Emergency Dentist London

Dental Decay

Tooth decay, also known as dental decay or dental caries, is when acids in your mouth dissolve the outer layers of your teeth. At our London Emergency Dentist practice we aim to get you out of pain within one hour.

Why it occurs

Your mouth is full of bacteria, which combine with small food particles and saliva to form a sticky film known as plaque, which builds up on your teeth.

When you consume food and drink that is high in carbohydrates (sugary or starchy), the bacteria in plaque turn the carbohydrates into the energy they need, producing acid at the same time.

Over time, the acid in plaque begins to break down the surface of your tooth. Left untreated, the plaque can completely destroy the outside of the tooth and expose the nerves inside. Once this happens, you will have toothache. Without treatment the tooth eventually falls out.

Symptoms of Dental Decay

Tooth decay does not cause any symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage. This is why it is important to have regular check-ups with your dentist. Tooth decay is much easier to treat successfully in its early stages.

Symptoms of advanced tooth decay

• Toothache 
• Tooth sensitivity - you may feel tenderness or pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet
• discoloured spots (grey, brown or black) appearing on your teeth
• Bad breath 
• An unpleasant taste in your mouth

Treatment of tooth decay

At our London Emergency Dental practice we will first get you out of pain by numbing the area. Once you are out of pain, we will assess the case and recommend one of the following treatments:

Fillings and crowns

If the decay to one of your teeth is extensive, it may be necessary to repair the damage with a filling or crown.

A filling replaces your missing enamel with composite materials. Remember we are mercury free!

Crowns are used to treat teeth that have been extensively damaged. The decayed section of the tooth is drilled away and the crown is placed over the remaining section of the tooth. Crowns are made out of porcelain, ceramic or glass.

Root canal treatment

If tooth decay has spread to the pulp, the pulp may have to be removed and replaced with an artificial pulp that will keep the tooth in place. This is known as root canal treatment.

Root canal therapy has had a reputation of being a painful procedure, but modern dental techniques mean it is now relatively painless.

Tooth extraction

In very serious cases of tooth decay, the tooth may be removed to prevent the spread of infection. Losing certain teeth can affect the shape and function of the surrounding teeth, so the dentist may have to replace the tooth with an artificial implant.

What ever treatment you need, our London emergency dental practice can help.