{"id":35,"date":"2019-10-02T17:55:04","date_gmt":"2019-10-02T17:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/?p=35"},"modified":"2019-10-31T17:58:09","modified_gmt":"2019-10-31T17:58:09","slug":"dentist-what-happens-if-a-cavity-is-left-untreated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/02\/dentist-what-happens-if-a-cavity-is-left-untreated\/","title":{"rendered":"Got a Cavity? Find Out How Your Dentist Can Save Your Tooth by Treating It Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/AdobeStock_204973040__1572528721_72264.jpg\" alt=\"a woman holding cheek in pain\" class=\"wp-image-36\" width=\"292\" height=\"194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/AdobeStock_204973040__1572528721_72264.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/AdobeStock_204973040__1572528721_72264-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/AdobeStock_204973040__1572528721_72264-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 292px) 100vw, 292px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Cavities are the most prevalent dental problems throughout\nthe world. Whether it is poor oral hygiene or too much sugar consumption,\ncavities have a way of reminding us that it\u2019s important to take care of our oral\nhygiene. While most individuals will seek treatment for their problem, others\nmay decide to put it off, believing it to be \u201cno big deal.\u201d To keep this mindset\nfrom gaining traction, your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/request-an-appointment.html\">dentist<\/a>\nexplains what can happen if a cavity is left untreated. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Cavity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cavities, which are also known as dental caries, are holes\nwithin teeth that can grow deeper and wider over time. Whether you have one or\nmore, cavities create damaged areas of your teeth and go on to create tiny\nholes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do They Develop?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common reason for cavity development is poor oral\nhygiene, but too much sugar is also to blame. When sugar is allowed to sit on\nthe teeth, the bacteria in your mouth can begin to eat away at your tooth,\ncausing damage and eventually, cavities to form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Can Happen if They\u2019re Left Untreated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t think cavities are anything to be concerned\nabout, you\u2019ll be surprised to learn just how dangerous they can be. Some of the\nharmful effects of untreated cavities include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>They increase in size \u2013 When a cavity goes\nuntouched, the bacteria can grow deeper into the tooth causing it to become\nenlarged. Should it become too big, it can crack your tooth and result in the\nneed for a dental crown or worse, extraction. <\/li><li>Nerve damage \u2013 If you\u2019ve ever heard of a root\ncanal, then you know decay can reach the innermost layer of your teeth and\ncause immense pain. Cavities that reach the tooth root will require a root\ncanal in order to save it from being extracted. <\/li><li>Infection \u2013 If you don\u2019t like the idea of your\nbody developing an infection, potential jaw swelling, and having to go on\nantibiotics, it\u2019s best if you get your cavity treated as soon as possible. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can My Dentist Treat a Cavity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, none of the above-mentioned problems have to\noccur if you see your dentist for treatment. What can start as a toothache can\nquickly escalate into a more dire situation, which is why taking care of your\noral health from the start is so important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a small cavity does develop, your dentist can provide a\ntooth-colored filling to repair it. Using composite resin that matches your\nnatural tooth color, they will clean out the decayed area before filling it with\nthe resin. Not only will this protect the tooth from further reinfection by\nsealing it off, but it will be undetectable to others because of its ability to\nblend in with your smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For cavities that are larger and cannot be treated with a\nfilling, it might be necessary for your dentist to suggest a dental crown.\nAfter cleaning the tooth and filing it down, they will take impressions of your\ntooth, which will be sent to lab technicians to create your custom prosthetic.\nOnce it is ready, your dentist will cement it over your natural tooth so that\nit offers maximum protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just because most Americans will end up with a cavity at\nsome point in their life doesn\u2019t mean you should ever underestimate how\ndamaging they can be to your smile. Should you notice a problem with one of\nyour teeth or think you might have a cavity developing, contact your dentist\nand schedule an appointment as soon as possible. The quicker you have it\ntreated, the greater your chances will be of putting your smile right back on\ntrack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Practice <\/strong><br>\nAt Crossroads Family Dentistry, our team of dentists want you to feel at home.\nThe moment you arrive, you can expect nothing but the best from our team. We\nare equipped to treat all your dental problems, offering transparency and personalized\ntreatment plans. No matter if it\u2019s a cavity that has formed as a result of poor\noral hygiene or damage caused by injury, we will ensure you have all the\ninformation you need to make a well-informed, confident decision about your\ndental care. Contact us via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a>\nor by calling <strong>(434) 841-1704 <\/strong>to find\nout how we can help you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cavities are the most prevalent dental problems throughout the world. Whether it is poor oral hygiene or too much sugar consumption, cavities have a way of reminding us that it\u2019s important to take care of our oral hygiene. While most individuals will seek treatment for their problem, others may decide to put it off, believing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crossroadsfamilydentistryva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}