How do you see cavities before going to the dentist?!
Question: take a safety pin and press it down on your teeth, and if it sticks and goes in a little you have a cavity.
Answers: take a safety pin and press it down on your teeth, and if it sticks and goes in a little you have a cavity.
You can't see all of them. The dentist is an expert, and they can find cavities by just putting their finger around your teeth.
If you wait until you can see them, they will be very big. It is better to have the dentist find them before they get big enough for you to see them. This is usually done with an explorer instrument and with x-rays.
Cavities are not always visible or even open on the surface of a tooth, that's why the dentist uses a sharp probe to penetrate soft or underlying decayed areas he can't visually see. The surface of a tooth can look fine but it may in fact have a decayed area just below the surface and it may take an Xray to find it.
There are various stages of the cavity formation that ranges from totally asymptomatic tooth to a tooth that may be associated with swelling in the gums.
Initially the tooth with cavity may be only sensitive to hot, cold and sweet foods or beverages. Then you may notice discoloration. The discoloration is usually dark brown or blackish in color, and can be identified if it is on the chewing surfaces of your back tooth or the front or back portions of your front teeth. Cavities in places other than these surfaces can be identified by the dentist only based on your signs and symptoms.
In advanced cases there may be wide cavity which can be obviously noted while in some cases there may be just a brownish spot.
Another complaint of people with cavities is food getting stuck in the teeth.
See your dentist if you are having any symptoms like sensitive teeth or if a cavity is noticeable. It is always better to visit a dentist once in 6 months to identify any dental problems at a earlier stage.