Why do cavities turn black?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on January 30, 2025
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Cavities generally appear black, while normal teeth are white. The structural changes in the dental tissues due to bacterial infection cause the hard tissues of the teeth to demineralize, enlarging the internal spaces of the teeth. This can cause cavities to appear black under the refraction of sunlight, resulting in a black appearance. Additionally, after the deterioration of the tooth due to decay, the breakdown of the hard tissue allows food residues or plaque to enter the cavities, which can also cause the cavities to turn black. This situation requires early dental filling to remove the decayed parts, followed by root canal treatment, otherwise it can lead to pulpitis, causing tooth pain.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
47sec home-news-image

If a cavity is not thoroughly cleaned before being filled, what will happen?

When a patient has severe dental caries and undergoes filling, if the decay is not completely removed before filling, it may lead to reinfection and residual decay, continuing to cause inflammation. Therefore, it is recommended that the decay be completely removed before filling. In such cases, it is generally safe for patients to seek treatment at a formal dental hospital. Official hospitals adhere to strict standards, effectively cleaning the affected area for filling and repair. Therefore, patients need not be overly anxious; this type of procedure is quite common in dentistry. Patients are advised to maintain good oral hygiene in daily life and seek timely medical attention when dental caries occur.

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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 Cui
Dentistry
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Can you ignore a cavity if it doesn't hurt?

When patients develop dental caries, it is recommended that they visit a formal medical institution for treatment. If the tooth decay is not addressed, it may worsen significantly. While it may not always cause pain, the teeth can still be damaged. Over time, the teeth might deteriorate severely, potentially leaving only the roots. This could also lead to damage to the tooth roots, causing inconvenience in the patient's dietary life and might lead to severe complications later on, including pain and irritation to the gum tissue. Therefore, it is advised that patients seek early medical treatment and undergo appropriate therapeutic measures based on the condition of their dental caries.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What are the treatment methods for children's dental caries?

If children have dental caries, it is crucial to treat them actively, even if the caries are on primary teeth, timely repair is necessary. Once a child's teeth begin to erupt, it is important to start brushing their teeth and maintaining good oral hygiene. If caries have already developed, take the child to a pediatric dental clinic for tooth repair. This is especially true for the back molars, which, even though they may be replaced at the age of six, still need to be repaired throughout the process. Otherwise, it will affect the eruption and alignment of the permanent teeth later on. Therefore, if children develop dental caries, it is essential to visit a hospital as soon as possible for dental treatment, and once all the molars are in place, fissure sealants should be applied.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
51sec home-news-image

How to treat children with dental caries?

To treat cavities in children, first, the extent of tooth decay needs to be assessed. If the decay is mild, the decayed part can be removed and directly filled. If the decay is severe enough to inflame the dental nerve, an X-ray of the tooth is required. If it is a deciduous tooth that is about to fall out soon and is not worth saving, treatment might be unnecessary. However, if the tooth root has not been absorbed and the permanent tooth will take a long time to erupt, root canal treatment can be considered. In cases where a young permanent molar is decayed and the nerve is infected, a vital pulpotomy should be performed to preserve the living pulp and promote further development of the tooth root.