Cavities are the enemy of all dentists. Tooth decay is the erosion of tooth enamel (the hard, outer layer of your teeth). Cavities can be a problem for children, teens and adults.

A sticky film of bacteria called plaque constantly forms on teeth. When you eat or drink foods containing sugars, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth and over time the enamel can break down. And that’s when cavities, a little hole in the tooth, is formed.

Cavities are more common among children, but changes that occur with aging can make cavities an adult problem. Recession of the gums away from the teeth, and an increased incidence of gum disease can expose tooth roots to plaque. Tooth roots are covered with cementum, a softer tissue than enamel, and they are vulnerable to decay as well as more sensitive to touch, hot and cold. It’s common for people over age 50 to have tooth-root decay.

A filling is one way to restore a tooth damaged by decay. When we fill a tooth, we removed the decayed tooth material, clean the affected area and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material. The filling encases the areas where bacteria can enter and helps prevent further decay. We use several materials for fillings depending on the individual case.