What Is A Cavity?
At Joel D. Singer, DMD, we are passionate about helping our patients achieve optimal oral health. One way we encourage this is to have patients visit our office for routine hygiene examinations. During these appointments, we not only thoroughly clean their teeth, but we also look for signs of a problem with their oral health. One common issue that many of our patients experience is dental decay, also commonly referred to as a cavity. You have likely heard of cavities. Maybe you have even had one or two. But do you know how they form and what can happen if treatment is not received?
What is a Cavity?
A cavity is the result of dental decay that occurs when there is a buildup of plaque and bacteria that has turned into acid and begun to eat away at the surface of the tooth. Cavities can be caused by a number of factors, such as food trapped between the teeth and sugary and sticky food that remains lodged in the grooves of the teeth. When this food and bacteria remain on the teeth, it eventually turns into acid that begins to slowly eat away at the tooth enamel, eventually causing a hole.
What Happens When a Cavity is Left Untreated?
Dental problems, such as cavities, do not heal on their own. In fact, a cavity will continue to grow and expand until treatment is received or you experience a dental emergency. When we first notice a cavity, we will recommend a filling to restore your oral health. If you do not get the treatment in a timely fashion, the cavity will move from the tooth enamel, which is the outer part of the tooth, to the pulp, which is inside the tooth. After a certain point, the damage will be too extensive for a filling, and we may need to treat your tooth with a dental crown or a root canal or even extract the tooth.
If you are in need of an oral hygiene examination or we recommend a filling or other treatment that you need to schedule, be sure to contact our office, which is located in Fort Lee, NJ. If possible, we would like to try and schedule your appointment before the end of the year, so you can use any remaining insurance benefits before they expire. We hope to see you soon!