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.
When cavities and decay become severe, you may have: Pain that interferes with daily living. Weight loss or nutrition problems from painful or difficult eating or chewing. Tooth loss, which may affect your appearance, as well as your confidence and self-esteem.
Some noticeable signs of a potential cavity include lingering bad breath, a toothache, and increased sensitivity to hot or cold food and beverages. If there is a cavity, you will most likely also feel a shooting or sharp pain when consuming something particularly acidic or high in sugar.
Like most ailments, the longer you leave a cavity without treatment, the worse it's going to get. In a span of 3-6 months cavities can reach the nerve of your tooth.
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.
In some cases, early signs of tooth erosion in the enamel can be successfully treated with fluoride toothpaste or surface filling materials. But once an actual cavity forms, dentists usually recommend treating it within a year.
Once bacteria have entered your tooth, it may be too late for a filling because we will need to prevent or treat an existing infection. However, it's never too late for dental care!
If your cavity hurts, it's not too late for a dentist to save your tooth. When cavities are small, they tend not to hurt too much, but they'll start to cause pain as they grow.
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.
Tooth Pain
Typically, you will have pain when you have a cavity that's been untreated. If you get a toothache, it's time to see the dentist. Don't put it off. In the early stages of cavities, you might feel pain when you bite down on something you eat like a piece of candy.
Noticing a cavity for the first time isn't a dental emergency, but sometimes a cavity does warrant immediate attention from your dentist. If the pain is so severe that you can't wait for a regularly scheduled appointment, it may be a dental emergency.
The nerves that allow you to feel your teeth also live in this area. As the cavity gets worse, the bacteria will infect the tooth pulp and tooth root, and can kill the tooth. If a cavity goes untreated for a year, the tooth may die. The tooth will probably feel painful, sore, and may feel brittle or loose.
Root Canals Aren't Possible with Severe Infection
If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.
How Long Does Nerve Pain Last in A Tooth? On average, a tooth nerve pain can last from as little as just a few days to as long as 4-6weeks or, in some instances, even longer.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
Unfortunately, if treatment is delayed for too long, a small cavity can transform into a serious issue that will negatively affect your oral health. Our family dentists at MI Smiles Dental will all resoundingly tell you that it is not wise to wait extensive amounts of time to fill a cavity.
Some people have softer tooth enamel than others, making it easier for bacteria or acid to penetrate the tooth. On average, as a broad timeline, it can take anywhere from six months to four or five years before a cavity needs treatment.
Dental fillings are often adequate for a fix, but in cases of severe infection, they may not work. If you have extensive damage from bacteria, you may need a dental crown.
We do not recommend leaving a cavity untreated; like most things, the longer you leave them, the worse it will get. As soon as you notice any signs of tooth decay or any sort of oral health concern, you should contact your dentist for immediate treatment.
Brushing is essential to preventing your cavity from worsening. Brushing will also help prevent the formation of even more cavities. Zero in on the cavity as you brush to eliminate any remaining food particles from your snack or meal. This thorough brushing can help hinder the cavity's progression.
However, cavities require immediate attention when they arise. Tooth decay should not be allowed to go untreated for long periods of time. Minor cavities can grow into serious problems that result in permanent tooth damage in less than 3 months.