If you’ve received news from your dentist that one or more cavities was present during your last examination and are considering putting off proper treatment, think again. Delaying treatment will only make things worse and just one cavity can become a serious health risk. Here are some of the consequences that may arise when ignoring a cavity. 

Progressive Tooth Decay
Cavities are essentially areas of decay in a tooth, and they don’t simply heal or go away. Ignoring the decay will cause the effected area to expand and get deeper, making the tooth brittle and potentially compromising the integrity of neighbouring teeth. 

Sensitive Nerves
As progressive tooth decay exposes more of the tooth’s roots and sensitive nerves, it is likely that severe pain will develop over time as nerves are exposed to air and food particles. This pain can be excruciating, and it is often indicative that a cavity is beyond the need for a simple filling. In these cases, a tooth extraction or a root canal may be necessary. 

Tooth Infection
Once tooth pain has set in, it is possible that some sort of infection has also developed in the tooth or jawline. Oral infections of any type are very serious and should be addressed immediately before the infection spreads to other regions of the body. Most patients need to take a course of antibiotics before the dentist can proceed to treat the cavity. Unable to clean the cavitation caused by the decay results in bad breath.

Bad Breath
Believe it or not, untreated cavities cause bad breath, specially the deep ones that are going to turn into root canal treatment or tooth extraction. It doesn’t matter how often you brush your teeth, as long as you have decayed teeth bad breath will never go away.

Illness Development
Untreated cavities that lead to infections can lead to far more serious repercussions and long-term problems. A progressive infection can cause problems throughout the body and cause a serious illness that in rare cases can lead to death. While rare, don’t take chances with the entire body over one small cavity. 

Don’t Delay Cavity Treatment There are too many consequences of ignoring cavities to not see a dentist right away to resolve the issue. Treatment is easy in the early phases, but become far more challenging when delayed. Contact Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre to schedule an examination appointment today.