5 signs you may have a cavity

A cavity is basically a hole that forms in the tooth because of bacterial activity that produce acids causing the hard portion of the tooth to decay.

Following are the signs that you may have a tooth cavity.

1. Food lodgement

In case you are annoyed by that one area in your mouth where food gets stuck; especially those fibrous bits, then its highly likely that you have a cavity.

2. Sensitivity

Well not all sensitive teeth will have cavities, but there are high chances that a tooth is sensitive because of a cavity. Its only when the cavity has become big enough or rather deep enough to reach beyond the outer enamel of the tooth will the tooth be sensitive.

3. Black spots

Black lines or spots or a grey area on the tooth can all mean that there is cavity in that tooth. Some might be superficial than others, but there are very few times that you will see a black or grey area on the tooth which is not a cavity.

4. Pain

Severe pain in the tooth or jaw is almost always because of a cavity.

5. Nothing at all

Most of the time cavities go unnoticed because there will be no visible or tangible signs. That is where a professional’s trained eye and X-ray imaging comes handy.

Have Cavities But No Pain?

Don’t wait for pain. Because then you already may be too late.

Tooth cavities or dental caries as they are know are one of the major causes of dental pain and loss of teeth. Its a disease widely prevalent in every country, every culture and all age groups. Multiple factors can predispose a person to be affected by it including crooked teeth, an improper fit of the upper and lower teeth, sugar rich diet, genetics and other existing debilitating diseases. But the major cause is inadequate hygiene.

The bacteria causing dental cavities are really only interested in the food that you chew and that gets left behind on the teeth, and are not interested in the teeth themselves. When these bacteriae feast on the food residues, the by-product is acid. This acid is what attacks the tooth structure causing cavities.

Hence, keeping your teeth clean and devoid of any food residue will keep the bacterial activity at the minimum, resultantly decreasing the probability of formation of cavities.

For the most part, its an irreversible affliction of the tooth. Once the tooth structure is lost to decay, its lost forever. Advancements in dentistry have introduced materials that can be used to fill these cavities and replace missing tooth structure depending on the extent of the damage.

Unfortunately a lot of people neglect the initial symptoms of the damage until they experience pain. At this point it is highly likely that the cavity has extended deep enough to reach the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth. Which also means that the tooth cannot be treated by just filling the cavity but a more invasive treatment like root canal treatment or even extraction could be the only way to alleviate the pain.

All this can be avoided by early detection and various preventive modalities available. Visit your dental practitioners to find out more about preventive modalities like fissure sealants and fluoride applications.

And as I said, don’t wait for pain, because then you already may be too late.

The Toothpaste Conundrum

As a dentist, one of the most frequently asked question by the patients is,

‘which toothpaste should I use?’ The answer to this is more complicated than just a name of a particular product from a particular brand.

Lets think about it rationally. What all should a toothpaste do to qualify as an ideal toothpaste? Well, just clean your teeth. Then how is it much different from a soap that is used to clean other surfaces. If you apply soap onto a surface and leave it right there, will it clean well without any scrubbing? Will the dirty clothes get clean as well when soaked in soap water as they would be if you mechanically scrub them or put them in a washing machine? So I think I made my point. Its not the soap alone, its how you use it. And its not which toothpaste but how you brush your teeth is more important of an issue.

Yes, there are toothpastes manufactured that suit the varied flavour choices, age groups and other special needs (like sensitivity) of consumers. But they all mainly function as a cleaning aid to be used with a toothbrush. So the next time you visit a dentist the more appropriate question to ask would be,

‘which toothbrush should I use and how?’

And there is no shame if your brushing method is wrong. Believe me, you are not alone.