Cavity Breakthrough! Dental Fillings May Become a Thing of the Past

Going to the dentist can be a painful experience--for your mouth and your pocketbook. After all, when dentists discover some tooth decay, the first option is usually to "drill and fill"--in other words, cut away the decay and then filling the area with resin or some other material.
Turns out, drilling and filling isn't necessary--and you can prevent cavities by less painful ways, according to a seven-year Australian study. Researchers found that dentists could cut the need for fillings by 50 percent by just doing the following:
1. Applying a concentrated fluoride varnish to the decayed area
2. Urging the patient to avoid sugary snacks and drinks in-between meals
3. Going over proper tooth-brushing techniques with the patient
4. Monitoring the tooth showing signs of decay

A big reason for the shift in dental care : Tooth decay is a much slower process than dentists previously thought. It can take up to eight years for the decay to spread from the outer tooth enamel to the inner part of the tooth, where it does damage. A big bonus: The preventative methods can actually REVERSE decay.

If your tooth already has a cavity (or hole), you are out of luck. The only way to treat actual cavities is to drill and fill.