110 What is Pitting in Dentistry

What is Pitting in Dentistry?

Have you been at a dental appointment and the dentist mentioned that your teeth are not in the same condition as they used to be? Did the dentist mention dental pitting? But if you don’t know what pitting is, you may not know the best way to treat it or if it needs to be treated at all.

What Are Pits and Fissures?
When you look at your premolars and molars in your mouth, you will notice the surfaces have peaks and valleys. The valleys or the lower points on the surfaces where you bite and chew are the fissures. Your premolars and molars have fissures but they are more pronounced on your molars. Because the fissures are naturally occurring, you should not worry when you notice these. Fissures are ideal places for plaque and bacteria to flourish so you should take care to properly brush these areas when you are cleaning your teeth at home.

When you have small holes or indentations on areas of your teeth that resemble hills, those are examples of dental pitting. Dental pitting is a depression on the enamel of your teeth that could be a small pin sized hole or a collection of small dents in one area. Just like fissures, pits are ideal places for bacteria and plaque to thrive so it is important to keep a close eye on these areas with your dentist and to ensure you are brushing them at home.

How Do Pits and Fissures Form?
Small valleys and holes are first good places for small pieces of food to hide and allow a bacterial film to grow over the surface of the tooth in that area if your teeth are not regularly and thoroughly cleaned. Your toothbrush may not be designed to clean those areas as well as the smoother surfaces of your teeth. The bacteria remains in these spots undisturbed and feed off the sugar in your food and drinks. The bacteria produces an acid that eats away at the enamel of your teeth by stripping it of minerals. The enamel weakens without the minerals and allows for more damage to the tooth. You may develop a cavity as a result of not addressing the formerly small pit. When you drink fluorinated water and use toothpaste with fluoride, it can help replace the stripped minerals from your enamel. The longer the enamel remains unaffected, the less you have to worry about cavities and tooth decay.

You can take the opportunity to talk to the dentist about any dental pitting or fissures and see if you are a good candidate for preventative care like sealants. The dentist can use a resin compound to fill in the most narrow spaces in your fissures and the tiniest of pits creating a smooth surface that is easier to clean and keep free from bacteria. The procedure of placing the sealants in your teeth is painless for you and is a very simple way to help keep your teeth stronger for a longer time.