{"id":2125,"date":"2016-06-13T10:42:59","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T09:42:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentaly.org\/uk\/?page_id=2125"},"modified":"2025-04-08T19:47:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:47:21","slug":"tooth-decay","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dentaly.org\/en\/tooth-decay\/","title":{"rendered":"Got a Dental Cavity? Tooth Decay Symptoms, Causes, Treatments and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tooth decay and cavities<\/strong> affect the majority of people at some point in their lives. More than four in five adults in the UK have at least one filling, and the average adult has seven. It’s estimated that around one-third of British adults are suffering from dental decay right now – worldwide that number is a great deal higher.<\/p>

So if you’re worried about the state of your teeth, you’re certainly not alone. Fortunately, if caught early, it’s easy to treat decay and prevent an oral cavity from developing. If left untreated, decay can lead to more serious dental problems<\/a> like abscesses and tooth loss.<\/p>

In this guide, we explain what tooth decay is, what causes it, and how it can be prevented and treated<\/strong>. You can also discover how it leads to cavities, and ways to stop the infection from developing this far.<\/p>

The condition is worryingly common in children too. So, we’ve included some information on how to recognise the signs, what to do if your child has a cavity, and how to prevent further damage to their teeth.<\/p>

What is tooth decay?<\/h2>

Bacteria in your mouth collect in a sticky film on your teeth <\/strong>known as plaque,<\/strong> and they feed off sugary foods<\/a> and drinks and produce acid. This acid will start to eat away at the surface of your tooth.<\/p>

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Decay attacks the tooth layer by layer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

The outer layer of your tooth, called enamel, is a strong substance which your body can replenish over time. But once the build-up of bacteria reaches a certain point, your body can’t keep up and your tooth enamel starts to decay. The medical term for decaying teeth is dental caries.<\/strong><\/p>

Two-thirds of Brits have visible plaque on their teeth. Plaque most often gathers around the gum line, along the edges of existing fillings, where teeth connect, and in the ridges on the biting surfaces of teeth.<\/p>

Plaque can be removed from teeth by brushing and flossing, but if left for long enough it hardens into a substance called tartar. This is a breeding ground for those acid-producing bacteria, but tartar can only be removed with proper dental cleaning<\/a>. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease<\/a>.<\/p>

Read more about plaque and tartar<\/a>.<\/p>

What is a cavity?<\/h3>

Once there is a hole in the enamel of your tooth, the bacteria can spread to the inner layers of dentin and pulp. These have no way of fighting decay, so the infection can spread rapidly. The resulting hole in the tooth is called a cavity.<\/p>

Simply put, we can define a cavity as a hole that forms inside a tooth when decay is left to spread. It only takes a tiny hole in the enamel for a large cavity to form inside the tooth.<\/p>

If the cavity spreads to the dental pulp inside the decayed tooth it starts to kill off the nerves and blood vessels. In the end, the tissue in the tooth dies<\/a> and becomes discoloured.<\/p>

The bacteria can also form a tooth or gum abscess<\/a> at the root of the tooth or in the surrounding gum tissue. The infection may eventually spread into other parts of the body through the bloodstream, causing serious health problems.<\/p>

What causes tooth decay?<\/h2>
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Plaque builds up and harbours tooth-destroying bacteria<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

We are all susceptible to dental caries if we don’t take care of our teeth. Causes of decay in teeth include consuming food and drink that is high in carbohydrates. Other culprits include<\/p>