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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffCavities and tooth decay are so common that you may not take them seriously. And you may think that it doesn't matter if children get cavities in their baby teeth. However, cavities and tooth decay can have serious and lasting complications, even for children who haven't yet gotten their permanent teeth.
Complications may include:
- Pain
- Tooth abscess
- Tooth loss
- Broken teeth
- Chewing problems
- Serious infections
In addition, when cavities and decay become very painful and severe, they can interfere with daily living. The pain may prevent you from going to school or work, for instance. If it's too painful or difficult to chew or eat, you may lose weight or have nutrition problems. If cavities result in tooth loss, it may affect your self-esteem. In rare cases, an abscess from a cavity can cause serious or even life-threatening infections when not properly treated.
- Gonsalves W. Oral health. In: South-Paul JE, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill/Lange; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3036775. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Durso SC. Oral manifestations of disease. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2862909. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Plaque: What it is and how to get rid of it. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/0C900F9D-C582-4609-A62C-CF4AB53E84A0/0/Plaque_brochure.pdf. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Seal out tooth decay. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/ToothDecay/SealOutToothDecay.htm. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Fact sheet: Tooth decay. Academy of General Dentistry. http://www.agd.org/public/OralHealthFacts/files/pdfgenerator.aspx?pdf=FS_ToothDecay.pdf&id=. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Eating habits that can harm teeth. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2002;133:1739.
- The oral health of older Americans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/factsheets/adult_older.htm. Accessed March 12, 2009.
- Kagihara LE. Assessment, management, and prevention of early childhood caries. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 2009;21:1.
- Caries. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec08/ch095/ch095b.html. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Oral health: Preventing cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf/doh.pdf. Accessed March 9, 2009.
- Dental amalgam use and benefits. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/factsheets/amalgam.htm. Accessed March 12, 2009.
