How do I know if my cavity is serious?

If you see pus near a tooth or teeth, your cavity has gone too far. It's become an abscess that needs to be handled right away. Abscesses are very painful and cause fevers and swollen glands. Pus will routinely collect and drain from the abscess, causing great pain.

How do you tell what stage a cavity is?

How do you tell if it's too late to fix a cavity?

For some patients, however, it may be too late for a filling to save the tooth by the time they visit their dentist. If your tooth becomes sensitive or aches due to a cavity, then you only have a limited amount of time before it becomes too extensive for a filling to address.

How do you know if a cavity is spreading?

How long does it take for a cavity to become serious?

It can take as long as five years from the time a cavity begins to develop to when the tooth needs treatment to prevent the cavity from spreading further. For some people, though, that period can be as short as a few months. No two mouths are unique, so there is no standard timeline for the development of cavities.

How to Spot the Early Signs of Tooth Decay - Colgate®

Can a cavity go away with brushing?

For all the good brushing does, it will not eliminate the cavity. The bottom line is you do not have the power to stop your cavity from growing. Your cavity will gradually expand to the point that it moves into the pulp chamber and spurs pain. If the cavity reaches the pulp of the tooth, it will require a root canal.

When should I go to the hospital for a cavity?

If the pain is unbearable and seems to feel like it is spreading along your jaw or neck, then you should go to the ER. If your mouth is bleeding and it has not stopped, you will need to head to the emergency room. When a person loses too much blood, they can lose consciousness.

How do you know if a tooth infection is killing you?

If a tooth infection goes untreated, it can spread to other areas of the body over a period of weeks or months. This can cause serious symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing, or trouble swallowing. Death can occur quickly without immediate care.

How do you know if a tooth infection is spreading to the brain?

The tooth infection spread to brain symptoms are more or less similar to the symptoms you see when the infection has spread to the body, but brain abscesses also have some other telltale clues: Confusion or irritability. Issues with nerve function, like muscle weakness or even paralysis. Seizures.

How long does it take for a cavity to spread to other teeth?

Multiple factors can influence how quickly tooth decay progresses, including oral hygiene, diet, and more. However, most cavities take several months or years to form.

When is a tooth too far gone for a filling?

If the decay reaches your tooth's main structure, called dentin, then a filling can replace the lost tooth structure after your dentist has cleaned the cavity of bacteria and infection. However, if it reaches the tooth's center chamber, called the pulp, a filling may no longer suffice to address it.

When can a cavity not be saved?

The biggest factor a dentist looks at when deciding if a tooth can be saved is how much “good” tooth structure there is left. If the tooth is broken at the gumline and has a big cavity that goes down to the bone then there is little hope that the tooth can be saved.

How big of a cavity can be filled?

Some say that a filling shouldn't be any wider than ⅓ of the distance between the cusps (high points) of a tooth. Others allow for up to 50% of this distance. These figures were calculated for metal amalgam fillings, which are the worst for damaging teeth.

What age is normal for cavities?

Teeth start to appear as early as four months of age, and all primary (“baby”) teeth should be in place by age three. 42% of children develop cavities from age 2 to 11. Nearly 28% of children aged 2 to 5 develop a cavity.

What does a super small cavity look like?

What Does a Cavity Look Like? While it is usually difficult to see a cavity in its beginning stages, some cavities start with a whitish or chalky appearance on the enamel of your tooth. More serious cases can have a discolored brown or black color. However, most often there are no distinguishable red alerts.

When should a tooth be extracted?

You may need to have a tooth extracted if: Periodontal disease has badly infected the tooth. The tooth is badly damaged and cannot be restored by a filling or a crown. You are suffering from pain even after a filling, crown, or treatment for a root canal.

What does a brain infection from tooth feel like?

headache – which is often severe, located in a single section of the head and cannot be relieved with painkillers. changes in mental state – such as confusion or irritability. problems with nerve function – such as muscle weakness, slurred speech or paralysis on one side of the body. a high temperature.

What does a spreading tooth infection feel like?

Signs of Tooth Infection Spreading to Body

Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, especially food and drinks. Pain that radiates from the tooth outward. Swelling in the cheeks or gums. Constant bad breath.

Can you go to A&E with toothache?

Immediate action required: Go to A&E if you have toothache and: the area around your eye or your neck is swollen. swelling in your mouth or neck is making it difficult for you to breathe, swallow or speak.

When is a toothache life-threatening?

An untreated tooth infection can eventually lead to bacteria in the bloodstream, sometimes called blood poisoning, also known as bacteremia or septicemia. If left untreated, septicemia can cause a severe whole-body infection called sepsis, which can be life-threatening.

Can your body fight off a tooth infection?

A tooth infection will not go away on its own. Your toothache may stop if an infection causes the pulp inside your tooth to die. The pain stops because the nerve isn't functioning anymore, so you may not be able to feel it. However, the bacteria will continue to spread and destroy surrounding tissue.

What happens if tooth infection spreads to jaw?

Leaving an infection to spread to your facial bones may eventually necessitate surgical removal to stop it. Even in minor cases, a tooth infection can cause the bone structures of your jaw to weaken, making it hard to support your teeth.

Are cavities life threatening?

Untreated cavities can lead to abscess (a severe infection) under the gums which can spread to other parts of the body and have serious, and in rare cases fatal, results.

What happens if you have a cavity for too long?

An untreated cavity can have drastic results that can be so severe that they may even cause death. Cavities are a gateway to infection, which can spread fast the longer it goes untreated.

Can I wait a week to fill a cavity?

So if you have a cavity that needs a filling, don't delay treatment. The decay can continue to develop and cause additional damage to a tooth. You can end up needing something much more extensive, not to mention expensive, such as a root canal if you wait too long to have the decay addressed.