What Do Cavities Look Like? Types, Appearance, and More

More than 80% of Americans past the age mid-30s have cavities. Cavities are among the chronic dental diseases that affect people of all ages. Moreover, they can be surprising without any prior indications. If you don’t know what cavities look like, you need to understand what cavities are first.

In this blog, we will share what a cavity is, the stages of a cavity, what cavities look like in toddlers, how to treat cavities, and much more. So, continue reading this blog to understand better if you have or treat cavities. 

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What is a Cavity?

Simply put, a cavity is a small hole in your teeth due to decay. It chips away your teeth’s structure, causing discomfort and stress. But do you know what causes this? 

Several factors combine to form cavities, such as the bacteria in our mouth, improper cleaning, and residues from fizzy drinks and spicy snacks. The oral bacteria produce an acid that eats away the tooth enamel. Additionally, it leads to tooth decay, creating small holes in the tooth structure. 

Types of Cavities

Cavities are of different types, starting from the tooth surface to the roots. Here, we share some common types of tooth cavities that can help you differentiate the kind of cavities that you have. 

1: Smooth surface cavities

It’s an early cavity that starts on the tooth surface as it dissolves the tooth enamel. What does a cavity look like when it first starts? It appears as minor pits and holes. Proper hygiene and cleaning make this type of cavities reversible and easy to prevent. Such a type of cavity mainly occurs in adults in their 20s. 

2: Pit and fissure decay

The second most common type of cavities are pits and fissures that develop on the top of your tooth’s surface and affect the front side of your back teeth. 

Mostly, this type starts developing in teens who don’t take care of their teeth and progress quickly in later years if neglected. 

3: Root decay

The third and the last type of cavities are root decays in adults with receding gums. Gum recession mainly exposes your teeth and allows bacteria to cause dental plaques with acid attacks. 

This is the most stubborn type of cavity and isn’t easy to prevent. You must be very mindful of cavities that are already facing the issue of gum recession. 

What Does A Cavity Look Like?

Once you know what a cavity is and its types, you might wonder what cavities look like on teeth. So, here, you will learn what cavities look like in real life and what cavities look like in x-rays. 

What does a small cavity look like? Primarily, a cavity on a tooth is identified as a tiny hole, a darkened area, or an opening. The affected area also signifies the varying discoloration from light brown shades to deeper black—additionally, their appearance changes when the cavities progress with time and become more profound and more noticeable. 

In the cases where the cavities are visible, you must know the characteristics of the cavities. Once you know the characteristics, you can work on their prevention. So, here are the characteristics of a tooth cavity:

However, the cavities are only visible sometimes. Mostly, the cavities are visible in their mature or progressing stages. Furthermore, a dental health professional confirms their presence with medical techniques, including X-rays.

Now, you might wonder what cavities look like on the front tooth and side tooth. So, here, you can learn about the cavities on different angles of teeth. 

Cavity on the Side of a Tooth

Dental plaque accumulation mainly results in a cavity on the side of the tooth that appears to be a gray or brown spot. It also looks like black spots or holes that don’t disappear after brushing. 

Cavity on the Front Tooth

Do you know what cavities look like on the front teeth? They are more noticeable on the front teeth. You can easily detect a cavity in white or brown spots, visible when you speak, smile, or eat. Moreover, they need proper treatment by a dental health professional. 

Cavity Between Teeth

The cavities between teeth, known as interproximal, are not easily visible and are tricky to spot with the naked eye. They are primarily detectable with the X-ray examination of teeth. Regular brushing and flossing help prevent cavities in the teeth. 

How Do You Know If You Have a Cavity?

A change in the color or presence of dark spots on your teeth shows you have a cavity. However, there is a chance that the activities are hiding away and are invisible when you are eating. 

Apart from that, several signs indicate that you have cavities that need proper treatment. When aware of cavities between your teeth, it would help to look for these signs.

1: Toothache

A ubiquitous sign is toothache, which can be spontaneous and occur due to the development of cavities. If you are not going through any dental treatment and your teeth start aching, it reveals the presence of cavities, especially when you are drinking or eating something. 

2: Pain while biting

When you eat something or bite down, and you put pressure on your molars or particular teeth, which hurts, it indicates the presence of cavities. 

3: Holes and pits

If you see any holes and pits in your teeth, molars, or on the back of your teeth, it reveals cavities. 

4: Sensitivity

A sharp tooth sensitivity with sudden pain while eating and drinking something hot or cold is a sign of cavity formation. If you feel such symptoms, look for cavities or contact a professional to understand what’s happening with your teeth. 

Tips to Prevent Cavities

In the case of cavities, prevention is better than cure. With some simple tips and tricks, you can easily manage your teeth and prevent them from cavities. 

Here we share a few tips that you must follow if you want to know how to prevent cavities:

FAQs

How do you tell if a tooth has a cavity?

If you face signs and symptoms such as sensitivity and toothache and find some discoloration, it indicates you have a cavity. Additionally, an X-ray is performed on the teeth to confirm their presence. 

What does a beginning cavity look like?

In the beginning, a cavity looks like the tearing of enamel, and pits and holes appear. When it progresses due to neglecting regular brushing, it seems to have a dark brown to black hue on the teeth. 

Does a cavity go away on its own?

Only the early cavity goes away if treated with dental cleaning sessions. However, the old and stubborn cavities don’t go away on their own. 

How do you fix a cavity?

You must book an appointment with a dental healthcare professional to fix a cavity. By looking at the condition of your teeth, a dentist can better recommend teh procedures, including fluoride treatments, fillings, root canals, and more.