How can I keep my cavities from abscessing?

I have a few cavities that need filled, but I'm not exactly sure when I'm going to be able to get that done..two of them are bothering me but I can deal with it for the time being. My dentist said that one or two of them are "deep."

I've been brushing two-three times a day, flossing once a day, using that new Listerine with flouride twice a day, and using regular Listerine once a day. I've also started swishing my mouth out with salt water because I read somewhere that it helps keep cavities cleaned (not sure if it's true or not but I'll do whatever it takes). Will this be enough to keep my cavities from abscessing? And what else can I do to keep my cavities managed until I can get in with a dentist?

Hi Hun! You are doing all the right things. BUT cavities are a bacterial invasion and you can't stop that. When you are asleep your mouth dries out and the cavities will continue to eat into the teeth. Please get them fixed now before you end up with very costly and painful root canals and crowns to restore the teeth. Keep doing what you are doing to stop more cavities, but if they are "deep" you need them filled NOW. Please do this and work out a payment plan. You deserve to have great teeth and no pain. M

hi,
no need to be worried about it. the thing to keep it from abscessing is by keep on brushing as usual. more than usual and more stress placed on these 2 cavities. but just make sure, ur toothpaste contain flouride.
the magic here is flouridated toothpaste. not everyone know the benefit of flouride. in ur case, flouride helps to calcified back all the tooth/ enamel structures, helps to strenghten it back.i'm not sure, what do u mean by cavities. either cavitated due to psysiological reason such as erosion, attrition/ abrasion or due to dental caries. otherwise, flouride helps to close all the microholes in the dentine of the teeth. in caries case, flouride helps to arrest the dental caries (soft, sticky, white or yellow substance when being test with instrument). arrest caries means the caries has turn to grey to black and when test with instrument, it is hard. this means the flouride had make the caries harden on the cavities. one thing for sure, to prevent abcessing, gum health also important as if ur oral hygiene is bad, u as well can get a gum abcessing. good luck.

To prevent them from forming abscesses you need to get them filled. Everything that you're doing is okay to prevent cavities but it doesnt stop them from getting worst. cavities are usually microscopic meaning bacteria and food get into those cracks that your brush nor floss can reach. you just gotta save and make it a priority to have them filled. Waiting will just be more costly in the long run =(

ps salt water does nothing for cavities, its good for inflammation and pain caused my gum disease =)