Five signs you may need a dental filling

Orlando Healthy SmilesLake Mary, FL

Decay is often painless until it is deep. These are the early signals worth having checked, plus what happens if you wait.

A cavity starts as a soft patch of enamel that has lost mineral. At that stage it can sometimes be reversed with fluoride. Once the surface breaks, it needs a filling — and the longer it is left, the more tooth has to be removed.

1. Sensitivity to sweet, hot or cold

A short, sharp reaction that settles within seconds is often an early sign of a small cavity or a worn filling margin. Pain that lingers for minutes is more concerning and suggests the nerve is involved.

2. A rough edge you can feel with your tongue

A chipped filling or a broken cusp often feels sharp. It also traps plaque, which encourages further decay.

3. Food catching between two teeth

If one spot suddenly starts holding food, the contact between the teeth may have changed because of decay. This is common between back teeth and is easy to miss without an X-ray.

4. A visible dark spot or shadow

Not every dark spot is decay — staining and old fillings can look similar. But a shadow under the enamel, or a hole you can feel, should be examined.

5. Bad breath or a strange taste in one spot

Trapped food and bacteria around a cavity can cause a localised smell or taste that brushing does not fix.

What happens at the appointment

We examine the tooth, take an X-ray if it helps, and tell you whether the area needs treatment now, can be monitored, or can be treated preventively. If a filling is needed, the decayed tissue is removed and the tooth rebuilt with a tooth-coloured material.

Small fillings are simpler, cheaper and preserve more of the tooth. That is the practical reason not to wait.

If you are not sure

Book an examination rather than guessing. If nothing needs doing, we will tell you that too. Call (407) 790-4181 or request an appointment at our Lake Mary office.