"the dentist suggested a filling even though I wasn't feeling any pain or sensitivity at all."
Haha, dentists aren't secretly plotting to fill every tooth they see, I promise... but seriously, sometimes cavities can lurk quietly. Did your dentist show you the x-ray or explain why it needed immediate attention?
I get why you'd question that—it's pretty common to think cavities would always hurt or at least feel sensitive. But honestly, I've seen plenty of cases where patients had no clue until we took a closer look. Last year, during my own checkup, my dentist pointed out a small cavity on my x-ray. I was skeptical too because I'd felt absolutely nothing...no pain, no sensitivity, nada. She explained that cavities can be sneaky and hide between teeth or just beneath the enamel surface, quietly getting worse without any noticeable symptoms.
Anyway, I decided to trust her judgment and got the filling done. Sure enough, when she drilled in, it turned out the cavity was deeper than we both expected from the x-ray alone. Glad I caught it early before it became a bigger issue down the line.
Did your dentist show you exactly where it was located on your tooth? Usually seeing it visually helps make sense of things better, at least for me.
Reading your experience reminded me of something similar that happened to me a few years back. I'd always assumed cavities would announce themselves loud and clear—pain, sensitivity, something obvious. But nope, mine was totally stealthy too. During a routine checkup, my dentist pointed out this tiny dark spot on the x-ray between two of my molars. I was like, "Are you sure that's even a cavity? I literally feel nothing." He laughed and said that's exactly why regular checkups matter—sometimes cavities just sneak in quietly.
Anyway, I was still skeptical, but figured I'd trust his judgment and get it filled before it became a bigger headache later. Turns out, when he started drilling, it was actually deeper than the x-ray showed. He said that happens sometimes because cavities can tunnel inward without much surface damage. Honestly, I was relieved we caught it early, even though I'd been convinced nothing was wrong.
It's funny how you can think you're totally in tune with your own body, yet something can slip past unnoticed like that. Makes me wonder how many other little issues I've missed over the years. Now I'm definitely more thorough about my dental checkups—I'm always asking my dentist to explain stuff or show me exactly what he's seeing. It helps me feel more involved and less skeptical.
Sounds like your dentist did a good job explaining things clearly too. It's always reassuring when they take the time to show you what's going on visually. Glad you caught yours early as well!
I get your point about regular checkups, but honestly, sometimes dentists jump the gun a bit. Last year mine pointed out a "possible cavity," but when I got a second opinion, turns out it was nothing. Always worth double-checking before drilling, imo...
"Always worth double-checking before drilling, imo..."
Totally agree with you on that. I've had a similar experience, but with orthodontics. My orthodontist initially suggested braces for a slight alignment issue, but after chatting with another specialist, turns out Invisalign was a better fit for me. Glad I checked because it saved me a lot of hassle (and metal in my mouth, lol).
Do you guys typically trust your dentist's first recommendation, or do you usually get a second opinion for bigger procedures? Curious if it's just me being overly cautious or if others have had similar experiences...
