Many times a patient gets diagnosed with a cavity and the most common question they ask is “Why doesn’t it hurt?”

If you get your regular dental check-ups it is likely that we can catch the problem early before there is any sign of pain. A small cavity that only requires a filling indicates that the decay is not close enough to the nerve to cause any pain. As the cavity gets larger it gets closer to the nerve of the tooth resulting in pain.  At this point you will need more extensive treatment to save the tooth.  The longer you wait the more costly and time consuming it will be.  So if you are not having pain that is a good thing! Staying proactive and seeing you dental team on a regular basis will help you keep your teeth healthy and catch cavities while they are still small.  With that being said don’t wait until it hurts, get proactive in your dental care.