What happens if you don’t treat a cavity?
Treating cavities requires professional dental care; cavities will not resolve on their own and they cannot be treated by home remedies. If you leave a cavity untreated, the decay can continue to spread throughout the rest of the tooth and into the gums and jaw, which can have serious consequences for your overall health. You may experience unsightly discoloration, sensitivity to cold or hot foods and drinks, unnecessary pain, and, potentially, tooth loss.
The extent and type of treatment needed for a cavity depends on how far it has progressed in the affected tooth.
Early Stage Treatment – When detected in a timely manner, a cavity will likely require only a filling.
Moderate Stage Treatment – If the cavity has persisted too long but infection has yet to set in, a larger filling will be required with a cap or a crown placed over it to further protect the tooth.
Late Stage Treatment – If not treated, a cavity will eventually lead to an infection of the dental pulp, which requires a root canal. In worst case scenarios, this infection can spread to the jaw bone and could result in the extraction of the tooth.