The dental cavity is usually the most common cause of toothache. And it is a hole in the outer layer of the tooth – enamel and dentin. Both the enamel and the yellow dentin beneath it serve to protect the inner living tissue in the tooth called the pulp. That’s home for several blood vessels and nerves in the tooth.

Some bacteria in the mouth can convert simple sugars into acid. The acid softens and dissolves the dentin and enamel, causing cavities. Although small shallow cavities may not cause much pain, larger cavities can trap food debris and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Larger cavities can become easily irritated by bacterial toxins or by foods that are sweet, hot, or cold. And all these can cause toothache. Large cavities are one of the most common reasons people check in for dental emergency visits with us.

We employ different methods when treating cavities. For small cavities, we simply treat them with tooth-coloured filling. But for larger cavities, we will either recommend tooth removal or a root canal procedure, depending on how deep into the pulp the cavity is.