If you have had cavities repaired with dental fillings, you might think that you'll never need to worry about them again. However, that's not actually true. The fact is that dental fillings aren't designed to be a permanent fix. Eventually those fillings will wear out, begin to decay, and need to be replaced. When your fillings begin to wear out, they'll start providing you with some tell-tale signs. Unfortunately, if you wait too long after the signs begin to appear, you could risk further damage to your tooth. If you have dental fillings, here are four signs that they may be on the verge of failure. If experience any of these signs, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Sharp Pain When You Bite Down or Chew

If you have a dental filling that was used to repair a deep cavity, you may begin to experience a sharp pain whenever you bite down or chew with that tooth. This is particularly true if you didn't receive a root canal with the filling. If you didn't have a root canal, the damaged filling could have allowed decay to move down through the root, which will cause you increased pain in the affected tooth. If you're experiencing sharp, shooting pain in your tooth, it's time to see the dentist.

Increased Sensitivity to Heat or Cold

When you had your dental fillings done, the dentist ensured that they covered the entire cavity. Now that your fillings are falling apart, they may no longer be covering the cavity. In fact, the decay could have caused the cavity to grow in size. If that's the case, you'll begin to notice an increase in tooth sensitivity. If you're experiencing an increase in sensitivity to heat and cold, your fillings are probably about to fail you. You'll need to see your dentist so that they can repair the fillings before more damage is done to your teeth.

Healthy Enamel is Becoming Discolored

If you've noticed that the healthy enamel around the filling is beginning to change colors, you need to see your dentist. Once your fillings begin to decay, the bacteria will spread to the surrounding enamel, which will cause the tooth to become discolored. If you're noticing a gray coloring on the surface of your tooth, you need to schedule a dental appointment immediately.

Dental Floss is Being Snagged and Torn

When you floss your teeth, the floss should glide smoothly between your teeth; if it doesn't, you have a problem. The sharp edges on a filling can cause your dental floss to get snagged or torn. If you suspect a problem with your fillings, start looking at your dental floss: if it's snagged or torn, you need dental care for a damaged filling.

You can find more information by contacting your dentist as soon as possible.