Toothroot Decay

Tooth decay is painful, makes it harder to chew and eat, and can put your health at risk if it goes on long enough. But even so, some kinds of tooth decay are even more inconvenient than others. At the South Carthay dental office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri, we provide care for our patients’ general oral health needs. We’re happy to treat patients who are suffering from toothaches, but those who have decay in their tooth roots should be aware that they may need treatment that is a bit different than what they’re used to.

 

Although there are a few reasons why the outer layers of teeth may lose material, “tooth decay” refers to the process of an infection on the tooth’s surface dissolving the part of the tooth surrounding it. Our mouths are home to many species of oral bacteria, only a few of which are harmful to our teeth. But those bacteria secrete acid as part of their cellular respiratory process, and that acid gets stuck on tooth surfaces and in gum pockets. As acid builds up, it dissolves the enamel, which is the hard covering of the crown of a tooth, and the cementum, which is the sticky material that seals a tooth root to the walls of a gum pocket. It also causes gum tissue to disconnect from tooth roots, creating gaps for more bacteria to colonize.

 

You can brush away bacterial infections on the crowns of your teeth, but you won’t be able to remove infections in the gum pockets. For that, you’ll need a deep cleaning. If we find that a patient has decay in their tooth roots, we’ll numb them with a local anesthetic, and then scoop out the decayed material through a process called scaling. We may also smooth down the tooth roots to make them easier to clean in the future, which is called planing. Tooth roots aren’t covered by as thick a layer of enamel as crowns, so decay there will cause sensitivity more quickly. If you’ve felt pain that seemed to be coming from your tooth roots, don’t delay scheduling an appointment.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.