Should You See a Dentist for a Possible Cavity?

Most people are aware of the fact that they need to see a dentist on a fairly regular schedule, yet not many people adhere to this routine. This underestimation of the importance of dental visits can be attributed to the fact that some individuals assume they will be able to tell if something is wrong with their teeth. Yet, what these people are not bearing in mind is that dental visits are supposed to be a preventive measure.

A dental issue that these visits can diagnose before it becomes exacerbated is cavities. What you may not realise about cavities is that they crop up over a prolonged period, and if left unchecked, they will necessitate root canal therapy. So how can you recognise if you are at risk? Check out the following symptoms of a possible cavity.

Foul breath

The common mistake that some dental patients make is to assume that a cavity will always manifest with pain, but this is untrue. As aforementioned, cavities take a while to develop. Hence, you could easily brush off the initial symptoms of this dental problem under the guise that they are not important since you are not in pain. One such symptom is foul breath that is typically accompanied by a nasty taste in your mouth.

This symptom comes about when food debris starts to get stuck in the affected tooth, which allows bacteria to breed. As the bacteria metabolise organic matter in the tooth, they release gases that cause incessant halitosis. If no amount of brushing helps with this issue, it is advisable to see a dentist for a possible cavity.

Tooth anomalies

The second symptom that some people tend to underrate but it is likely indicative of the onset of a cavity is abnormalities in your teeth. Once bacteria start to eat through your enamel, they end up changing the appearance of the affected tooth. One of the typical changes that you may notice is discolouration of the affected tooth, so it may turn brown or black.

Another change that you may notice is the formation of pits on the tooth. You should be aware of the fact that these are intrinsic changes to the structure of your tooth, so improving your oral hygiene will likely not fix the problem. Your best bet would be to visit a dentist quickly so that they can address the cavity before it worsens.