Published on:2019-11-25
Tooth decay can be found at the early stage due to a variety of factors like black marks on the teeth, sensitivity to cold or hot water, or simply tooth demineralization. However, if black lines are found on the pits and fissures of the teeth, you need to take it seriously.
Pits and fissures, in simple terms, are the deep grooves that make up the chewing surfaces of your teeth. This difficult-to-clean area must be brushed with a little force, otherwise it may harbor food debris and bacteria, leading to tooth cavities.
What are the black marks on the pits and fissures?
In general, there may be several possibilities:
1. Food residue. Normally it can be removed by careful tooth brushing. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, for at least two minutes each time.
2. Pigmentation. Frequent consumption of dark colored foods or beverages may cause pigmentation. In this case, the stain cannot be removed by brushing or flossing, instead you need to visit the hospital for professional cleaning.
3. Cavity, also known as pit and fissure cavity. This is not uncommon, and the main cause reason goes to poor oral hygiene. Cavity-causing bacteria feed on the trapped food residue. Over time they multiply and spread along the fissures of different sizes, slowly undermining the teeth. You must pay attention to it and receive timely treatment.
How to treat the black marks on the pits and fissures?
Pit and fissure cavity usually shows no obvious symptoms in the early stage, so it is hard for the patient to detect it. At this point, it is necessary for the patient to go to the hospital for a professional examination to evaluate the severity of the decay.
1. In mild cases where there are only a few black lines on the teeth, but no defects nor other dental issues, a proper treatment can be resorted to, followed by fissure sealant for children, or preventive filling for adults.
2. Sometimes the tooth structure underneath the black lines are seriously defected or a deep cavity is formed, while there are only light marks shown overtly. In this case, if the damage doesn’t develop into the nerves, it can be treated by removing the damaged tissue and filling the hole with special material. If the cavity goes deep into the nerve, then a timely root canal treatment is required, followed by a filling and a crown.
Pit and fissure cavity is deceptive and concealed because of the cover-up of pits and fissures. It is hard to be found. Therefore, you must go for dental check-up regularly. The six-year-old teeth erupted around the age of 6 are more prone to such cavity, because they are frequently used for chewing, so you’d better bring your child for a fissure sealant in advance to prevent the cavity.