Hole in the tooth: symptoms and treatment

A cavity in the tooth can have various symptoms and requires different treatment methods. Read more about this here

Symptoms of a cavity in the tooth

If you have a cavity in your tooth, you may experience very different symptoms. These mainly depend on how far the decay has progressed. There are generally four stages.

• During the initial stage, the initial caries, the tooth enamel is attacked by bacteria. These are found in dental plaque. The bacteria feed on food debris and excrete natural acids that damage the tooth. You will not usually experience any pain at this stage, but you may experience increased sensitivity to heat and cold. Light-colored spots may also be visible on the teeth.

• In the second stage, caries is referred to as dentin caries. The name is derived from dentine, the dentin, which is also the main component of the tooth. This is attacked in the second stage. The light-colored spots now appear brown and the holes are beginning to show. Mild toothache occurs

• The third stage is that of deep tooth decay. The dental pulp, in which nerves and blood vessels are located, is damaged by the caries. The now clearly visible hole in the tooth is associated with severe pain. The inflammation can also give off a foul odor

• In the abscess stage, the tissue around the tooth is also attacked. The result is a tooth abscess. The pain you then feel is far worse than conventional toothache. Symptoms also include swelling of the tooth, bad breath and the tooth may even fall out.

Treatments for a hole in the tooth

The treatment of caries also depends on the stage.

• In the first stage, fluoride-containing preparations are usually used for treatment. These can help to rebuild the enamel and strengthen it with minerals

• If the caries has already caused a hole in the tooth, treatment with fluoride is no longer sufficient. To limit the damage, the already damaged tooth substance must be removed. A drill is used for this purpose. The hole is then sealed with a filling. However, there are now also alternative options that some dentists use.

• In cases where the decay has already caused a great deal of damage, root canal treatment must be carried out. Sometimes a dental implant is also necessary. If the tooth can no longer be saved, it may even have to be extracted as an alternative.