Being slow to respond to a tooth that is in pain, or looks unsightly, can leave you vulnerable to a more serious oral health condition. You will not recover from a dental issue like you might recover from something like a sprained ankle – your ability to naturally heal from a tooth problem is more limited. If you leave a cavity unaddressed, it will continue to spread, and irreversibly damage more of your tooth. If it has too much time, it could even cause you to lose the tooth. Seeking out restorative dental care sooner means saving more of your tooth, and less risk it will need to be extracted.
You Cannot Stop The Spread Of A Cavity On Your Own
You can resolve to brush more thoroughly, and more often, but you cannot stop a cavity that has already formed without professional help. The type of work needed to handle active tooth decay will depend on the cavity’s severity. If it has affected your pulp, you will need a root canal treatment. This involves your dentist accessing the center of your tooth, to remove an infection. This can be avoided if you go in for help before the cavity has made its way through your enamel.
Regular Dental Exams Make Early Detection And Treatment More Likely
With regular dental exams, you create an opportunity for your dentist to go in and find a cavity you have missed. This makes it easier to have smaller cavities caught and treated, so that the restorative work you need is limited to a dental filling.
