Dental Decay is a gradual but avoidable process when teeth are dissolved away by acid produced in the mouth by bacteria. Everyone's teeth are covered in plaque which is made up of millions of bacteria.  When sugary foods or drinks are consumed, the bacteria feed on the sugar and release acid which dissolves the teeth.

Decay can be prevented by establishing good dietry habits and cutting down on sugar intake.  Decay can also be prevented by maintaining good oral hygiene including regular tooth brushing with fluoride based toothpaste and by using aids such as dental floss to clean between the teeth.

Your dentist should check for decay at every check-up by careful visual examination and gentle probing of the teeth, and it is recommended that x-rays are taken at regular intervals to look for early decay between the teeth. If very early signs of dental decay are present then your dentist can spot these and advise you how to avoid a filling becoming necessary.

If your dentist detects decay at a later stage, then it can be treated by a small simple filling which can be tooth-coloured. Often early decay is not at all painful and so your dentist can detect it before you are aware of symptoms. Unfortunately if decay is left to progress for too long then it begins to cause symptoms of pain as the cavity and the progress of tooth destruction proceeds towards the nerve in the tooth.  If it is detected before reaching the nerve then the larger cavity can usually be filled but sometimes a crown will be required.

If the decay reaches the nerve of the tooth then the nerve is likely to become infected, and apart from possibly being very painful, an abscess may form. At this stage the tooth will require root canal treatment. If you regularly see your dentist then decay should almost always be detected before it reaches the nerve of the tooth and so the need for costly and lengthy root canal treatment should be avoided. Everyone is potentially affected by tooth decay and some people are more at risk that others. You can prevent problems with decay by looking after your teeth, being careful about how much sugar you consume and by visiting your dentist for regular check ups.