Albertville, AL
Have you ever been eating something sweet, hot or cold when, all of a sudden, you feel a jolt of pain shoot through a tooth?
Unfortunately, that could mean you have a cavity. And it’s not just an uncomfortable sensation. Dental decay, if left untreated, can become a serious threat to your oral health … and even your overall physical health.
Our Albertville family dentists are here today to share the most common ways you will know when you may need a filling:
Cavities
Cavities are damaged areas on the hard surface of your teeth caused largely by improper or infrequent oral hygiene practices. The large majority of American adults have cavities or fillings in their teeth. Filling a cavity — while not something most folks necessarily look forward to — is among the most common dental procedures. Fillings are necessary to clean decay out of a tooth and restore the tooth to its natural strong and healthy state.
Cavities start usually when food particles that aren’t brushed or flossed from your teeth feed off of natural bacteria in your mouth, causing tartar and plaque build-up between teeth and, eventually, under gum lines (which leads to gum disease). Plaque wears away at your teeth, creating soft spots on tooth surfaces. Those areas can first appear as brown, black, or even bright-white stains or spots on your tooth. If left untreated, the spot will grow larger and deeper, eventually creating a painful hole in the tooth. A dark spot on the surface of your tooth is a warning sign that it’s time to schedule a checkup with our Gadsden family dentists.
Tooth pain
If you have a toothache or feel pain when you bite down or clench your teeth, you may have tooth decay. Not all tooth pain is caused by a cavity, but toothaches are frequently caused by tooth decay that has eaten further into the tooth. This is an issue that warrants a dental appointment as quickly as possible. If decay spreads to the pulp of a tooth, the tooth can become too damaged for a filling to be able to fix it. Instead, it may require a root canal, which is more involved than a filling.
Tooth sensitivity
Pain in a tooth when consuming something sweet, hot, or cold is a strong indication of tooth decay. Decay eats away at the protective surface of a tooth, allowing foods that are hot, cold, sweet, sticky, or acidic to penetrate beyond the surface and deeper inside the tooth. This stimulates the nerve inside your tooth, causing the pain or uncomfortable sensitivity you may feel when eating or drinking.
You lost a filling
As teeth age, fillings can sometimes pull away from the tooth they’re in, causing the filling to become loose or even fall out. A tooth that has a compromised or missing filling can be painful and is susceptible to breaking. It can also re-develop decay if not promptly repaired. Routine visits to your dentist — recommended twice a year — can oftentimes prevent this from happening since your dentist will examine your existing dental work during your checkup.
Family dentistry in Albertville, AL
If you notice pain in your teeth of any kind, it’s time to schedule a visit with our family dentists at Wall Street Dentistry. While a cavity usually first appears with few (if any) symptoms, dentists and hygienists are professionally trained to spot early signs of tooth decay or even loose fillings. In the event you do have the beginnings of a cavity, early detection by a dentist can save you a lot of eventual discomfort or pain. Also remember that a strong oral hygiene routine is the biggest and best preventative against the need for fillings because that is what best keeps tooth decay at bay. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, floss at least once daily and visit our dentists for professional cleanings once every six months. If it’s time for your twice-a-year cleaning or if you think you may be developing a cavity in one or more of your teeth, give us a call today. You can reach us at (256) 400-2783, or contact us online.
