What Does a Cavity Look Like?

Visiting the dentist is the surest way to identify a cavity. However, knowing how to do so at home can also come in useful. So you need to know: what does a cavity look like? Once you can identify cavities, you can make a point of scheduling your next dental appointment right away.

What Is a Cavity?

To spot a cavity, you need to first know what you are looking for. In short, a cavity is a small hole or portion of wear on a tooth. Healthy teeth will retain their enamel. But if you have sufficient tooth decay, it can eat away at your tooth. Over time, this progresses into an ever-increasing hole.

What Does a Cavity Look Like?

The short answer: not pretty. Their appearance can range from a subtle chalky appearance to highly visible discoloration. Their appearance shifts as they worsen, starting as mild discoloration and eventually turning into something more ominous.

Spotting Cavities in Early Stages

In the earliest stages, you might not be able to spot a cavity without special equipment. Cavities tend to start out as a white, chalky area on the tooth’s surface. This happens due to bacteria beginning to break down the enamel. Most patients easily notice these changes on their front teeth. However, molars may be more inconspicuous.

At this point, we consider this a pre-cavity. The process is called demineralization. At this point, a routine cleaning can help restore your teeth. We may also recommend a treatment to remineralize your affected tooth.

Stain Buildup or Cavity?

Sometimes, discoloration might just be a stain. In either case, we recommend a dental visit. If it is a stain, we could whiten or clean it. If it is a cavity, we can treat that and also restore your tooth’s appearance. Either way, you can leave the office with a brighter smile.

Spotting Cavities in Middle or Later Stages

After the bacteria gets through your enamel, it can start eating away at the tooth itself. This is where things begin to start looking pretty unpleasant. Though cavities start small, they can gradually grow into noticeable brown or black spots on a tooth. It can almost look a little “burnt”, with a darker center and a lighter border.

If you spot active tooth discoloration, it is time for an appointment. Otherwise, that bacteria will simply keep eating away at your tooth. If it goes too deep into the tooth, it can infect the pulp. When this happens, you could need a root canal or even a tooth extraction.

In very late stages, the entire tooth may have a caved-in appearance.

What If I Cannot See a Cavity?

The most insidious part of cavities is that they often can present with minimal symptoms. You might not notice any pain or even discoloration. This especially holds true for molars. Not many people give their molars a close inspection each day.

So cavities can progress to worse problems almost unannounced. This is why having dental exams is so important. Your dentist can use a special device to check for cavities on, around, and between your teeth.

They do not need to even see it. If the tool catches on a tooth, that is because there is a small cavity there. Even small cavities will eventually need treatment, as they can be too small for a toothbrush to clean. This means bacteria will simply continue to build up in there until it worsens.

Do Not Forget About X-rays

Another reason to rely on your dentist for spotting cavities is because they can take X-rays of your teeth. This safe imaging procedure is noninvasive and over in seconds. No pain at all. An X-ray can provide highly detailed images of each tooth, including where there is tooth decay. When tooth decay happens between your teeth, sometimes an X-ray is the only way to assess the situation.

Does a Cavity Smell Bad?

You might not even need to spot a cavity with your eyes. You might simply smell it. Or rather, people around you might. Cavities absolutely can cause bad breath. This happens because the bacteria within the cavity produce unique compounds as they break down food. These volatile sulfur compounds smell quite unpleasant.

The more bacteria in there, the more odor that will come out. Treating a cavity not only protects your tooth, but it can keep bad breath from bothering you and those around you.

DTLA’s Leading Dental Team

If you have a cavity, you want a top-tier dentist on your side. From routine care to complex procedures, we specialize in keeping DTLA smiling brightly.