Synonyms
tooth decay, tooth decay, caries
Introduction
From a medical point of view, caries is a carbohydrate-modified infectious disease, which is mainly caused by bacterial pathogens. In principle, caries can occur in any part of the tooth. Experience shows that carious defects develop on molars, but mainly in the area of the chewing surfaces.
On the front teeth, the tooth necks are particularly at risk. The development of a carious defect is caused by irregular or not very thorough oral hygiene. Food residues, which accumulate mainly in the interdental spaces and on the tooth surface, form an ideal breeding ground for bacterial pathogens.
If you want to know more about the development of caries and its treatment, the release of special metabolic waste products causes long-term damage to the tooth substance and provokes caries. Carious defects in the area of the neck of the tooth (cervical caries) are particularly dangerous, as the medullary cavity can be opened early on with damage to the nerve fibres. The consequences are toothache and in the worst case the loss of the affected tooth.
The symptoms of cervical caries can be manifold. The reason for this is that the clinical appearance of cervical caries depends on its stage. Initially, affected patients usually show no symptoms.
They do not feel any pain and even cold or warm food does not irritate the tooth substance. Early-stage cervical caries usually only shows itself through slightly whitish discoloration along the cervix. At this stage, the treatment of the carious defect is usually simple and gentle on the tooth substance.
As the cervical caries progresses, the defects of the tooth substance become clearly visible. In addition, as cervical caries progresses, excessive reactions to cold or hot drinks and food can be rapidly detected. The consumption of sugary foods can also be perceived as unpleasant by affected patients.
In the presence of cervical caries, pain usually only occurs as soon as the medullary cavity has been opened and the nerve fibers contained therein have been attacked. Initially, this pain is not permanent, but occurs occasionally and then disappears completely (intermittent pain). Only in the course of time does the pain perceived by the patient take on a permanent character.
In addition, various scents are released in the course of the carious defect, which produce the typical foul bad breath (Foeter ex ore). If cervical caries occurs in the area of a previously placed filling, the filling material may become loose. In advanced cervical caries, gum inflammation occurs within the medullary cavity, which can spread to the bone and cause swelling in the mouth.
