Are there really worms in tooth decay?

When we do dental checkups, we find that more and more people are having dental problems, and most of them are young people. It is precisely because of these problems that people are beginning to pay more attention to dental health issues. Some people are often troubled by tooth decay, which can cause toothache, red and swollen gums, and even blackening of teeth and the appearance of cavities. Does tooth decay mean that there are worms in the teeth?

The real reason: Tooth decay = bacteria + oral environment (food residues) + host (your teeth) + time.

There are always some food residues in the food we eat every day that have not been cleaned and remain in the gaps between the teeth. There are also countless bacteria in the mouth, some of which will digest the residues in your mouth into acidic substances. When these acidic substances gather on the surface of the teeth, the teeth become demineralized. When water drips through a stone, when it reaches a certain level, the surface of the teeth is gradually corroded, forming a hole, which is tooth decay. Therefore, tooth decay is not caused by worms or other insects, but is the result of gradual corrosion of teeth.

The simple principle is: food residues - breeding bacteria (producing acidic substances) - destroying tooth enamel (enamel falling off) - dentin exposure (dentine is loose and easier to damage) - forming caries (from small to large)

For example, teeth have a similar composition to bones, containing calcium salts and proteins. When making crispy fish, add more vinegar and cook it for a long time until even the bones become crispy. The principle is to decalcify and only leave bone protein. By the same token, the acidic substances between teeth can also corrode teeth. Of course, this corrosion takes time.

The three stages of tooth decay:

Shallow caries: Bacteria only attach to the enamel layer. The initial manifestation is brown or dark brown patches on the enamel surface. It is generally asymptomatic and is discovered during examination.

Moderate caries: Bacteria have already attacked the dentin layer. In this case, you may feel soreness at first, but it will gradually become less obvious after a while.

Deep caries: When bacteria break through the dentin and are close to the pulp, it becomes more serious. Generally, the patient will feel sour or tingling pain when encountering hot, cold, sour or sweet foods. In severe cases, it may spread to the periodontal area and cause periodontal infection.

Treatment of dental caries (cavities):

Filling: The main method of treating tooth decay is filling, which means removing the "decayed" part, making a certain hole shape, disinfecting it, filling it with filling materials, and restoring the shape of the tooth defect.

Root canal treatment: When the teeth are severely decayed and sensitive to food stimuli such as hot, sour, and sweet, and when the damage reaches the pulp, pulpitis will occur. The toothache will be very severe and root canal treatment is generally required to remove the infected dead pulp. The technology of root canal treatment is now relatively mature and plays a very good role in tooth preservation. Generally, after root canal treatment, it is best to have a crown to protect the tooth.