drinks to reduce your risk of cavities.
Dentists also spend much of their time caring for patients who are often scared, anxious, or dealing with acute pain due to their teeth. It's no wonder that dentists get dental cavities at a higher rate than most people! While it's not something that happens very frequently, it does happen from time to time.
The lifetime of a dental filling
Dental fillings that are made of metal or gold materials are known to last upwards of 20 years. On the flip side, more modern materials such as porcelain should also last a while, however, typically, not more than 10 years.
Problems With Multiple Cavities Can Be Alarming
If you have advanced cavities, you will need more involved care that can affect more of your tooth structure. Fortunately, our procedures can preserve the appearance of teeth even when more involved care is necessary.
Dental Filling FAQs
Dentists may fill as many cavities as the patient is comfortable with having filled. With this being said, in most cases, dentists do not recommend having more than 3 cavities filled in one sitting. Your mouth needs time to heal.
Cavities are one of the most common health problems. Over 90% of adults in the US have had at least one cavity in their mouth. On average, adult patients have had around 3-4 cavities in their lifetime.
How many cavities can a dentist fill at once? Most dentists will not perform more than 4 fillings in one sitting. Technically there is no limit to home many fillings can be given at a time.
Cavities don't develop overnight. It takes weeks, months, even years for a cavity to form. In fact, most cavities take around six months to five years to develop. If a cavity is caught early enough, you can actually reverse the damage to your child's teeth.
They're A Bigger Deal When Unnoticed Or Untreated
Our team wants you to remember: Cavities grow. They get very big. They damage your tooth. An infection may form.
If your brushing routine is the right length, you might expect your mouth to go cavity-free. But you're still at risk. If you don't brush each area of your mouth equally, you could leave behind plaque and enamel-eroding bacteria.
Do cavity fillings hurt? Here's the short answer: No. Most fillings cause little to no discomfort during any part of the procedure. This is a result of using highly effective numbing agents.
The tooth that causes the most pain for a child really just depends on the situation or child. Molars tend to be very painful because they're much bigger than other teeth. More often than not, it's the first tooth or teeth that come in which are very painful for a child.
Dental fillings can be a bit uncomfortable, but most people find that the pain is manageable. The procedure generally only lasts for a few minutes, and most people report that any pain they experience dissipates shortly after the filling is complete.