Can Cavities be Healed at Home?

You are eating some hot food or taking a drink of your iced tea and you notice a sharp pain when the food or drink passes over a tooth. There is a very good chance you have a cavity. But what you want to know is if there is anything you can do to help heal it on your own so you don’t have to go to the dentist.

Unfortunately, if you are at this stage, it is unlikely you will be able to “heal” the cavity on your own. However, if you catch it early enough, there are some steps you can take that will help the tooth enamel remineralize to stop the decay process.

How You Can Reverse Early-Stage Cavities

While it will take a visit to the dentist in most cases to diagnose a cavity, there are some signs you may see on your own that will let you know a cavity is starting to form. For instance, you may notice some discoloration of the tooth. If you see white discoloration on the surface of a tooth, that is a very early sign that decay is present.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), using a fluoride toothpaste and an antibacterial rinse can help to halt the decay and repair the tooth. If you are unable to actually go to the dentist, give his or her office a call and ask for a recommendation you can use until you can actually get in to see the dentist.

Dental Repairs for Cavities

When a cavity is in its more advanced stages, it will require treatment from your dentist. If the cavity is caught before it hits the nerve, the dentist will be able to do a simple filling to address the problem. This is just a short visit to the dentist and you should be in and out of the chair in under an hour.

When the cavity has reached the nerve, it may require a root canal if you want to keep the tooth. If you decide to have the tooth pulled or the tooth is so rotted out the dentist has no choice but to pull it, some restorative services come into play, such as implants, crowns, and bridges.

Preventing Cavities

Sugary diets are among the leading causes of cavities. That being said, you may want to take a good luck at what you are eating and change it accordingly. Some changes will be simple, such as removing soda from your refrigerator and replacing it with a naturally flavored sparkling water. You will also want to look at sugary cereals, sweeteners for your coffee and tea, and desserts.

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