What Happens if You Don’t Treat a Cavity?

Cavities have been a bad word for as long as they have had a name. It is no secret that the very thought of one may make your teeth clench in opposition to treatment. While the majority of people are familiar with cavities and know the treatment process, most do not know the process of what happens to a tooth if it’s left untreated. Being informed can ensure that proper oral hygiene is part of a daily routine. Here’s a brief summary of what to expect if a cavity goes untreated:

Further Decay

Cavities don’t just go away on their own. If you ignore a cavity, it will continue to grow in size. Decay of the tooth will widen and deepen; this will make you more prone to brittle teeth leaving them to the possibility of cracking and breaking.

Nerves

Taking it a step further, if cavities go untreated the decay will eventually reach your nerves. This can be severely painful because nerves become exposed to the air as a cavity progresses. This can be an ongoing and excruciating ordeal as the sensitivity within the tooth continues to be compromised. By this time, the tooth will either need a root canal or to be extracted.

Infection

Infection in the mouth and jaw area is of greatest concern even above the pain you may experience. Infection can lead to increased pain, swelling and other health concerns. You’ll need an antibiotic to help fight the infection along with treatment of the tooth to take care of the cavity in whatever way the dentist feels is best.

Illness and Death

Finally, it may be hard to imagine, but a cavity can actually lead to an infection that is so bad that it can cause serious illness or even death. Thankfully, modern technology makes it so this is rarely ever the case. There’s certainly no need to let things go that long.

As you can see, letting a cavity progress certainly has a snowball effect. Treatment is very easy when cavities begin but can be much more involved if you ignore them. If you suspect that you have a cavity, you should seek immediate treatment from your dentist.

Schedule An Appointment With Lomita Torrance Dental Office, Torrance

We value your trust in us as part of your family’s total healthcare team and look forward to getting to know each of you as the wonderfully unique individual that you are. Each one of us loves what we do and we believe at Lomita Torrance Dental Office that it shows in the quality of our work and our patient interactions and it is one of the reasons why Lomita Torrance Dental Office is the clear choice for the dental patients in the surrounding neighborhood.

About Your Torrance, CA, Periodontist Dr. Teboul:

We look forward to providing families with exceptional care and advanced treatment options. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Teboul contact our Torrance, CA, dental office today by calling (424) 201-2885. Our office welcomes new patients in and around Torrance, CA, including Lomita, Lawndale, Carson, Redondo Beach, West Carson, Gardena, Alondra Park, Manhattan Beach and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.