How Do You Tell if You Have Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay, a common oral health condition that often appears as brown spots or visible holes in the enamel, affects approximately 60% to 90% of school-age children worldwide. Alarming as that may be, the impact extends to adults as well, affecting nearly 100% of adults worldwide.

While we here at Embrace Dental Care are ready to treat any dental problems, we also want to help you by educating you about how you can prevent tooth decay and other dental issues.

To that end, we’ll be answering an important question: "How do you tell if you have tooth decay?"

How Do You Tell if You Have Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is damage to your teeth that can potentially lead to cavities, dental abscesses, or tooth loss. Bacteria, diet, and poor oral hygiene are a few of the main contributing factors. And while children are more at risk for tooth decay, adults can likewise develop tooth decay. Some people even have a higher risk of tooth decay, including those who don’t have enough saliva, don’t get enough fluoride, have high sugar and starch consumption, and have certain medical conditions, such as acid reflux and immune system disorders.

So, How Do You Check if You Have Tooth Decay?

At first, tooth decay may not cause any symptoms, especially in its early stages. However, as tooth decay advances, it can form a hole in your tooth and cause tooth sensitivity to hot or cold beverages or tooth pain.

Having a hole in your tooth can result in a toothache, sharp pain in your tooth when eating sweets or drinking hot or cold beverages, and white, black, or brown spots on your tooth.

And when your tooth or gum becomes infected, it can lead to a dental abscess.

Generally, there are five stages of tooth decay, namely: initial demineralization, enamel decay, dentin decay, pulp damage, and abscess.

During initial demineralization, the enamel of the outer layer of your teeth loses minerals due to exposure to acids produced by plaque bacteria. In this stage, a white spot may appear on your teeth, which is a sure sign of tooth decay.

If the tooth decay continues, the enamel will gradually break down. And that white spot on your tooth? It will eventually darken to a brownish color. If the tooth decay continues, the enamel will gradually break down. And that white spot on your tooth will eventually darken to a brownish color. When the enamel is weakened, cavities, or dental caries, can form.

Dentin decay, on the other hand, happens when tooth decay reaches the dentin, the tissue that lies under the enamel.

If left untreated, dentin decay can extend deeper into your tooth, potentially damaging the pulp, which is the innermost layer of your tooth. During this stage, the pulp may start to swell, which can lead to severe pain.

The last stage of tooth decay is an abscess, which is characterized by a pocket of pus that forms in or around your tooth. The common symptoms of a dental abscess include pain when biting or chewing, severe toothache, swelling of the face, cheek, or jaw, fever, a foul taste in the mouth, redness in the gums, and swollen lymph nodes in the jaw or neck.

Get Dental Checkups and Cleanings in Calgary, AB

Tooth decay is a common oral health issue that can affect people of all ages. Whether you’re an adult or have young siblings or children, taking care of your teeth and making sure to visit your dentist regularly is important. So, if you are looking for a new Southeast Calgary dentist, contact Embrace Dental Care today at .