Tooth decay

Symptoms of tooth decay

Tooth decay may not cause any pain. However, if you have dental caries you might have:

toothache either continuous pain keeping you awake or occasional sharp pain without an obvious cause
tooth sensitivity you may feel tenderness or pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet
grey, brown or black spotsappearing on your teeth
bad breath
an unpleasant taste in your mouth

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for tooth decay

Introduction

Read about tooth decay (dental caries), when acids in your mouth dissolve the outer layers of your teeth.

Symptoms of tooth decay

Tooth decay may not cause any pain. However, if you have dental caries you might have: toothache either continuous pain keeping you awake or occasional sharp pain without an obvious cause tooth sens

Seeing a dentist

Visit your dentist regularly, so early tooth decay can be treated as soon as possible and the prevention of decay can begin.Tooth decay is much easier and cheaperto treat in its early stages.Dentists

NHS charges are set by the government and are standard for all NHS patients. Charges are assessed each year and usually change every April. Some people don't have to pay for dental treatment, includin

Preventing tooth decay

Although tooth decay is acommon problem, it's often entirely preventable. The best way to avoid tooth decay is to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. For example, you should: visit your

Protecting your child's teeth

Establishing good eating habits by limiting sugary snacks and drinkscan help your child avoid tooth decay. Regular visits to the dentist at an early age should also be encouraged. It's important to te

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