Do you have a dental cavity but scared of dental appointments? Here is good news for you. There are home remedies to get rid of cavities without fillings. The common dental treatment for dental cavity is dental filling but undergoing a dental filling procedure isn’t exactly convenient. That is why this article presents at-home methods to treat cavities.
Cavities are also referred to as dental caries and are little holes bored into your teeth due to dental decay.
How You Get Cavity
If you do not follow proper oral hygiene practices, food and drink remnants (chunks and debris) will remain in your mouth. Soon, bacteria in your mouth will begin to feed on these chunks and debris to form a coat of plaque over the teeth. The plaque hardens over time to form tartar, which is more difficult to be removed through brushing and flossing.
The tartar will begin to grow more bacteria, which will release acids and by-products that will attack the tooth enamel. Soon, the attack will lead to holes in the teeth. That bacteria attack will further dig into the dentine, and then into the inner softer tissue of the teeth.
Schedule Appointment
Symptoms of Cavities
- Appearance of black, brown, or white stains on the surface of your tooth
- Severe pain while biting down
- Toothache that occurs without any cause
- Tooth sensitivity to hot, cold, and pressure
- Appearance of an actual hole on the tooth.
Are There Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Cavities Without Fillings?
Yes! There are several home remedies to get rid of cavities without fillings. These home remedies can even stop this decay before it forms a cavity.
It is possible to prevent a cavity using home remedies when decay is at the pre-cavity stage. This is when decay has made holes in a tooth’s enamel but has not yet reached the dentin. However, these home remedies are effective at treating cavities when the decay has not gotten to the dentine. Once the decay gets to the dentine and a cavity starts to form, then a professional dental treatment is needed.
Though treating cavities should be handled by a dentist to ensure no dental complication occurs, there are several home remedies to get rid of cavities that can strengthen the tooth enamel and prevents a cavity from forming.
Home Remedies to Get Rid Of Cavities without Fillings
The number one prevention for cavities is following proper oral hygiene habit like brushing your teeth at least twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste. This will re-mineralize your tooth enamel and prevent cavities. Reports showed that using fluoridated toothpaste can significantly harden the teeth enamel and give the teeth the necessary protection to fight off dental decay and cavity.
But in case you prefer to use natural home remedies to get rid of cavities, instead of using fluoridated products, follow the steps below:
1. Oil Pulling
Although more studies are needed to confirm the potency of oil pulling at preventing cavities, oil pulling has been named as a method to prevent cavity. The method involves swishing a tablespoon of oil (either coconut oil or sesame oil) around inside the mouth for a few minutes before spitting it out. This method does not only improve tooth health but also reduces the number of bacteria and plaque buildup in the mouth to some extent. This, in turn, helps to re-mineralize the tooth enamel and prevent cavities.
2. Using Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has antibacterial properties. So, using Aloe Vera gel will help to fight off the bacterial infection that causes cavities. Aloe Vera gel can also help to re-mineralize teeth enamel at the pre-cavity stage.
3. Avoiding Sugary Foods and Drinks
Consuming sugar or diets rich in sugar is one of the main causes of dental cavities. The reason is that sugar in the diet mixes with bacteria in the mouth to form acid, which breaks down teeth enamel. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the best way to prevent cavities after regular brushing and flossing is consuming less of sugary foods and drinks.
4. Eating Licorice Root
Licorice root has natural antibacterial properties, which may help in treating cavities. The Licorice root is capable of targeting the bacteria that cause dental cavities. A report revealed that sucking on a lollipop that contains licorice extract can help in treating cavities. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to support the ability of these lollipops for treat cavity.
5. Using Neem
According to studies, Neem has an excellent antimicrobial property to fight against various types of bacteria that may cause dental cavities. Hence, chewing and brushing the teeth with Neem sticks at least once a day can effectively help in treating cavities.
All these remedies are scientifically proven to help in treating cavities. Here are some prevention tips to help prevent further decaying of your teeth.
6. Using Saltwater
This is the easiest and most affordable home remedies to get rid of cavities. Rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater creates a temporary relief from pain from dental cavities. This method also promotes healthy gums, removes bacteria, and promotes the healing of wounds in the mouth. It also neutralizes the pH level in the mouth by eliminating the acids. This method involves swishing the warm saltwater around inside your mouth for about three minutes before spitting it out. This method should be repeated up to three or four times daily.
Take Home
The home remedies listed above may help to reduce the risk of dental cavities or help to reverse damage to the teeth enamel in the pre-cavity stage. For effective performance, these home remedies should be used together dentist-recommended methods like brushing with fluoridated toothpaste and flossing.
More so, not all dental cavities cause pain, so you would need to visit a dentist regularly. The dentist would conduct some dental test to detect cavities at an early stage and then prescribe preventive actions. In case yours is an advance case of a dental cavity, you may be provided with a dental filling, dental crown, or other dental treatments.