What’s the Cause of That Dark Spot on Your Tooth?

What are the telltale signs of a cavity?

If food and bacteria build up on your teeth, it can form a sticky substance known as plaque.

If plaque is allowed to build up, the acids in plaque can erode the enamel on the surface of your teeth. This can cause cavities to form.

Signs of a cavity may include:

If you have any of these symptoms, make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible to prevent further decay or complications.

Fillings are generally recommended for cavities when decay is closer to the surface and it doesn’t impact the tooth pulp or nerves.

When tooth decay becomes more advanced and gets into the soft core below your tooth’s enamel layer, the pulp inside your tooth can become inflamed or infected. When this happens, a root canal is often needed to clean out the decay.