Rotten teeth, or what most consider as ‘ ugly teeth ‘ are an issue that can cause embarrassment and can lead to low self-esteem for children, teenagers, young adults, and adults alike. The dangers of rotten teeth are also highly discussed in different forums. Tooth decay is one of the most common problems in dental care. Tooth decay results in rotting of the teeth and is often associated with plaque. Despite the social pressure and disgrace associated with rotten teeth, most people suffer from this challenge at some point in their lives. Most of the factors that lead to rotten tooth come from hygiene challenges and can be prevented by visiting a dentist regularly and practicing good oral hygiene.
If you have rotten teeth, you should not ignore them because it will only lead to bigger problems resulting in tooth loss, surgery, antibiotics and generally a mouth filled with nasty teeth. A regular visit to the dentist helps prevent such problems from worsening because the early signs of rotting teeth are captured and the right action is taken. Teeth, like other parts of the body, contain living cells that can die if proper care and oral hygiene are not practiced leading to tooth loss. When a tooth dies, it can no longer receive blood supply because the blood vessels that supply blood to the area cannot operate within dead cells. There are two types of rotten teeth or irreparable rotten teeth, reclaimable rotten teeth and those that cannot be repaired.
Parts Of a Tooth
The upper part of the tooth is called the crown and is highly prone to attack by bacteria and plaque formation. This upper part is referred to as the crown because its shape resembles a crown that expands towards the edges creating grinding space for chewing and biting food. The lower part of the tooth is called the root because it anchors the tooth into the gums. This is the base part of a tooth and extends downwards from the gum into the inner part of the gum and the bone. A tooth generally comprises three layers, namely the enamel, the root, and the centum. The enamel is the topmost part of a tooth, also referred to as the crown. Below the crown is the dentine comprised of a gumline that separates the crown and the root, where the tooth meets the gum. The second layer is the root that acts as an anchor by keeping the tooth in place. It also ensures the teeth are well secured in the jaw to prevent falling off when biting or chewing. The innermost part of the tooth is the cementum and is between the root and the enamel. This part is made up of blood vessels and pulp making it the living part of the tooth. The pulp has soft tissue with nerve endings and blood cells and therefore becomes sensitive and painful when a tooth becomes rotten.
How Do You Know If You Have a Rotten Tooth?
Tooth decay results in forming a cavity which is a hole in the Enamel part of the tooth. Bacteria in the mouth causes the gap to grow more prominent as it eats away at the cavity and extends to the pulp spreading the infection to the whole tooth and may also affect other teeth. The decay spreads through the tooth, forming a bigger cavity, leading to tooth loss or infecting other teeth if left untreated.
Rotten teeth, when left unchecked, can lead to further health complications, primarily when the decay spreads to the pulp. We often assume that a visit to the dentist is only necessary when there is pain, but this is not the case. Rotten teeth that go untreated can lead to more health complications in the body. This case has been observed in cases wh