Can tooth decay be cured?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on February 18, 2025
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Cavities are a type of destructive dental hard tissue disease caused by bacterial infections and are also a chronic progressive infectious disease. Cavities can only improve through early and effective intervention and treatment; otherwise, the condition may develop further, leading to pulpitis or apical periodontitis. Severe cases can also cause systemic symptoms such as space infections, and some may lead to bacteremia or sepsis. In the early stages of development, cavities have no clinical symptoms. At this stage, filling the cavity is painless. If the decay progresses to reach or approach the dental nerve, filling the cavity can then cause widespread pain. If it reaches the dental nerve, it cannot be directly filled in one go; it requires dental treatment for improvement.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Can a decayed tooth be extracted?

Whether a tooth with caries can be extracted depends on the extent of the decay. If the decay is shallow, it can be treated with a one-time filling. If the decay is deep, reaching the nerve, nerve-killing treatment is required, followed by anti-inflammation measures and, after inflammation control, root canal filling. In other words, teeth should be preserved through root canal treatment whenever possible and not extracted. If the caries has reached the deep layers of the tooth dentin, or is at risk of causing a perforation, such conditions are considered non-salvageable and the tooth should be promptly extracted. After extraction, timely dental prosthetics should be placed.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Will children's cavities grow new teeth?

Children's cavities can also regrow new teeth. Cavities, also known as dental caries, refer to the destruction of hard dental tissues under a bacterial infection. It is crucial to treat children's cavities early, otherwise, they may affect the underlying new teeth. If the cavity reaches the level of periapical inflammation, meaning the dental pulp tissues become pus-filled or necrotic, and gum abscesses appear, it could cause the newly emerged teeth to develop caries. Sometimes, it may also lead to abnormal eruption pathways of the new teeth, such as abnormal eruptions on the lip side or cheek side, resulting in misaligned teeth, which can impact the arrangement of the child’s primary or permanent teeth.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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Is tooth sensitivity caused by exposed nerves?

When a patient has dental caries, it can cause some damage to the gum tissue, resulting in the gums being in a state of acute inflammation. At this time, the gums may be particularly sensitive, especially to hot and cold stimuli, but this does not necessarily mean that the nerves in the gums are exposed. It is recommended that patients pay attention to a light diet and avoid overly hot or spicy foods, as well as hard foods that may irritate the sensitive gum tissue, leading to discomfort. Therefore, patients are advised to maintain a light diet, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and drink plenty of water. Additionally, it is crucial for patients to develop healthy oral hygiene habits. It is recommended that patients visit the hospital in a timely manner for consultation, and receive specific treatment plans based on the extent of the damage caused by the caries.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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What will happen if tooth decay is not treated?

If dental caries are not treated, they may further infect and cause inflammation of the dental nerves, leading to pulpitis or apical periodontitis, causing severe pain. When apical periodontitis occurs, it may sometimes lead to a space infection, which is facial swelling. If the inflammation is not controlled in time, it may also cause osteomyelitis of the jawbone. Therefore, dental caries need to be treated as early as possible. Dental caries are caused by bacterial infections that lead to the decay of the hard tissues of the teeth; in the early stages of decay, using a drill to stop the development of the disease—namely, timely filling—can effectively control the further progression of dental caries. If dental caries further infect and cause inflammation of the dental nerves, it can lead to pain while eating or sleeping, sometimes waking from sleep due to pain, and in severe cases, it can cause facial swelling.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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What are the harms of dental caries in children?

Due to not forming the habit of brushing daily during childhood, and the frequent consumption of sugary foods during this period, the incidence of dental caries in children is relatively high. The onset of the disease is due to the presence of a large amount of dental plaque on the teeth, where bacteria gradually corrode the teeth, leading to the occurrence of caries. Initially, caries damage the tooth enamel on the surface, further progress destroys the dentin, and finally, it penetrates the dental pulp, forming pulpitis, which presents with obvious swelling and pain. Severe cases can also cause periapical periodontitis, leading to tooth loss, and affecting the normal emergence of permanent teeth. Therefore, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene and seek timely symptomatic treatment when children develop dental caries.