The age-old adage tells us that cavities don’t hurt. But everyone also knows that toothaches aren’t fun, so it seems like there should be some correlation between the two. Turns out, it’s not quite as simple as that.
Cavities often start off painless and can remain undetected if they’re not spotted on routine dental visits. In this case, you may have a cavity without even knowing it – until your dentist points it out!
However, when cavities become more advanced, they can cause pain or sensitivity in the affected area. If caught early enough, these symptoms can be reversed with a filling or other treatment before the damage becomes too extensive.
You’ll usually feel nothing, but if you do notice something, you might notice sometimes sensitivity when you eat or drink something sweet, sometimes feeling a rough or sharp edge with your tongue.
Sometimes your floss may shred when you’re cleaning a specific area. Sometimes you might feel something that’s off when you’re chewing, or sometimes you’ll notice a bad taste coming from a specific part of your mouth.
Best Time To Get Your Cavities Filled
Most times you won’t notice anything. And that’s the best time to get your cavities filled before it starts giving you any problems, before you have any pain or discomfort.
Now, let’s talk about appearance. If you’re someone who is wanting to go get a flashlight and go inspect your own mouth in your bathroom, you’re super curious. Oftentimes, the only cavities that you might be able to see are on the chewing surface or the smooth area of your tooth. You might notice brown or black discoloration, sometimes even bright white spots.
But between the teeth is one of the most common areas for bacteria to infect, especially because lots of people aren’t great at flossing every day. So the cavities between your teeth, you often will not be able to see your dentist often can’t even see those cavities between your teeth until they get super big.
So that’s a big reason why x rays are so important. So we can see the cavities between your teeth. But regardless, back to the topic.
If your dentist tells you that you have a cavity that needs a filling, it’s best to do just that, to treat your cavity with a filling as soon as it is diagnosed, because this way you preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible. And not to mention you also lower the cost of any additional necessary dental treatment, such as root canals, crowns and other more involved procedures.
All those involved procedures, root canals, crowns, what have you usually start as a simple cavity.
3 Biggest Risks Of Untreated Cavities
Abscessed Teeth
Once a cavity breaks through your enamel, the softer dentin layer underneath can decay and an even quicker pace under the dentin is the nerve of the tooth. And when your nerve is exposed to bacteria, it becomes inflamed, abscessed, and starts to die. The only option for preserving your tooth at this point is to get a root canal.
Broken or Cracked Teeth.
As cavities expand into the surrounding tooth structure, your durable enamel becomes a hollow shell. The thinner and weaker it gets, the more likely it is to break or crack under everyday pressures of biting and chewing. If your tooth splits off, you might be lucky enough to fix it with a crown. Or it could be so severe that the only option is to have the tooth pulled.
Failure of Existing Dental Work.
If you have a restoration like a crown or a bridge, but you get decay under the edges where the underlying enamel is exposed, the supporting tooth can give way and cause the entire crown or bridge to fail. So I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to not wait until you have pain to get your cavities filled. Because once you start feeling throbbing or extreme discomfort, more likely than not your cavity has turned into a more serious issue than a simple filling. Putting it off will most likely result in needing a root canal because if you’re feeling throbbing pain, that cavity probably already reached the nerve.
How To Prevent This From Happening?
Visit your dentist routinely and get checkup x rays routinely and make sure you’re seeing a dentist you trust and who answers your questions and makes you aware of what’s going on in your mouth.
Fillings are the best treatment for cavities, but sometimes a crown or a root canal is necessary. If the cavity gets too big or if the cavity reaches the nerve of the tooth. Cavities start out small and unless they are incipient, they only keep getting bigger until the cavity is removed and filled. So see your dentist at least every six months to help reduce your risk of tooth decay and intercept when it’s small.
Can You Have Cavities Without Pain
As surprising as it may sound, it is indeed possible to have cavities without feeling any pain. Cavities or tooth decay occur when harmful bacteria in our mouth interact with the sugars and starches in the food particles left behind after eating. These bacteria produce acid that eats away at the tooth’s enamel, leading to cavities. Initially, cavities generally do not cause any discomfort or pain. However, as they progress and deepen, the sensitivity can increase.
Tooth decay does not occur overnight but rather in stages. In the early stages, one may not notice any symptoms, and the decay might only be visible through an X-ray. Dental professionals recommend regular dental checkups to catch early signs of cavities. While most people can identify tooth pain or sensitivity, not everyone experiences these symptoms. Some patients may have cavities in the back of their mouth, where the nerve endings are less sensitive. In such cases, a patient may not experience any pain or discomfort until the cavity has grown in size and penetrated deeper into the tooth.
It is essential to keep in mind that the absence of pain does not mean the absence of a problem. Not identifying and treating cavities promptly can lead to more significant problems, such as infections or even tooth loss. Therefore, maintaining a proper oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist can help prevent and detect cavities at an early stage. Dental professionals also recommend cutting down on sugary and starchy foods and using fluoride toothpaste to strengthen the enamel and prevent tooth decay. By following these simple practices, we can maintain good oral health and prevent cavities from causing pain down the road.
Can You Have Cavities Without Pain
As surprising as it may sound, it is indeed possible to have cavities without feeling any pain. Cavities or tooth decay occur when harmful bacteria in our mouth interact with the sugars and starches in the food particles left behind after eating. These bacteria produce acid that eats away at the tooth’s enamel, leading to cavities. Initially, cavities generally do not cause any discomfort or pain. However, as they progress and deepen, the sensitivity can increase.
Tooth decay does not occur overnight but rather in stages. In the early stages, one may not notice any symptoms, and the decay might only be visible through an X-ray. Dental professionals recommend regular dental checkups to catch early signs of cavities. While most people can identify tooth pain or sensitivity, not everyone experiences these symptoms. Some patients may have cavities in the back of their mouth, where the nerve endings are less sensitive. In such cases, a patient may not experience any pain or discomfort until the cavity has grown in size and penetrated deeper into the tooth.
It is essential to keep in mind that the absence of pain does not mean the absence of a problem. Not identifying and treating cavities promptly can lead to more significant problems, such as infections or even tooth loss. Therefore, maintaining a proper oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist can help prevent and detect cavities at an early stage. Dental professionals also recommend cutting down on sugary and starchy foods and using fluoride toothpaste to strengthen the enamel and prevent tooth decay. By following these simple practices, we can maintain good oral health and prevent cavities from causing pain down the road.
