Most people will have to deal with decay at some point during their lifetime. Find out how we will take care of it.

If you are someone who consumes more sugary snacks and soda than you would like to admit then you are certainly more likely to deal with dental decay. Our mouths are full of bacteria, which feed off the sugar from the foods we eat and turn it into acid. As you can imagine, this acid is pretty tough on teeth. Even tooth enamel, which is stronger than bone, is no match for these acid attacks. Over time, the acid causes decay to form. Our Fort Lauderdale, FL dentist, Dr. David Erdman, is here to explain what will happen if we spot decay at your next routine cleaning.

While tooth decay can be prevented with routine visits and by brushing and flossing properly at home if we’ve spotted decay there are several ways we can handle it. First and foremost, how we treat your situation will depend on how deep the decay actually is. If decay is only superficial then we may talk to you about the importance of brushing and flossing regularly and effectively to prevent the decay from getting worse. Fluoride treatment and toothpastes may also help to rebuild strong enamel. Every time you come into our office for checkups we will make sure that the decay hasn’t gotten worse.

Of course, once the decay has attacked the integrity of tooth enamel and formed a cavity the only way to treat the issue is by visiting our Fort Lauderdale cosmetic dentist, who will need to remove the decay from the tooth. To get a dental filling we will first need to administer a local anesthesia to the area so that you don’t feel anything during your procedure. Then we will remove the decayed portion of the tooth. Then we can apply a dental filling to rebuild and strengthen the tooth.

If you don’t come in for regular dental checkups like you should then the next time you finally come in we may discover that the decay has penetrated through both the enamel and the dentin layer, which can affect the dental pulp. When this happens a toothache often is your warning sign that something is wrong. To remove the infection we will need to perform a root canal so that we can remove the damaged pulp.

If you didn’t realize it before these dental cleanings are the most important thing for your smile. Coming in every six months allows us to pinpoint issues as soon as possible when they are less likely to negatively impact your smile. Call our Fort Lauderdale, FL dental office today to schedule your next checkup.