Cavities Center - Chapel Hill, NC
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CavitiesWho Gets Cavities?Many people think cavities only affect children, but changes that occur with aging make cavities an adult problem too. Recession of the gums (a pulling away of gum tissue from the teeth), often associated with an increased incidence of gingivitis (gum disease), can expose tooth roots to plaque. Also, sugary food cravings in pregnant women can make them more vulnerable to developing cavities. Decay around the edges of fillings is also common in older adults. Because many older adults lacked the benefits of fluoride and modern preventive dental care when they were growing up, they often have a number of dental fillings. Over the years, these fillings may weaken and can fracture, allowing bacteria to accumulate in the tiny crevices causing tooth decay. How Do I Know if I Have a Cavity?Your dentist can discover cavities during your regular dental check-up. The tooth surface feels soft when probed by your dentist with a dental instrument. X-rays can also show cavities before they become visible to the eye. In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience a toothache, especially after consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods or drinks. Other signs of tooth decay are visible pits or holes in the teeth. How Are Cavities Treated?Cavities are treated in a number of different ways depending on the extent of tooth decay. If decay is not extensive, the decayed portion of the tooth is removed by drilling and replaced with a filling made of silver alloy, gold, porcelain, or a composite resin. Restorative materials used in fillings are considered safe. Concerns have been raised over the safety of mercury-based, silver amalgams in particular, but the ADA, FDA, and other public health agencies continue to support the safety of this restorative material. Allergies to silver amalgam are rare as are allergies to other restorative materials. ...Recommended Reading Related to CavitiesWhat is smokeless tobacco?Smokeless tobacco is sometimes known as chewing tobacco or spitting tobacco. It is available in two forms, snuff and chewing tobacco. Both types of smokeless tobacco are held in the mouth inside the cheek or between the cheek and gum. Smokeless tobacco is known to contain at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals, medically known as carcinogens. The main carcinogens in smokeless tobacco are the tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). Some of the other cancer-causing agents found in smokeless tobacco are formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, arsenic, benzopyrene, nickel, and cadmium. Nicotine is also found in smokeless tobacco, like all tobacco products. Although nicotine is absorbed more slowly from smokeless tobacco than from cigarettes, 3 to 4 times more nicotine is absorbed from smokeless tobacco than from a cigarette, and the nicotine from smokeless tobacco remains longer in the bloodstream. Nicotine is the substance res... Other Related Cavities ArticlesEmergency Contact for Chapel Hill
Nearby Chapel Hill Hospitals * UNC Health Care  Duke University Medical Center  Durham VA Medical Center  Durham Regional Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital Durham  North Carolina Specialty Hospital  WakeMed Cary Hospital  Rex Healthcare  John Umstead Hospital  Duke Raleigh Hospital  Chatham Hospital  Alamance Regional Medical Center  WakeMed Raleigh Campus  Holly Hill Hospital  Central Carolina Hospital  Person Memorial Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Cavities by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Abscessed Tooth
- Absecessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth, most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Symptoms of abscessed tooth include fever, painful chewing, sensitivity in the teeth, bitter taste in the mouth, and swollen neck glands.
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Toothache
- Toothache usually refers to pain around the teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (TMJ), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing. A toothache can also be caused by a problem that does not originate from a tooth or the jaw, like diseases of the heart (angina or heart attack), ear infections, and sinus infections. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental X-rays, can help determine the cause.
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Fracture
- Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand the outside forces applied to the bone. Fractures can be open or closed. Types of fractures include: greenstick, spiral, comminuted, transverse, compound, or vertebral compression. Common fractures include: stress fracture, compression fracture, rib fracture, and skull fracture. Treatment depends upon the type of fracture.
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Teething
- Teething in babies typically starts between 4 and 10 months of age. Symptoms and signs of cutting teeth include rash, drooling, decreased sleeping, fussiness, bringing the hands to the mouth, and rubbing the cheek or ear. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen may be used to treat teething pain.
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Mercury Poisoning
- Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in water, soil, and the air. Mercury is also contained in some fish, some of the products we use in the home, school, or dentist. Information about sources of mercury exposure, potential health effects, symptoms of exposure, fish that may contain mercury, consumer products that contain mercury, and ways to reduce your exposure to mercury is important for the health of you, and your family.
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Gum Disease
- Gum disease is caused by plaque and may result in tooth loss without proper treatment. Symptoms and signs of gum disease (gingivitis or periodontal disease) include receding gums, bad breath and pocket formation between the teeth and gums. Treatment depends upon the stage of the gum disease, how you responded to earlier treatments, and your overall health.
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Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip
- Cleft palate and cleft lip are facial and oral defects that occur early in pregnancy. A cleft lip is a split of the two sides of the upper lip, and a cleft palate is a split in the roof of the mouth. Cleft lip the fourth most common birth defect in the U.S. Repair of a cleft palate or cleft lip may require multiple surgeries.
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Bad Breath
- Bad breath can result from poor oral hygien habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be made worse by the types of food you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits.
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Dental Injuries
- Dental injuries range from a chipped or fractured tooth to a knocked out tooth. Treatment depends upon the severity of the dental injury. Dental injuries may be prevented by aligning protruding front teeth with braces and using face masks and mouthguards while playing sports.
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Children's Health
- Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
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Oral Health Problems in Children
- Oral health problems in children include thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, tooth decay, and early tooth loss. Get tips on how to prevent these problems in your child.
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Smokeless Tobacco
- Smokeless tobacco can have negative health effects such as cancers, poor oral health (gum disease and tooth decay), infertility, pregnancy complications, and nicotine addiction.
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Pycnodysostosis
- Pycnodysostosis (pyknodysostosis) is an inherited disease of the bone. Characteristics of individuals with pycnodysostosis are short stature, brittle bones, short fingers, the midface is less full than usual, a prominent nose, small jaw, and more. There is no cure for pycnodysostosis.
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Abscessed Tooth
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