Why You Shouldn't Be Tempted To Put Off Having A Small Cavity Filled
If you're the type of person who never complains about pain and just pushes through, you may be tempted to ignore a minor toothache or pain when you eat or drink. However, putting off getting a cavity filled could be a bad idea. The earlier you have your cavity checked and treated, the easier it will be on you. Here are some reasons not to ignore your cavity or toothache.
Cavities Usually Get Bigger
When you have regular visits with your family dentist, your dentist can find tiny lesions on your teeth before they turn into big cavities. During this stage, it might be possible to stop the growth of the cavity or even reverse it. However, once the cavity has eaten into the enamel, it will probably continue to get bigger as time goes by. A bigger cavity could mean increased pain since food, water, and air will reach the nerve easier. A big cavity could even affect your appearance if the affected tooth is in the front of your mouth. Your tooth could decay so much that its shape is altered and the tooth becomes weak and easy to break when you eat.
Cavities Can Get Infected
An abscessed tooth can be very painful. An abscess is an infection that's under your gum or in your bone. This can cause your jaw to swell and drainage to leak from your gum. There's a risk a tooth infection can spread throughout your body and cause complications. If your toothache progresses to the point where you have swelling in your jaw, don't delay getting your cavity treated any longer. You may need antibiotics in addition to filling the cavity.
Your Dental Work Will Be More Expensive
When you put off having a cavity filled, you may eventually be driven to the dentist for relief of pain. By that time, your tooth root could be infected, or the cavity could be so large that it won't hold a filling. What started as a simple filling could escalate into the need for a crown and root canal or an extraction and dental implant. The procedures for treating a big cavity can be more difficult to endure and cost more too.
To prevent these complications, make it a priority to see your family dentist on schedule. If your dentist finds a cavity, have it filled while it's still small. A small cavity may not even cause you any pain, but filling it when it's tiny helps preserve your tooth and saves you from a toothache and possible infection. For more information, contact a local clinic like Desert Dental: Ruintan Kamran D.M.D.