Your Teeth Will Hurt Just Looking At These Cavity Photos

From Women's Health

Ever had a weird pain in one of your teeth and thought, "Oh no...does this mean I have a cavity?" Of course, only a dentist can tell you for sure, but there are plenty of signs (both visual and physical) that can help you identify whether you're dealing with a cavity or possibly something else. But first, what even is a cavity?

"A cavity is really a hole in your tooth from tooth decay," says Dr. Tricia Quartey, DDS, spokesperson for the American Dental Association. Sounds scary, but they're relatively easy to treat with a dental restoration procedure (fillings, crowns, etc). There's also plenty you can do to prevent cavities (more on that later).

So what are the symptoms of a cavity? These are the five signs you should look out for, along with photos to help you spot potential cavities yourself (#themoreyouknow). If you feel or see any of these things, you should get to the dentist asap to figure out what's going on and get treatment.

You have a toothache

Cavities are most often caused by acid damage, says Dr. Alice Lee, DDS, Montefiore Medical Center in The Bronx, NY. "This acid is usually created when oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates from the food we eat. This fermentation creates acid."

Acid can break down your tooth's enamel over time, causing overall weakness and worst of all, cavities. This deterioration process can be physically painful, so if you've got a toothache seemingly out of nowhere, it may be a cavity developing.

Your teeth are super sensitive

If you naturally have sensitive teeth, this may not be new to you. But if you develop sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods that you didn't have before, you may be feeling the effects of a cavity. “Because cavities start on the outer part of your enamel and there are no nerve endings in the enamel it’s hard to tell early on," says Dr. Keith Arbeitman, DDS, of Arbeitman and Shein Dental in New York City. But if cavities are ignored long enough, you'll definitely be able to tell if one has developed, says Dr. Arbeitman. "As it starts progressing to the deeper layer of the tooth and it hits what's called the dentin, that’s where things start to get sensitive," he says. Sensitivity equals cavity progression.

And it's not just food that can lead to weak enamel and cavity development, says Arbeitman. "There are other things like medication that you could be taking that could cause dry mouth, which creates a perfect environment for bacteria to run wild," and that can also cause decay and deterioration.

Your teeth are very discolored

Tooth decay leads to discoloration, says Dr. Lee, so a change in shades, or one particularly dark area on a white tooth, is not a good sign.

You see black spots or holes in your teeth

"Cavities start out white, then you'll see black spots or holes in your teeth," says Dr. Quartey. If you're seeing either of these things, it means your cavity is progressing, and you should schedule a visit to your dentist so they can deal with it before it gets any worse.

You feel pain while eating

The holes that form from cavities can even go all the way down to the soft tissue in the center of your tooth. At this point, a cavity will hurt a lot, especially when it gets pushed down on while eating, according to the American Dental Association.

How can I prevent cavities?

There's a reason you were told to brush twice a day as a kid. But too many people are skipping it at night, Dr. Quartey says.

"Your saliva is protective. It helps to neutralize what’s in your mouth as a normal washing away process," says Dr. Quartey. But when you go to sleep, this process dramatically decreases, giving all the bacteria in your mouth time to do some serious damage.

But just brushing is not enough. You have to floss too, she says. "With brushing you’ll miss 30 percent of what’s on your teeth."

There's also a few adjustments you can make during your meals to reduce acid buildup. For example, drink with a straw. "Straws are great because they will help things pass over your teeth," Dr. Quartey says. "And if you are going to drink wine, soda, acidic things, follow it up with water so it doesn’t stay on your teeth the whole time."

And if you chew gum, buy some that contains xylitol. It's in a lot of sugarless chewing gum and it helps prevent the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities, says Dr. Quartey.

Can you reverse a cavity?

The short answer is no. "Once tooth structure is lost and a hole develops, the missing tooth structure cannot grow back," says Dr. Lee. Your only solution will be a dental procedure.

But if the tooth structure has been weakened, not lost, meaning it's an early cavity, "diet modification, improved oral hygiene, and the use of fluoride-containing products can help slow down the process and sometimes even arrest the decay," says Dr. Lee. Even if you've had a lot of cavities in the past, it's never too late to start leveling up your oral hygiene routine, and it's always worth it. That set of adult teeth you've got needs to last you a lifetime!

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