Listerine

Tooth Decay

What is tooth decay?

Now although your teeth are one of the strongest substances in the human body, they’re not immune to damage. Tooth decay (also known as dental caries), is a condition that results from small holes called cavities forming in your tooth.
The process of tooth decay occurs in stages but it still needs to be treated early to prevent it from becoming a big issue:

• Plaque bacteria feed on carbohydrates we eat or drink, turning them into acid.
• Acid dissolves the tooth enamel which can lead to a cavity forming.
• The cavity becomes deeper.
• The cavity spreads through the tooth, reducing underlying support for the enamel.
• The enamel becomes brittle and fractures. It’s only now that you may become aware you’re suffering from dental decay, as the tooth may chip and you may begin to experience pain. (Dental decay does not always give any symptoms and extensive damage may be caused before you are aware of any problem whatsoever.) Visiting your dentist regularly means you might be able to pick up on these problems at an early stage.
• Left untreated, dental decay will spread to the pulp inside the tooth. If the pulp becomes infected then an abscess may develop, resulting in an infection and significant discomfort.

How can I protect against decay?

There are warning signs of tooth decay, which, if spotted, can be dealt with early on. In early stages white spots on the tooth caused by mineral loss may appear.^* This can be reversed by brushing twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste and rinsing with a fluoride containing mouthwash such as LISTERINE^® Total Care Enamel Guard, which contains twice as much fluoride as any other LISTERINE^® mouthwash (except LISTERINE® Zero), and is specifically designed to re-mineralise tooth enamel.
Without these measures a cavity could soon develop in the tooth enamel – once the enamel has been breached, tooth decay is irreversible.
What kind of problems can tooth decay cause?

Tooth decay doesn’t just mean cavities, it can also cause pain, infection (or abscesses), make chewing difficult, leading to tooth extraction or root canal, unpleasant mouth smell and finally expensive treatment. ^**
LISTERINE^® Total Care Enamel Guard is proven to protect against tooth decay by strengthening your tooth enamel. It restores lost minerals, to fight against the causes of decay.