Tooth decay, also called dental caries or cavities, refers to holes on your teeth due to damage of tooth enamel. If you have a cavity for some time, you may suffer a toothache, in particular when you eat or drink something hot, cold or sweet. Generally, it can be detected in your regular dental checkup. Your dentist will probe your teeth to find soft spots, or use X-rays to check whether there is tooth decay or not. In some severe cases, you may even find it through eyes, because there might be big holes and tooth color may turn black. 

What causes tooth decay? When there are food debris, especially those contain carbohydrates, between our teeth, bacteria in your mouth will digest them and turn them into acids that will eat away tooth enamel. Thus cavities develop. To prevent that, you’d better consume less sugary or acidic foods and drinks. And it’s of great significance to keep good oral hygiene on a daily basis, including brushing twice and flossing one a day. Bear in mind to rinse your mouth with water after every meal, in order to cut back the time of food debris staying on teeth. Besides, schedule a regular dental checkup and cleaning every year. Once there are signs of tooth decay, get if fixed as soon as possible. Left untreated, it will deteriorate and cause you more troubles.