Caries is perhaps the most common dental disease. The defeat of natural depressions on the chewing surface of the tooth is called fissure caries. Such manifestations indicate the initial stage of more serious enamel defects, which in the future can lead to tooth loss and prosthetics. To maintain a beautiful smile, it is necessary to visit the dentist at the slightest doubt about the state of the oral cavity. Fissure caries is quite easy to eliminate with timely access to a specialist.
Causes of the disease
This is the initial stage of caries. Younger children are more susceptible to the disease. This fact has a rather ordinary explanation. Toddlers are characterized by weak mineralization of tooth enamel, in addition, the quality of oral hygiene is poor. The structure of fissures (natural recesses of the tooth) has a favorable shape for the accumulation of food debris, plaque. This is an excellent environment for the development and reproduction of pathogenic microbes.
In some cases, the structure of the structure of an adult tooth accompanies the development of caries, for example, this applies to owners of too deep and prominent grooves. In this case, sometimes even the most thorough oral hygiene will not give the desired effect. In order to avoid unpleasant surprises in the form of caries, such a patient is recommended to periodically contact dental clinics for a professional teeth cleaning service. Thus, you can get at least some protection from unwanted manifestations.
The anatomy of the structure of the tooth already implies that the enamel layer on the fissures is much thinner than on a smooth surface. This only additionally stimulates the fairly rapid development of carious deposits. Late receipt of qualified assistance can lead to complications. For example, a tooth will be completely affected by caries, and further treatment will require much more time and financial costs.
How to correctly diagnose the disease?
The symptomatology of fissure caries makes it easy to diagnose even a person who does not have a medical education. But, do not forget that only a specialist can accurately determine the degree of development of the disease and give clear recommendations for eliminating symptoms. Therefore, you should not delay a visit to the dentist for an indefinite period. By itself, caries is not cured!
To understand when to sound the alarm, you need to know the main types of manifestations of the beginning stage of the disease. This:
- change in the shade of the teeth;
- aching or shooting pain;
- increased sensitivity, for example, to hot and cold drinks;
- enamel destruction.
Prevention
Although it is rare to find a person who does not suffer from at least the initial stage of caries, there are several methods that will help delay the appearance of darkened areas on the surface of the tooth.
Proper oral hygiene . From an early age, parents should teach their children the basics of oral care. As it is not difficult to perform, but experts recommend brushing your teeth from the moment they appear. And this can be from six months to 8-9 months, rarely later. It is quite natural that an infant does not understand at all that it is necessary to perform hygiene procedures with teeth. That is why at this age all responsibility falls on adult shoulders. Their condition in the near future depends on the quality of care for milk teeth from an early age.
Cosmetic and children's stores offer a wide selection of toothbrushes for the youngest customers. Their anatomical shape makes it easy to clean even the smallest tooth. A good range of safe pastes or powders for high-quality cleaning is also presented.
Strengthening of tooth enamel . Sometimes nature itself rewards a child from birth with not the strongest enamel. Despite following all the recommendations of doctors, it is difficult for such people to protect themselves from fissure caries and other diseases associated with the thickness of the enamel. Thanks to the developments of modern medicine, a wide selection of preparations containing the missing vitamins and trace elements, such as calcium or fluorine, is on the market.
In order to understand exactly what the body lacks for proper development, you will have to undergo a series of laboratory tests. Only on the basis of their results, the dentist or therapist will prescribe the optimally suitable vitamin complex. These drugs can be taken on an outpatient basis.
In more difficult situations, doctors may recommend a dental fluoridation . This is a radical measure that will help to cope with the most neglected conditions. The procedure is done exclusively in clinics using special equipment. For children, it is painless and comfortable, as it requires little time. But then you can safely show off a beautiful smile.
Fissure sealing is ideal for people whose teeth are naturally characterized by deep crevices and grooves. In this case, without the use of radical methods of prevention, it is difficult to achieve a qualitative result. Sealing makes the tooth surface perfectly smooth and provides reliable protection against caries and other enamel diseases.
Treatment
When prevention is not enough, it becomes difficult to avoid treatment. There are several ways to eliminate fissure caries. Many people are mistakenly frivolous about the treatment of milk teeth. Bacteria accompanying carious deposits enter the body, which can lead to serious infectious diseases, the consequences of which can only be guessed at. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of caries, a child should be shown to a pediatric dentist.
There are the following therapies:
- With preliminary sealing of fissures, they are necessarily printed. After that, the patient is given anesthesia, and the tooth is mechanically cleaned of carious deposits. Next, a filling is placed.
- When there is no fissure sealing, anesthesia is immediately applied and the necessary procedures are performed.
- To enhance the effect of the treatment, dentists often recommend sealing the treated and neighboring teeth with a sealant. This is a good way to prevent relapses.
Qualified dentists have long proved that no one is immune from fissure caries, it is this that dentists most often have to diagnose in their patients. To avoid such a disease, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations of doctors and take the necessary preventive measures. This will help to avoid many unpleasant moments, in particular pain, which does not bring joy to anyone.
According to statistics, children are most often affected by fissure caries, but an unhealthy lifestyle and poor hygiene will inevitably lead to the appearance of the first signs of the disease even in adulthood. In any case, prevention is much cheaper for patients than treating the disease in its prime. Therefore, do not forget about regular visits to the dentist.
