“How do you know if a cavity has reached the nerve?”
I have a cavity on my molar tooth and it hurts. How do you know if a cavity has reached the nerve?
4 Answers
X-ray usually can show the cavity in the nerve. Or pain to hot and cold or by checking the tooth.
In many cases when a tooth hurts it is too late. The only way to know if a cavity hits the nerve is either by an x-ray or by actually removing all of the decay.
Hi,
When a cavity is left untreated, it will burrow deeper and wider into the tooth, eventually reaching the pulp or nerve. Symptoms of acute pulpitis - sudden inflammation of the nerve - the sensitivity to cold and sweet will progress to a constant throb, the pain increases when lying down and wakes you up at night. And the level of discomfort is increased markedly. What I described is the usual symptoms, but I have seen individuals who have nerve exposure and claim to have never been in pain. The pain will eventually stop once the nerve is completely destroyed and then the infection starts to invade the surrounding bone.
Hope this helps.
When a cavity is left untreated, it will burrow deeper and wider into the tooth, eventually reaching the pulp or nerve. Symptoms of acute pulpitis - sudden inflammation of the nerve - the sensitivity to cold and sweet will progress to a constant throb, the pain increases when lying down and wakes you up at night. And the level of discomfort is increased markedly. What I described is the usual symptoms, but I have seen individuals who have nerve exposure and claim to have never been in pain. The pain will eventually stop once the nerve is completely destroyed and then the infection starts to invade the surrounding bone.
Hope this helps.
If you are experiencing pain, it is very likely that the decay is very close to the nerve. The only way to truly know how big the cavity is, you must make a dental appointment for an exam and X-rays, then have the tooth treated.
