Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get that Cavity Treated

During your routine oral hygiene examinations, we not only thoroughly clean your teeth, but we also check for problems that can impact your oral health. We look for issues like gum disease and oral cancer. The most common problem that affects our patients of all ages is tooth decay, also known as a cavity. Most people are aware of the term cavity, but do you really understand what it means and how it is caused? Read on to learn more about cavities and what can happen if they are not treated.

What are Cavities?

One of the first questions we are asked after an oral hygiene examination is if we have noticed any cavities. A cavity caused by dental decay. It is what happens when plaque and bacteria buildup begins to eat away at the surface of the tooth. Cavities can occur in adults and children alike. This is why we are passionate about our patients of all ages brushing, flossing, and caring for their teeth between visits to our office.

What Happens if a Cavity Goes Untreated?

Dental decay does not heal on its own. In fact, the opposite is true. Tooth decay will continue to progress and worsen until you get treatment. If you keep delaying treatment, the cavity will continue to grow and move from the tooth enamel, which is the outer part of the tooth, to the pulp, the soft tissue inside the tooth. Not getting a cavity filled promptly can result in you needing a dental crown, a root canal, or even a tooth extraction if the tooth root is too damaged to be repaired. The longer you delay treatment, the greater the chance you will have a dental emergency. We would hate for that to happen to you over the holiday season. If you are in need of a filling, now is a great time to schedule your appointment.

If you are due for an oral hygiene examination or we recommend a filling or other treatment that you need to schedule, be sure to contact our office, which is located in Terre Haute, IN. We want to help you have optimal oral health! See you soon!