A lot of people are under the misconception that once they get a cavity filled, that tooth is going to be safe indefinitely. Unfortunately, just because a tooth has a filling, doesn't mean you are done dealing with it. If you take proper care of your teeth, then it is possible that once your cavity is filled, that will be the end of it. However, if you struggle with good oral health, that tooth could once again begin to decay, and you may end up with problems right around your current filling.

How Cavities Can Form Around Fillings

When a cavity forms, it is due to decay within the tooth. The dentist drills out the decaying portion of the tooth the fills it with your chosen filling material. From there, your tooth is considered healthy. However, if the dentist missed even a single bit of decay, it can continue to grow and spread. Also, if your tooth has a bit of decay on another part of the tooth where the dentist couldn't see it, your tooth can continue to decay. This means that despite there being a filling where the cavity once was, your tooth is also susceptible to another cavity. If the cavity gets large enough before being detected, your filling can become loose and fall out. It is difficult for dentists to see cavities around fillings as they both show up quite similarly on x-rays.

The best thing you can do to prevent this from happening is to make sure that you keep up with your oral hygiene routine. Brush each morning and each night. Floss at least once per day, gently. Make sure to drink lots of water to keep your teeth healthy. When you floss, make sure that you also rinse with mouthwash to get any debris or bacteria the floss may have missed. If you have any questions, or if you would like to learn more, please call us today at (360) 373-3515.