How do I manage cavities and the gap between my front teeth?

Question

Hello Doctor,

I am a 19-year-old. All my wisdom teeth have emerged. However, I have always had poor dental hygiene, though I have been improving my dental hygiene practices for the past year.

I fear that my past habits might have caught up with me since I actually have some cavities, and the gap between my front teeth seems to have widened. I also have a problem of enamel hypoplasia, which seems to be worse on my front teeth.

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read the query and understand your concern.

Apart from the prevention of tooth decay, having good oral hygiene helps in keeping the gums healthy.

Poor brushing and flossing practices or a lack of brushing and flossing will result in inflammation of the gums. As the condition continues without being treated, the inflammation spreads into the bone that holds the tooth roots.

The inflammation of the bone causes resorption, where there is a gradual reduction in the amount of bone. This eventually leads to loosening of the teeth, which will cause tooth loss in severe cases.

This might be the reason why there is more space between the front teeth, because of resorption of the bone due to inflammation of the gums. Cavities do not get reduced with time. However, with good oral hygiene, the progression of cavities is slowed down; nevertheless, the damaged enamel does not get replaced like the skin.

The cure for cavities is through a dental filling to prevent further deterioration of the affected part. If the decay goes into the nerve of the tooth, then root canal therapy is the best treatment.

Here, my recommendation would be to give your oral health more attention:

First, you need to visit a dentist or a dental hygienist who will conduct a professional cleaning to remove tartar deposits from your mouth, address gum inflammation, if any, and provide instructions on how to keep up proper oral hygiene.
Next, get your cavities filled, and let the dentist examine your wisdom teeth alignment.

Your dentist can ask you to undergo a dental X-ray to find out whether there is any bone loss, which can contribute to the gap between your teeth.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer.

For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq.

Thank you.