Symptoms of advanced caries
Often you cannot see a caries yourself. Since the enamel does not feel any pain, this only occurs when the bacteria have migrated into the dentin. Once the caries is there, it can easily move up to the tooth pulp.
Under certain circumstances, this can happen quickly because caries grows much faster in dentin than in dead enamel. If left untreated, this can lead to inflammation of the dental nerve. This is known as pulpitis.
One sign of an inflammation is swelling. However, since the tooth is closed or sealed, there is no way out of the inflammation. This creates a feeling of pressure.
If the pulp is strongly supplied with blood during an inflammation, you can even feel the pulse in the tooth. This pulsating pain is a typical sign. If the destruction is very advanced, one can also perceive a bad smell, which does not disappear despite brushing the teeth. You may not smell it yourself, but your partner may. Also in this stage of caries dark holes can appear, which are not only harmless discolorations.
Sensitivity to cold
Both enamel and dentin protect the nerve inside the tooth. They protect it from acid, heat, cold, pressure and much more. However, if the substances are destroyed by caries, the protection is missing at that point.
The cold can get closer to the pulp and the nerves are more likely to perceive the cold and send the signals to our pain center. This results in a pulling of the tooth, which is known by many people. The symptom is typical for defects of the neck of the tooth. Exposed tooth necks lack the protective gums. If the tooth surface is then destroyed by caries or even already caved in, this symptom is even more severe.
Knock sensitivity
The symptoms vary depending on the tooth and the patient, as well as the depth of the caries, the size and density of the filling. For example, there are patients who are very sensitive and can tell exactly where and how which tooth hurts. Others, on the other hand, do not feel any pain even in the case of the greatest defects.
or hide it. An initial caries will probably not be noticed or felt. With deep caries there can be pain while chewing or at rest.
The tooth is also more sensitive in extreme cold or when it is hot. If there is caries under the filling, only the tooth is affected. The filling on top is still intact and stable. If there is pressure (for example when chewing) on the filling, it presses on the nerve, because the tooth substance underneath has become porous and unstable due to the caries.
