It is no secret that people fear going to the dentist and one of the dental issues that they fear the most is getting cavities. In fact, the very word “cavity” makes people cringe and think of painful procedures that are fitting for the most terrifying horror movies. Perhaps the reason for this is the fact that we are taught to fear cavities since we are kids by parents and other adults who just want us to brush our teeth as often as we should for our own good. Unfortunately, even if most of us do learn how to do that, the fear of cavities remains and maybe even keeps growing. It might feel like as soon as you even hear someone mention cavities all of your teeth are suddenly going to fall out, but that is not the case, as any Kennesaw dentist would tell you.
What are Cavities?
In a perfect world, our teeth would last us our entire lives, but that is not how it goes in reality. Most of us will experience dental issues that can range in severity and a lot of us will get cavities; but what exactly are cavities? Sometimes, teeth will develop damage on their surface area (these are decayed areas) that will grow into holes; these are cavities and should be treated as soon as possible so that they do not continue to grow and cause further issues. Cavities can be caused by plaque which is an extremely sticky substance made up of germs that causes acid to eat away at the enamel of a person’s teeth. That sounds like a simple enough answer to what causes cavities, but there are many myths that you might have heard about cavities as well as facts that you should know about them such as:
Sugar will give you cavities
Sugar by itself does not cause cavities, but sugar does act in conjunction with bacteria in a person’s mouth to form the acid that eats away at teeth. However, simply not using sugar or consuming candy will do little against cavities since other foods such as bread, fruits, and others contain sugar anyway.
Only kids get cavities
Some people think that only kids can get cavities but that is very far from the truth. It is true that kids and older adults are more prone to cavities, but the fact of the matter is that anyone with teeth can get cavities.
Acidic foods cause tooth decay
As a way to try to avoid tooth decay, some people try to limit or refrain from eating acidic foods such as pineapple, grapefruits, lemons, and others because they have heard that the high amount of acid in these foods causes cavities but that is not exactly right. These foods do cause enamel to erode and that leaves teeth more vulnerable to decay.
Getting Proper Dental Care
Despite the myths we mentioned above and the many more that you might have heard, the very best way to fight cavities is with proper dental care at home and by seeing your dentist on a regular basis. https://westcobbdentistry.com
West Cobb Dentistry
5255 Stilesboro Rd NW #150
Kennesaw, GA 30152
(770) 794-3332
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