Causes & Preventing Tooth Decay
Tooth decay can occur when acid is produced from plaque, which builds up on your teeth. Symptoms of tooth decay Tooth decay may not cause any pain. However, if you have dental caries you might have: a 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 spots appearing on your teeth bad breath in Essex an unpleasant taste in your mouth How plaque causes tooth decay Your mouth is full of bacteria that form a film over the teeth called dental plaque. When you consume food and drink high in carbohydrates – particularly sugary foods and drinks – the bacteria in plaque turn the carbohydrates into energy they need, producing acid at the same time. If the plaque is allowed to build up, the acid can begin to break down (dissolve) the surface of your tooth, causing holes known as cavities. Once...