Best Family Dentist in Fairhope

What Do Cavities Feel Like?

Dealing with a cavity is pretty standard, the only condition more common than a cavity is the cold.  If you have never had to deal with tooth decay, you may wonder “What does having a cavity feel like?”  This answer will really depend on what stage the decay is in and what foods you are eating.  Foods like sweets may trigger the pain of a cavity more than other foods.

How Do Cavities Form

Our mouths are naturally full of bacteria.  Having bacteria, the good stuff, is perfectly healthy.  But some can be very harmful.  When you eat something sugary, like candy or potato chips, or drink a sugary beverage, the bacteria will feed on the sugars.  That bacteria then produce strong enough acid to wear away the enamel on the teeth, especially when it isn’t cleaned off quickly.  After all, that, is when a dental cavity begins to form.

When a cavity first starts it can be reversed.  Brushing the teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride can help to restore the enamel and reverse the effects of decay.  Best Family Dentist Fairhope AL

Signs of a Cavity

In the early stages of a cavity, what it feels like, maybe absolutely nothing.  The tooth’s enamel does not have nerves so when the decay is in that layer, it is very likely that you won’t feel a thing.  When the decay progresses enough to reach the softer tissue located inside the tooth where the dentin and nerves are located, the signs of a cavity will start to occur.  The teeth may feel sensitive and pain might be felt, especially after eating something sweet, hot, or cold.  The pain can be mild or it may be sharp and intense at times.  Some will even feel pain when they bite down when a cavity is present.  Best Family Dentist Fairhope AL

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