Cavities Between the Molars in Godeok-dong: If I Brush More Diligently Than Anyone Else, Why Do They Keep Appearing?

Hello,

I’m the director of Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

Even though you clearly brush your teeth more diligently than anyone else,

you keep getting cavities,

and many people feel it’s unfair.

Why do cavities seem to happen to me so easily?

Whenever a cavity forms,

people often blame heredity or feel discouraged.

But in fact, this is often not because patients are careless,

but because of the structure of our teeth.

Did you know that brushing alone cleans only about 60% of the tooth surface?

The remaining 40%—the space “between the teeth”

is a blind spot that toothbrush bristles simply cannot reach.

The problem is that cavities between the teeth are not easily visible

from the outside.

Even for me as a dentist, they can be so sneaky that they are hard to find unless I use instruments.

Thinking, “It should be fine,”

and delaying care for a day or two

often leads to people visiting the clinic only after severe pain becomes uncontrollable.

Why cavities between teeth are more dangerous Cavities Between the Molars in Godeok-dong: If I Brush More Diligently Than Anyone Else, Why Do They Keep Appearing?

Why are cavities between the teeth more frightening than ordinary cavities?

Cavities between the teeth may look fine on the outside,

but in most cases, they have already spread widely along the weaker dentin inside the tooth.

A tooth that has become hollow inside cannot withstand chewing force,

and many people only discover the cavity later,

after it suddenly cracks with a “snap.”

Also, because the spaces between teeth are a structure where two teeth are tightly in contact,

if a cavity develops on one side, there is a very high chance that the neighboring tooth will decay along with it.

That is why using dental floss, which cleans the spaces between teeth,

is more important than anything else.

However, some patients misunderstand flossing and sometimes say things like this.

Using floss makes the spaces between my teeth feel wider!

Many people worry about this, but in reality, that is not the case at all.

Before using floss, think of gums that were swollen and puffy because of inflammation.

What happens when gum inflammation goes away and the swelling subsides in a healthy way while using floss?

The space between the teeth, which had been hidden by swollen gums, becomes visible again.

In other words, the spaces did not widen because of floss.

Rather, as the gums became healthier,

the original space began to show.

In fact, cavities and gum disease that occur because floss is not used

have a much more serious impact on your dental health.

Please remember that!

A patient whose tooth broke due to a cavity between the teeth

Cavities Between the Molars in Godeok-dong: If I Brush More Diligently Than Anyone Else, Why Do They Keep Appearing?

A while ago, a patient visited us because of pain in the lower right molar.

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After a detailed look inside the mouth,

the top surface of molar #46 was broken,

and food was tightly stuck in the gap.

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The gums compressed by the food were red and swollen,

to the point that they bled with even a slight touch.

After performing a detailed examination with X-rays and 3D CT,

it was confirmed that the cavity that had started between the teeth

had already extensively dissolved the dentin inside the tooth.

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Not only that, but inflammation was also visible as a dark area at the root tip.

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The area marked in red is the main nerve, the inferior alveolar nerve,

and can you see how far the inflammation has spread,

to the point that it is almost touching it?

Unfortunately, tooth #46 had to be extracted as soon as possible.

In addition, the cavity had spread to the side surface of the molar behind it (#47), and that tooth was also decaying.

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Fortunately, this tooth had no inflammation,

so we decided to treat only the cavity.

Treatment process Cavities Between the Molars in Godeok-dong: If I Brush More Diligently Than Anyone Else, Why Do They Keep Appearing?

1. #46 implant and bone grafting

After carefully performing bone grafting in the empty space caused by inflammation,

an implant was placed in the correct position.

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After that, a zirconia restoration with excellent strength and aesthetics

was placed to restore a strong molar.

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2. #47 inlay treatment

After removing the decayed area cleanly,

a precise inlay treatment was performed to restore the tooth shape.

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Without root canal treatment, we were able to safely preserve it.

By the time you feel pain from a cavity between the teeth,

the treatment area is often already larger.

Even if things look clean to the naked eye,

you do not know what may be happening between the teeth.

Do not let your guard down, and through regular checkups,

I recommend making sure to check even the gaps that cannot be seen on X-rays.

Thank you.^^

▼Check the dental clinic location▼

Cavities Between the Molars in Godeok-dong: If I Brush More Diligently Than Anyone Else, Why Do They Keep Appearing?

Go to book a reservation call
02-481-4278

| This post was written directly by Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information, in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act. The information provided is for reference only, and we recommend that you visit a medical institution to receive guidance from medical professionals regarding symptom assessment and accurate management methods. All procedures / surgeries performed at the dental clinic may involve risks depending on the individual (inflammation, bleeding, swelling, etc.). Please make your decision after sufficient consultation with medical staff in advance. The treatment cases in this post were photographed with the consent of patients who completed treatment at our clinic, and the before and after photos were taken under the same conditions. |