What is the direct answer?
A painful cavity needs dental treatment; temporary relief comes from avoiding triggers and using suitable pain medicine as directed.
What does this question mean?
Decay can expose dentine tubules or inflame the pulp, causing sensitivity or persistent pain.
What can you do next?
Avoid hot, cold, sweet, and sticky foods, keep the area clean, and arrange prompt care for spontaneous or lingering pain.
When should you seek dental care?
Avoid hot, cold, sweet, and sticky foods, keep the area clean, and arrange prompt care for spontaneous or lingering pain. Seek prompt care if symptoms persist, worsen, or include swelling, fever, or functional difficulty.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the decay needs a filling, root canal treatment, or extraction.
Frequently asked questions
Can this problem settle without treatment?
Decay can expose dentine tubules or inflame the pulp, causing sensitivity or persistent pain.
What should I ask at the visit?
Ask whether the decay needs a filling, root canal treatment, or extraction.

