Dental cavities are a common dental issue that people of any age deal with. When not detected promptly, they can lead to infections. And when not treated, cavities can result in tooth loss and more expensive treatments. Recognizing the signs of dental cavities is important to avoid more complicated and expensive procedures. Also, you will not want to lose a tooth because of a cavity. This makes seeing a dentist at rock creek regularly important. 

Cavities eat away at the enamel of your teeth until they reach the dentin. Once the bacteria attack the dentin, they affect the pulp. From here, they spread to other mouth areas when not treated. To prevent this from taking place, you should know the signs of a cavity, such as the following:

Tooth Pain

Often, an untreated cavity can cause pain. Once you experience a toothache, you should not wait long to see a dentist. Initially, you might feel pain whenever you bite down on food. over time, you may experience tooth pain if you chew on even a soft type of food. When the cavity progresses further, you will experience tooth pain consistently.

Tooth Sensitivity

Usually, a sensitive tooth resembles a cavity, feeling like an occasional tickling or tingling in the tooth. The tooth feels sensitive because of bacteria that attack your enamel, which protects your tooth nerve. If bacteria start to eat through the enamel, the nerves will cause sensitivity. 

Teeth Holes

A hole in the tooth indicates a cavity has progressed. This may require a dental filling or a root canal if an infection has occurred. See a doctor as soon as possible before the hole goes bigger or deeper.

Dark Tooth Spots

An untreated cavity will appear like a dark spot on the infected tooth. It can lead to tooth discoloration. Usually, when a dark spot appears, there might be an invisible hole there. The presence of this spot can indicate that bacteria have started to make their way into the enamel of your tooth.

Bad Breath

if you have tooth decay, the bacteria that cause it will spread and penetrate your tooth, resulting in bad breath. If there is an abundance of bacteria in your mouth that cause a cavity, you will have bad breath in no time. You should schedule an appointment with your dentist because this might mean you have a bad cavity. Addressing the problem sooner than later allows for a quicker treatment and lesser cost.