Different Types Of Cavities You May Develop
The best thing you can do for your teeth is to take care of them so well that you prevent cavities from forming. The problem with this is that it can be hard to do this. After all, teeth must last a very long time, and this means that you must care for them well from the time you get them when you are young. While avoiding cavities altogether is not something most people are able to achieve, it can be helpful to understand the different types of cavities you might end up with throughout your life, and here are three of the main types.
Cavities affecting the pits and fissures of your teeth
You are probably very familiar with the way your molar teeth look. They are not smooth on the top at all. Instead, they have things called pits and fissures in them, and these are what help you chew food. While these pits and fissures are essential for eating, they can be problematic too. They tend to accumulate small particles of food in them, and this can turn into plaque over time, leading to cavities in these parts of your tooth. Fortunately, the outer parts of your teeth are hard and can withstand a lot, which means it often takes a long time for a cavity to develop, but eventually, one might develop in these areas. A normal filling is usually sufficient for treating this type of cavity.
Cavities between your teeth
The parts of teeth found in between teeth are smooth, just like the fronts and back of your teeth, and there are times when cavities can form on these smooth parts of teeth. Typically, when this happens, it is the areas between your teeth that are affected by decay. These types of cavities are the least common type you can get, primarily because they take even longer to form than cavities on pits and fissures of teeth.
Cavities in the roots of teeth
The third type of cavity you can encounter is the type that is inside the roots of teeth. This type takes the longest to develop and will usually require a root canal to fix the problem. This type also generally requires a dental crown instead of a regular filling.
Cavities on pits and fissures of teeth tend to be the most common type of cavity and are generally the easiest to fix. Fixing any type of cavity you have, though, is important, and you should visit a dentist if you suspect you may have one on one of your teeth.