First Cavity! Worried and Confused..

[DMan]

Hello everyone..

I'm 24, and I just got word today from my dentist that I have my first ever cavity..

I've been so scared of cavities my entire life that I probably brush and go to the dentist more then most, even though those things scare me in their own right.

Anyway, today the dental assistant cleaned my teeth and took x-rays, and proclaimed my teeth clean.. Then the actual dentist came in, looked at my teeth for 10 seconds, and decided I had a cavity..

Heres where it gets strange.. Instead of them deciding to fill it right away like I expected, they told me it was small and not a danger to the tooth right now.. So they scheduled an appointment for 6 months from now..

That's really confusing to me.. I have a cavity, it needs to be drilled and filled, but it's not that bad so it can wait 6 months?

I'm confused and nervous.. Is it going to get bigger over the next 6 months? What can I do to protect it and keep it small?

Ahhh I'm worried...

 

[Darth Erin]

Hi DMan! I have been there and I know what you're going through. My first cavity was not that deep so I didn't even need novacaine to get it filled. Minimal drilling was required. Ask your dentist if your cavity is like that. That way, you can get it filled ASAP and it can't get worse where you would need numbing. If he can wait 6 months, it must not be that deep (I'm guessing). But, you are the customer/patient. Tell him what you want. Tell him you don't want to wait 6 months. Tell him you don't want the cavity to get worse. Don't be shy!

You can always get a second opinion too which I would do if you're not feeling 100% OK about this whole situation. This is new territory for you, so make sure you know all your options. As far as what to do to prevent it from getting larger, I don't know. Good luck! Keep us posted

 

[Gordon]

Seems like a bit of a communication breakdown here.

Dentists like NOT to drill into teeth if possible. Fillings are never as good as the original tooth.
If it's a very early cavity, then drilling and filling it will be a bit too invasive and starts the tooth on a cycle of fill/breakdown/fill which is never ending.
If the cavity has been caught nice and early, then slapping fluoride on it regularly to try to persuade the damaged tooth to remineralise is the best thing to do.
So you should have been told:
1) Where the cavity is
2) To check your diet, that you're not suddenly eating more crap between meals or something
3) To slop fluoride toothpaste on the early cavity several times a day (just rub some in with a finger or Q-Tip) 4-5 times a day for a few weeks.
4) To come back at an appropriate interval (4-6 months probably) to have it checked.

HTH

 

[DrMike]

It is likely that it is a very 'early lesion' meaning that it is really small and unlikely to get any worse in six months. We do sometimes take a note in patient's records when there are tiny fillings whih can be done at their next visit. As Darth said however- if you are worried about it and would rather get it done sooner- then contact them and book the appointment to get it done.
My tip would be to put toothpaste on your finger and rub it onto that tooth each time after you brush (avoid rinsing it off after obviously). (You should avoid rinsing after brushing anyway- leave some toothpaste in there!) This will help to slow down any decay on the tooth. Look at various toothpastes at the supermarket (and even the chemist) and buy the one which has a higher ppm of Fluoride. (Most toothpastes are 1200-1500 ppm F but you can get some which go up to 2800 and higher). This is a good idea also for anyone with wisdom teeth which are partially through and /or impacted as it will stop them and the teeth next to them decaying.