How do you know if you have cavities?(without asking a dentist)?
817525
A sign of dental carries (cavities) is a discolored spot on the tooth.  Tooth decay may be a number of different colors.  Sometimes orange, or black or brown.....\n\nWithout a well trained eye it can be very difficult to spot decay.  It can hide underneath fillings, or in places that you can not see in the mirror, like between your teeth.  This is why X-rays are taken during your 6 mo. cleaning and exam.\n\nI am a certified dental assistant and even though people brush and floss....there will always be tooth decay.  Food can become lodged in areas that are unaccessable by a toothbrush or missed while flossing.  IE: under an exsisting filling or crown.\n\nThough it is true that preventative maintance is highly suggested, such as sealants for the molars and sometimes premolars, decay will never vanish from a dentists vocabulary.  Some people are more prone to cavities than others.  This is why it is important to visit your Dr. 2 a yr.  not to mention....cleanings are necessary.  Calculus (tarter) can not be removed by brushing and no one is exempt from forming calculus.  Calculus is that hard substance that is ramoved from your gumline.  If not removed, it can cause a whole bunch of different issues IE: periodontal disease (which can cause bone loss in the mandible and maxilla...if not treated)\n\nUsually a dentist will not lie about having a cavity.  They aren't going to risk their practice for a couple $100.  If you suspect that a dentist is lying all you would have to do is get a second opion.  If the second dentist said that you do not have a cavity...you have a law suit on your hands.  It may happen...but. most likely not.  Dentists are trained to keep your mouth healthy and restore any problem areas.  They are terrified of law suits.  So...if you are told you have a cavity chances are...you do.  If the Dr. didn't tell you and you let it go...you can also sew for malpractice.  Anything that is going on in your mouth you will be told about to avoid the Dr. from getting in trouble later on.  It is up to you to trust your Dr. If you don't...find a new one!
595193
Once every 6 months is recommended.  There might be cavities forming, but they're too small to be seen.  Just because your teeth line up correctly and have great color doesn't mean that there aren't small holes that are tough to detect.  It's better than letting it get too far and having to get the whole tooth removed because it's beyond repair.
1122989
I get this sometimes, but it's linked to my sinuses.\nI have allergies, and if they get bad, I'll get the aching in my jaw.\n\nNot a cavity if it's not around teeth.
1145666
That sounds like a cavity.  They will numb your tooth and you will hear the drill and feel the pressure, but its not that bad (wink).  Some dentist will put you to sleep if you request it.
695389
Have a consult with your dentist...
399566
ask an expert LIKE YOUR DENTIST, HINT HINT!!
711495
You are good!!! Thats exactly what you are experiencing. When the cold air touches your tooth you feel pain. That is the stimuli from exposed dentin. Usually the first sign people feel when they know they have a cavity. Get to your general dentist! Good Luck
214428
You should be flossing at least once a day.  It will catch up with you in the end if you do not.  You would be amazed how many people go well into adulthood with straight white teeth and no cavities and then end up losing all of their teeth due to bone loss caused by periodontal disease becaues they did not floss.  An old and very true saying is "only floss the teeth you want to keep"!
128503
Yes it does so you better have it checked by your dentist as soon as you can :-)
587587
Cavities can happen on ANY tooth and that's why dentist are highly trained to handle filling them to stop the cavity from doing more damage.\n\nWhen you get "plaque" on your teeth, what you are getting is a "film of bacteria." These bacteria stick to your teeth, and one of the things they do is create acid as a by-product of their metabolism. The acid can eat through the enamel of the tooth and cause a cavity -- a hole through the enamel. \n\nThere are three parts to a tooth: \n\nThe outer, very hard enamel \nThe inner, much softer dentin (Dentin is like ivory.) \nThe core pulp, consisting of nerves and blood vessels \nOnce the acid breaks through the enamel, bacteria invade the dentin and can eat through it fairly quickly. If they make it to the pulp, that is when you get a tooth infection and need a root canal. \n\nWhen a dentist drills a tooth, what he or she is doing is shaping an opening. The first reason to do this is to ensure that all of the rot in the dentin is completely removed. \n\nThe second reason is to create a shape to which the filling (either silver/mercury amalgam or plastic) can bond and fill completely.
921146
see a dentist. lol i'm sorry i can't be more help.
505818
Yes, unfortunately you can have a cavity in a tooth even if it looks fine to you. You can get cavities that form in between your teeth (especially if you don't floss enough) and you wouldn't be able to see that looking in a mirror because you're looking at the top of your tooth. Unfortunately, a tiny cavity on the surface of a tooth can make a big cavity inside the tooth and you don't know anything about it until it starts to hurt.\n\nIf you have a toothache, you must go to your dentist - it won't just go away, it will get worse if you don't get it fixed. Yes, you'll most likely need a filling if you hae a cavity, but don't worry, it doesn't hurt because they make you numb first.
485773
i take pretty good care of my teeth and i visit the dentist regularly, besides, that's what they're there for, why get embarressed...however, i still from time to time get one of those creatures on my teeth, so i get it treated, proceed with the dentists' instructions and move on. but i can offer you this, obviously you're not taking care of your teeth as well as you should to have two-three cavities and a rotten tooth at one time...so you may want to work a lil harder on cleaning your teeth and visit the dentist sooner than later. finally, where is the embarressment coming from? it goes beyond the dentist...soul search. people tend to get embarressed when they worry about what people say about them. not i and you should'nt either...hell, if no one had bad teeth the dentists would'nt have a job...
186520
I do too. My dentist said it was from the fillings. Have it checked out very soon to be sure.
911279
you certainly have a cavity. visit a dentist as soon as possible
251513
Ultimately by not taking proper care of your teeth.  Also, I cannot express enough the need to floss every day!  I have seen people that brush their teeth reguarly and have had very few if any cavities and yet they develop periodontal disease and lose their teeth because they didn't floss.  So make sure to brush 2-3 times a day, floss at least once a day and see your dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and exam.
875503
Of those three, I'd have to say Water....\n\n\nI've drunken nothing but water, fruit juices, and milk most of my life.  Perhaps once or twice a week I have some soda, and it doesn't bother me at all.  I'm currently 34 years old, and never had a cavity IN MY LIFE.  No dentures, I have all my teeth, no cavities, no caps, no fillings, no root canals.....NOTHING.  I attribute this to eating healthy, staying away from too many sweets, and only visiting the dentist once every seven years......