why is it that you can break a piece of a tooth and it doesn’t need fixing, but if you have the tiniest cavity it has to get filled ASAP?
In: Biology
Breaking a tooth isn’t a problem in itself, but more than likely the jagged surface of newly broken tooth is a better landscape for bacteria to nestle and grow compared to smooth enamel. That’s why a broken tooth should really be repaired.
For cavities, once bacteria reaches your pulp, that’s when toothaches become unbearable.
There’s two layers surrounding the pulp of the tooth: the outer hard enamel layer and the inner soft dentin layer. When cavities are only in the enamel layer, you can stop the further decay and promote re-mineralization by brushing and flossing away any ‘loose’ bacteria after a day’s worth of eating food. But once bacteria penetrates the dentin layer, it has a much higher chance of becoming its own little bubble that protects itself from your efforts to brush. This enables it to burrow deeper and eventually reach your pulp .
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