Cavity or tooth decay is perhaps the most dreaded word in our dental dictionaries. A cavity is quite simply a hole that leads to the gradual breakdown of the tooth. It can range from a minor breakdown, where the teeth turns yellow, to a major breakdown where there is blackening involved. What causes this cavity? Plaque and sticky foods – plaque forms when we consume certain kinds of foods and drinks, coupled with an improper maintainence of oral hygiene. Plaque can slowly increase its foothold on your tooth as it begins to erode your enamel, which is ideally meant to act as a protective coating against tooth decay. How do you ascertain if you’re showing signs of tooth decay? Here’s what you should look out for.
Pain While Chewing Food
If you experience pain while chewing food it’s a definite sign of a dental problem/cavity. Touching the area where you experience pain to check the intensity of the pain , is a direct way to assess the extent of the problem. Based on the intensity of the pain you experience, you can figure out the urgency to visit a dentist to evaluate your dental condition.
Sensitivity to Hot or Cold Foods
Do you experience pain while you consume foods either too hot or too cold? You should get it checked with the dentist as soon as possible as there is a high likelihood that your cavity is growing larger in size and reaching closer to the nerves that are especially reactive to any change in temperature.
Development of Visible Holes
The food that accumulates on your teeth leads to the eventual formation of plaque. If plaque remains on your teeth for a long period of time, you’re risking the eventual formation of tartar. This build-up of tartar is dangerous since it has the capacity to turn sugar into acid, which then eventually works its way through your teeth, leading to the formation of a cavity. A common sign of this is the appearance of visible holes on your teeth.No wonder they say it’s important to go for regular dental check-ups.
Presence of Bad Breath
We have already established cavities are essentially small holes that develop due to an acidic reaction. These small holes are ripe breeding grounds for the bacteria /accumulation of food particles . These has a distinct odor that can easily lead to a bad taste in your mouth and thereby cause bad breath. In any case, bad breath by definition is not something you should take lightly.
We urge you to contact our dental professionals in case you experience any of these symptoms. General dentistry is rather diverse and we’re sure no condition you might have is beyond the scope of our dental services.