Taking care of your teeth is just one of the many responsibilities that you have as a human to take care of your health. Proper dental hygiene always starts with frequent tooth brushing and flossing to prevent damage and decay. But even with the most vigilant care given to your dental hygiene, sometimes cavities will happen, it is a natural part of living with your teeth. But just because it can be expected every few years, it doesn’t decrease the urgency of the situation. Here are three key reasons why you shouldn’t leave a cavity unfilled to get the most from your teeth.
They Can Be Painful
The first reason why you shouldn’t leave a cavity unfilled is simply because cavities can be incredibly painful. A cavity is an area of your tooth that has decayed, allowing access to the nerve endings and more sensitive dental tissue inside of the enamel. This exposes lots of nerve endings to temperature and other variables that can be incredibly painful. While over-the-counter pain medications can help you cope with the discomfort while you wait for your filling appointment, the only long-term solution to the pain from a cavity is having it filled by a dentist.
They Can Cause Crooked Teeth
Another crucial reason why you shouldn’t leave a cavity unfilled is because unfilled cavities can cause crooked teeth. In fact, they are compounding issues, with unchecked cavities contributing to alignment problems and crooked teeth contributing to cleaning issues. Crooked teeth can lead to many health issues if you don’t fix them. When your teeth are crooked, there are more hidden pockets and corners for plaque and bacteria to hide in your mouth, further exacerbating health issues. Make sure that you are brushing your teeth and filling your cavities to prevent your teeth from shifting into a crooked position.
They Can Cause Tooth Loss
The final reason that you should never leave a cavity unfilled is because unfilled cavities can cause tooth loss. A cavity is one of the first major symptoms of tooth decay, and eventually, these cavities will continue to worsen and develop into tooth infection, and potentially tooth loss. Cavities can even contribute to gum disease and cause tooth loss across more than just the originally affected tooth.
Taking care of your teeth is a necessity, not a luxury. That includes filling any and all cavities that you get. Understand these three risks of leaving your cavities unfilled and schedule an appointment with your dentist right away to get your cavities filled today.
Check out this article on how to prevent cavities after eating sugary foods!
