10 Signs You Have Dental Cavities

If you are one of the many millions of people who avoid the dentist like the plague, you may have experienced dental pain from time to time that you blew off as a simple tooth ache. Any excuse to avoid that dental chair right? The thing is, leaving dental cavities unattended can lead to many other health issues. Those health issues can lead to a lot more discomfort than you’d ever experience having a cavity fixed by a Vancouver dentist.

Below are the top ten signs that you have dental cavities. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, you should see your dentist a soon as possible to prevent further problems.

1.    Hot or Cold Sensitivity

It’s not abnormal for you to experience the odd bout of sensitivity when switching from a really hot food or drink to a cold one, however, a sure sign of dental cavities is when you experience this sensitivity all the time. The good news is, this sensitivity means that the root of the tooth is still alive and can very often be saved. If left untreated, you may have to have a root canal to remove the dead root.

2.    Pain When Chewing with Certain Teeth

If you have regular pain in a particular tooth regardless of what type of food you eat (hot, cold, soft, crunchy), this usually means that you have a dental cavity. As noted, once in a while a little bit of pain once in a while might mean that you’ve simply been over-working your teeth. But any pain that is consistent in the same tooth needs to be addressed.

3.    Pink in the Sink

We’ve all seen the commercial about ‘a little pink in the sink’. If you rarely experience this, it might mean that you’ve been overzealous in your brushing and flossing, or that you’ve got something stuck in your gums. Popcorn husks are notorious! But if you see pink in the sink every time you brush, it means that you have gum disease. Gum disease occurs when there is a very high amount of bad bacterial in the mouth – and this bacteria doesn’t just attack the gums, it goes after the teeth as well, causing dental cavities.

4.    Swollen Gums

As with the above symptom, if you have puffy or swollen gums that hurt when you eat or drink, it means that there is too much bad bacteria in your mouth. This bacteria is not only having a negative impact on your gums – it is constantly bathing your teeth. Brushing and flossing are unlikely to resolve the issue at this point, so the best thing to do is see your dentist before the infection turns into cavities.

5.    Bad Breath

Everyone has bad breath from time to time. If you eat lots of spicy garlicky foods, it’s only natural that that your breath would get a little pungent. But if you have a strange rancid taste in your mouth combined with bad breath that smells different than food-based breath, it could be caused by a cavity. A cavity is basically a portion of the tooth or root that is dying, so this breath is the smell of a dying tooth. Get to a dentist fast!

6.    Discoloration

Some people are born with teeth that are pearly white, while others have different shades of beige, or even ecru. If the shade of your teeth is generally uniform, then it’s not likely you have a problem with cavities. However, if you begin to notice new discoloration of a tooth, or even a part of a tooth, then it most likely means that you have a cavity. Cavities can form on any surface of the tooth – the inside, outside, front and back. Depending on the size, it can lead to the entire tooth appearing to darken.

7.    Chips or Cracks

It makes sense that if you bite into something extremely hard, like an ice cube, a chip or a cracked tooth could occur, however if you are eating relatively soft foods yet you notice that your teeth are beginning to chip or crack, it means that the structure of the tooth is weakening. This is usually caused by a cavity somewhere within the tooth.

8.    Shifting Teeth or New Gapping

If you notice your teeth beginning to shift, or see new gaps appearing between them, coupled with dental pain, you may have a large cavity in one of your back teeth. As the cavity forms and grows, it puts pressure on the rest of the tooth structure, which can lead to shifting or gapping.

9.    Sharp Pain When Biting

As mentioned, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if you bite into something as hard as an ice cube, and experience a sudden sharp pain. But if you are experiencing any type of sharp pain regardless of what you eat, then you probably have a cavity. If the cavity is treated quickly, the tooth can be saved, however if left untreated, the tooth will die, and then you’ll need a root canal.

10. Facial Pain

Many people blame facial pain on things like sinus infections, headaches, or just a bad cold. But the fact is, the teeth and sinuses have a very close connection. Problems with the sinuses can manifest in dental pain, and problems with the teeth can manifest in dental pain. It’s always wise to have both your regular doctor and your Vancouver dentist take a look to ensure that your facial pain is properly treated.

As you can see, there are lots of symptoms that can be caused by dental cavities. It’s never a good idea to ignore any of these symptoms as they can be the result of dental cavities. Left untreated, cavities can wreak havoc on your overall health, not to mention often result in the need for a root canal. If you’re avoiding the dentist because you don’t like having cavities repaired, do a little research on root canals and ask yourself which would be better?

If you have any concerns or suspect you may have a cavity, contact one of our Vancouver dentists. We’re always available to help!

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