Taking Care of Cavities
Canadian Dental Association Dental Information System
The Dental Information System (D.I.S.) is a series of booklets by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). The CDA is the national organization of the dental profession. The CDAs goal is that you have the best dental health possible. The D.I.S. can help you reach this goal.
The booklets in the D.I.S. are:
- Bleaching, Bonding and Veneers
- Care After Minor Oral Surgery
- Dental Care for Seniors
- Growing Up... What It Means for Your Child's Dental Health
- Gum Disease
- Orthodontics
- Personal Dental Care
- Restoring and Replacing Your Teeth
- Root Canal Treatment
- Taking Care of Cavities
- The ABCs of Caring for Your Child's Teeth
- The Check-tip
- TMD (Temporomandibular Disorders)
- You and Your Dentist
- Oral Health Care Partners
To learn even more about your dental health, talk to your dentist. To learn more about the CDA, visit our web site at www.cda-adc.ca.
The CDA would like to thank the following people for their contribution to this edition of Taking, Care of Cavities:
- Dr. Benoit Soucy
- Dr. Peter Williams.
The CDA is grateful to Colgate-Palmolive for its generous support of the D.I.S. Colgate-Palmolive's sponsorship has made this program possible. The D.I.S. booklets are produced and distributed by Canadian Dental Service Plans Inc.
Taking Care of Cavities
When you go for a check-up, one of the things your dentist looks for is tooth decay, also known as a cavity. If you have a cavity and it needs a filling, there are different kinds of fillings to do the job.
Here's what you will learn about in this booklet:
- The choices you have
- How a cavity forms
- How fillings are done
- Kinds of fillings
The choices you have
Your dentist cares about you and your oral health. If you have questions or concerns about the kind of fillings that are used in your mouth, talk to your dentist.
Each kind of filling has pros and cons. What you choose depends on your needs. When something foreign is put into your body, there is always the chance of side effects, such as an allergy. For every filling material, there are a few people who are allergic to it. The good that comes from using a material must be greater than the risks. For most people, treating disease and repairing damage in the mouth are much more important to good health than any drawbacks from the fillings.
Before you get a filling, you should tell your dentist about changes to your health since your last visit:
- Are you taking medicine?
- Do you have allergies?
- Are you pregnant?
Your dentist can suggest the kind of filling that is best for you. But the final choice is yours.
Dr. Molly Rodgers, General Dentist - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry to the area of Edmonton Alberta, Canada.
