If your decay is in the early stages, your dentist may apply a fluoride varnish to the area, which can help to stop further decay.
If decay has worn away your enamel and caused a cavity, your dentist will remove the decay and restore your tooth with a filling. If the nerve in the middle of your tooth is damaged, you will need to have a root canal treatment, which removes the nerve and restores the tooth with a filling or crown.
If the tooth is so badly destroyed that it cannot be restored, the only option may be to remove the tooth.
Fluoride
Fluoride is probably the most effective treatment available for preventing and limiting the spread of tooth decay. It is a naturally occurring mineral found in foods and drinks, such as fish and tea, but it can also be synthesised (manufactured). Synthetic fluoride is used in toothpaste, from which most people get their fluoride.
Fluoride protects teeth by strengthening the enamel, making teeth more resistant to the acid attacks that can cause tooth decay. It reduces the ability of plaque bacteria to produce acid, and it enhances the repair (remineralisation) of enamel.
If your cavity is in its early stages, your dentist may be able to repair the decay by using a concentrated fluoride gel, varnish or paste.
For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on fluoride.
Fillings and crowns
If the decay to one of your teeth is more extensive, it may be necessary to repair the damage with a filling or crown.
A filling replaces your missing enamel. There are many different filling materials available, including amalgam (silver coloured), composite (tooth coloured) and glass ionomer (tooth coloured).
Inlays and onlays can also be used to fill teeth. They specifically fill the size and shape of your cavity, and are fixed in place with dental cement. Inlays and onlays are usually made from gold, as it is the most long-lasting and hard-wearing filling material.
Crowns are used to treat teeth that have been extensively damaged. The decayed section of the tooth is drilled away and the crown is placed over the remaining section of the tooth. Crowns are made out of gold, porcelain, ceramic or glass.
Root canal treatment
If tooth decay has spread to the pulp, the pulp may have to be removed and replaced with an artificial pulp that will keep the tooth in place. This is known as root canal treatment.
Root canal therapy has had a reputation of being a painful procedure, but modern dental techniques mean it is now relatively painless.
For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on root canal treatment.
Tooth extraction
In very serious cases of tooth decay, the tooth may be removed to prevent the spread of infection. Losing certain teeth can affect the shape and function of the surrounding teeth, so the dentist may have to replace the tooth with an artificial implant.
