How long does it generally take for the pain from a cavity to ease when biting?

Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
Updated on February 10, 2025
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When patients experience some occlusal pain due to tooth decay, the time it takes for relief depends on the patient's inflammation levels and the treatment measures taken. If the patient receives timely treatment and effectively alleviates the inflammation, it generally takes about a week to heal and relieve the pain. If the patient does not undergo treatment, the condition may worsen and the pain may persist longer. Therefore, when a patient has tooth decay, it is best to visit a hospital for a consultation. Treatment should be administered based on the extent of the decayed tooth, and in severe cases of decay, tooth extraction might be necessary.

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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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Will tooth decay affect other teeth?

When a patient suffers from tooth decay, generally not taking measures to treat it may cause other teeth to also develop cavities. Some patients with long-term cavities may have one or more teeth affected, and even some patients might have entire teeth significantly decayed. Therefore, when cavities occur, certain measures must be taken for treatment. Depending on the condition of the cavity, a specific treatment plan should be formulated, whether it's a dental filling or tooth extraction. Thus, patients must pay attention to oral hygiene in their daily lives, brushing their teeth morning and evening. After meals, it's important to promptly remove food residues from the mouth and develop proper habits for brushing and eating. If a cavity develops, the patient should treat it early to prevent it from affecting other teeth.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is a cavity the same as tooth decay?

Cavities, also known as dental caries, are a chronic progressive destructive disease caused by bacterial infection of the hard tissues of the teeth. Once a tooth is affected by a cavity, it is necessary to fill the tooth as soon as possible. Otherwise, the bacteria will further infect the tooth, causing inflammation of the dental nerve. Inflammation results in significant pain, including sensitivity to hot and cold, pain intensified by temperature changes, and even symptoms of nighttime pain. The most typical symptom of pulpitis is nighttime pain, which can wake someone from sleep. Therefore, once cavities occur, it is crucial to remove the decayed part of the tooth and fill it promptly to prevent potential tooth loss.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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What should I do about bad breath caused by dental caries?

If a patient is suffering from dental caries that have already caused bad breath, the situation requires active treatment targeting the dental caries. Due to the ease with which food residue and bacteria can accumulate in cavities, this will cause an odor in the mouth. Initially, it is essential to clear out food debris, bacteria, and any decayed material from the cavity. If the cavity is shallow, it can be directly filled with light-cured resin material. After the cavity is filled, the patient's bad breath symptoms should be alleviated. However, if the cavity is deep, it should first be treated with a pulp-protecting base before filling. If the dental nerve is affected, causing pulpitis, root canal treatment must be conducted first.

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How to treat cavities in 3-year-old children?

If a three-year-old child has cavities, it is necessary to go to the pediatric dentistry department promptly for cavity removal treatment. Depending on the severity of the child's cavities, if it is severe, the child may need to have teeth extracted. If it is mild, the child will need to have fillings. It is important to pay attention to the dental care of the child. Make sure the child brushes their teeth morning and evening, rinses their mouth after meals, avoids drinking carbonated beverages, eats fresh vegetables and fruits, and drinks formula milk to enhance nutrition.