Many people tend to use tooth decay and cavity interchangeably, but the truth is that tooth decay vs cavity are two separate dental problems. Although similar, tooth decay is what later develops into a cavity.
Bacterial build-up on your teeth feeds on the residual food and sugars from the food you consume. This bacteria releases acidic byproducts that cause tooth decay. If the decay develops and it grows into a deeper and bigger hole, then it becomes a cavity.
So, in simpler terms, tooth decay is the initial process of your enamel breaking down from the acids the bacteria in your mouth release, and a cavity is when this damage penetrates deep into your enamel, dentin, and later pulp, creating a hole along the process.
Let’s break tooth decay vs cavity down to understand their differences and how you can treat them effectively.
What Is Tooth Decay?
The enamel is the outermost layer of the tooth and is a protective barrier that houses the dentin and the living tissue within the pulp. The starch and sugars in the food that build between the teeth make for an ideal food source for bacteria which will consume the residual food and secrete acids in return. The acid will slowly and gradually wear down on your enamel. If you donot treat the tooth decay, the damage will extend beyond the enamel, reaching down to the nerves.
Tooth decay happens in two initial stages:
1- Early Stage
You have the early stage, where the decay can appear as small white spots or lines on the enamel. These white spots appear as the tooth begins to lose its minerals. However, this stage is often very difficult to detect on your own. It is best to commit to routine check-ups with your dentist who can identify problems in their early stages. Early intervention means you have a higher chance of saving your tooth instead of having to opt for replacement teeth such as crowns or dental implants.
2- Middle Stage
The middle stage is when the decay gets progressively worse, and you will notice dark spots on the surface of the tooth that could be black, brown, or yellow. Any damage that progresses from that point onward will be a cavity.
What Is a Cavity?
A cavity is when the damage from tooth decay becomes visible. It is when the bacteria in certain spots on the tooth create a hole in the surface. Although cavities start as small spots, they can and will expand in width and depth if you do not treat them.
When the tooth damage becomes a cavity, the damage to the enamel becomes irreversible. No amount of remineralization therapy can save the tooth and professional care becomes essential to prevent further damage and save what is remaining of the tooth.
Tooth Decay vs Cavity: Visibility
Tooth decay is hard to detect with the naked eye, a professional might be able to spot it in its early stages. Some cases may require an X-ray to detect it. On the other hand, cavities are very visible to the naked eye and come in the form of dark brown or grey spots.
Tooth Decay vs Cavity: How Decay Becomes Cavity
Tooth decay and subsequent cavities all start with the formation of plaque on your teeth. plaque is a biofilm of bacteria that begins to develop when you neglect your teeth and dental hygiene practices. If you do not remove this layer of plaque it will eventually harden up, pushing the acids harder on the enamel.
The second phase is the demineralization of your enamel, where white spots will begin to appear. Early intervention in this stage will allow you to benefit from remineralization therapy.
If you do not improve your dental hygiene, the enamel will erode and break down creating irreversible holes in your teeth. Until this stage, you will not feel any pain or sensitivity.
However, once the decay reaches the dentin your teeth will become sensitive to cold and hot temperatures and even sweets and sugars.
Finally, when the decay reaches the pulp where the nerves and living tissue are, you will begin to feel pain, experience swelling, and even develop abscesses around the infection.
Tooth Decay vs Cavity: How to Treat Them
Treating Tooth Decay
The treatment plan for correcting tooth decay will depend on how advanced the decay is. Early-stage tooth decay is easily reversible with remineralization therapy since there are no holes in the enamel. Use special toothpaste to help you rebuild and strengthen enamel. Look for toothpaste and mouthwash that includes calcium, phosphate, and hydroxyapatite. Likewise, you have to floss to ensure no food is stuck anywhere between your teeth or in your mouth.
As for mild-stage tooth decay, when the damage becomes visible, remineralization won’t work. You must seek professional dental care where your doctor will remove the cavity and fill the hole with filling if the decay is deep.
Treating Cavities
Once there is a hole in your mouth, and depending on the size and depth of the damage, your treatment options will mostly include root canal therapy, inlays vs onlays, crowns, and tooth extraction.
- Inlays/Onlays: inlays and onlays are both customizable restorative techniques used to preserve as much of the natural tooth as possible. So unlike a full crown, with inlays or onlays your dentist only restores the areas with the damage instead of replacing the full tooth. This makes the treatment ideal for cavities that are not deep enough.
- Root Canal Therapy: root canal therapy is necessary if the cavities reach the pulp and living tissue of the tooth. In this case, your dentist will recommend a tooth canal treatment to remove all the infected living tissue inside, clean the tooth, and fill the root with filling material. Then, you will need a filling or crown to restore the function of the tooth as well as its appearance. This tre
- Tooth extraction: tooth extraction is the last line of treatment and is only necessary when the damage to the tooth is far too severe to repair. It means that there is not much of the tooth that can be saved and you can extract it and consider getting a replacement tooth either through dental bridges or dental implants.
Can Tooth Decay Be Reversed?
Yes, in its early stages, you can reverse tooth decay if the decay hasn’t formed a hole yet. But early intervention is key if you want to be eligible for the remineralization of your tooth decay.
However, since it can be hard for the untrained eye to detect the early signs of tooth decay, it is best to perform routine check-ups where you can have a professional evaluate the condition of your teeth and overall dental health.
But if your tooth decay has already developed into a cavity, you will not be able to naturally reverse the damage since it is permanent.
The Takeaway
Tooth decay vs cavities are essentially two different developmental stages of one condition. Bacterial build-up will cause it to decay first where it demineralizes the enamel. In this stage, tooth decay is easily reversible with remineralization therapy to strengthen your enamel.
However, once your decay develops into cavities, you have to consider restorative dentistry to fix the permanent damage in your teeth. Less severe cases of cavities can find a lot of success with inlays/onlays, whereas more severe cases where the cavities have reached the pulp might require root canal treatment and a complementary dental bridge or crown to restore the crown of your tooth.
In the last stages of cavities, where there is not much healthy tissue left in the tooth to save, tooth extraction will be necessary. You can restore your tooth with aesthetic dentistry.
If you are interested in high-quality restorative and aesthetic dentistry for affordable prices, consider Dentakay dental clinics in Turkey. As winners of the 2022 award for the Best Dental Clinic in Europe, Dentakay provides luxurious services and excellent dental care for a fraction of the costs in the UK, USA, or even Europe.
