In most of the cases, tooth decay has no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage, at which cavitation occurs. But there are early signs can be noticed before the cavitations take place.

I will try to mention them in their order of occurrence:

Chalky white spots: When the tooth is dry, you can see chalky white spots. They denote enamel decalcification (the early stage of dental decay) but still no cavity. Usually you don’t feel pain T this stage, but maybe be a little sensitivity.

Black or brown spots: This discoloration is due to bacterial pigments. You may still not feel any pain at this stage.

Tearing of the dental floss while flossing: If you are one of those people who are using dental floss, you may notice that the floss will comes out from between the teeth in a ragged,worn-out manner.

Pain on colds and sweets: With the gradual progression of tooth decay, cavitations happen and you can feel pain, especially with cold drinks and sweets like candy or gums.

Sudden pain: With further progression of tooth decay, the pain becomes severe and may occurs with hot drinks; and then later it may occur suddenly with no trigger, due to irreversible pulp inflammation.

Bad breath: Another symptom of tooth decay is bad breath. This is because of food accumulation in the dental cavity, as it gets rotted by bacteria.

Pain on biting: When the inflammation reaches the periapical tissue (the tissue adjacent to the root apex) it causes pain on biting, and it may feel as if the tooth has become taller.   

Bad taste: When the decay reaches the tooth pulp causing its necrosis (death), this necrosis forms pus. This pus may ooze into the mouth causing bad taste.

Abscess: When a tooth is left untreated, further pulp necrosis, infection and pus formation occurs. This pus accumulates at the tooth apex to form an abscess. This abscess has symptoms:

  • Swelling of the face.
  • Hotness of the overlying skin.
  • Tenderness of this area.
  • Redness of the overlying skin.
  • Fever.

A broken tooth: When a tooth is weakened by decalcification and cavitation, it may finally get broken.

Loose filling: If you have tooth fillings, the decay of the tooth around it can lead to its looseness, and it may even fall out of the tooth.

Gingivitis or gum swelling: Tooth decay can also lead to inflammation of the gum especially when it happens between two adjacent teeth.

That is because the food becomes accumulated in this narrow space, and the bacteria act on it leading to inflammation of the gums.

It is more likely to happen when the decay occurs in a tooth with a crown or bridge.

You should visit your dentist for a dental check up at least at six-month intervals, so that he can find out if there is any initial caries, at the stage when it can be treated so easily. You won’t have to deal with all the above-mentioned terrible symptoms. You can also  ask him about caries preventive measures like fluoride application, or pit and fissure sealing.

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.