Regular visits to your dentist are part of helping keep teeth and gums healthy. That’s why the American Dental Association says that people should visit the dentist at least twice a year. Thanks to those regular dental check-ups, your dental practitioner can spot problems such as cavities. Here are reasons to visit a dentist quickly after noticing a cavity.
Intervention
Doing your regular check-ups your dentist will check for things like cavities and other diseases. But even if you’ve already had your checkup for the year and spot a cavity, don’t hesitate to make an extra appointment with your dentist. Going to the dentist as soon as possible is the first step to early intervention. Why is that important? Early intervention upon seeing a cavity can help you save time, money, and pain down the road.
Your dentist can schedule you to get a filling on that tooth. The earlier you get a filling on a decayed tooth, the better. After all, the smaller the filling is the cheaper it will be. The dentist can’t put the filling in until they get rid of all the decay. So the more that they have to drill the longer a process will take. They may use metal fillings or porcelain ones that match your tooth color.
What if it’s your child who has a cavity? Did you know, according to the National Institute of Health, that over 40% of children two to 11 have at least one cavity in their primary teeth? It’s no shock if a child has a cavity since children are known for loving their sugary drinks and food. However, as a parent, you don’t want your children to start with a mouthful of rotting teeth, so getting them to the dentist immediately is the intervention they need. Since your children are still young, if you catch those cavities early, your dentist may be able to further protect them by using a sealant.
Sensitivity
In the early stages of a cavity, you may not feel it too much. However as the cavity gets bigger, don’t be surprised if you begin to experience tooth sensitivity. Remember, like anything else in your body, your teeth also are connected to nerves. So, if a cavity begins to get down to the root or if there’s a crack in the tooth, it may experience extreme sensitivity to cold or heat. Something as simple as drinking a hot cup of coffee or enjoying ice cream on a summer day may become more difficult. Until you get the cavity dealt with, the sensitivity will likely continue to get worse and worse until you see your dentist.
Pain
So many Americans are dealing with some form of chronic pain. There’s back pain, neck pain, and inflammation from arthritis. On top of that, many people are dealing with toothaches which often occur due to a deep cavity. With early intervention, you can avoid having unnecessary oral pain. Such pain can be very disruptive in your life and can affect other necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. After all, it would be hard to eat a healthy apple, crunchy carrot, or anything else that may be slightly hard if it’s too painful for you to bite down on it.
Root Canals
If you wait too long to visit dentists upon spotting a cavity, you may eventually get the news that you need a root canal. Thanks to dental technology, root canals can be a faster and pain-free process than decades before. However, root canals require much more work than a typical filling. After all, when dentists perform a root canal they have to clean out the entire pulp and fill it with a sealant. In most cases, the dentist has to further protect the fragile tooth by adding a crown. Expect to see your dentist for at least two or three trips when you’re dealing with a root canal. At least if you catch your cavity in the very early stages, it’ll involve one visit and a quick filling.
Discoloration
Like most people, you likely care about how your teeth look. You don’t want your otherwise pretty white teeth to become ruined by discoloration. If your teeth begin to decay, discoloration is exactly what will happen. While tooth whitening is effective for getting rid of surface-level tooth discoloration, it can’t get rid of actual decay itself. The smile is the first thing people notice about someone. If you want to maintain your beautiful smile, ensure that you handle things such as cavities immediately
Expenses
When you catch tooth decay early, it can save you a lot of money later on. There’s a major price difference between a simple filling versus an extensive root canal and restoration treatment. Depending on your area, a root canal and final crown could end up costing you four figures. Even with dental insurance, there’ll be a significant part that you’ll likely have to pay out of your pocket to complete your final root canal and restoration process. What if things worsen to where you may end up losing a tooth? A root canal is usually the final step in saving your natural tooth from extensive decay. If the tooth is so far gone that the dentist has to pull it, the only solution you have afterward is tooth replacement. If you choose dental implants, they act and look like natural teeth, but can cost several thousands of dollars.
Sleep
Everyone must sleep to properly recharge their body every day. Without proper sleep, you’ll have all sorts of health problems like fatigue, brain fog, cognition issues, inflammation, etc. A surefire way to disrupt your sleep is with ongoing tooth pain. A cavity that gets out of hand and deepens can create a great amount of pain. If it becomes infected, it may turn into a very painful abscess. This type of oral pain can make it impossible to properly sleep and can affect your overall quality of life. According to the Sleep Foundation, you should get seven and nine hours of restful sleep each night. Going to the dentist immediately upon finding a cavity can ensure that it doesn’t cost you sleep down the road.
Your local dentists are here for you whether you have a cavity or other oral concerns. Don’t hesitate to visit them when you discover a cavity, as it can help prevent a list of other problems mentioned above. For quality and thorough dental care you can trust, visit our office for a consultation.