Tooth decay is one of the most common dental problems worldwide, yet it's also one of the most preventable. At Modbury Dental Practice, we believe that understanding the stages of tooth decay is the first step in protecting your smile for life. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the five stages of tooth decay, how to spot the warning signs, and most importantly, what you can do to prevent and treat it.
Tooth decay is one of the most common dental problems worldwide, yet it’s also one of the most preventable. At Modbury Dental Practice, we believe that understanding the stages of tooth decay is the first step in protecting your smile for life.
In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the five stages of tooth decay, how to spot the warning signs, and most importantly, what you can do to prevent and treat it.
Put simply, tooth decay is what happens when disease takes hold inside your tooth.
This happens when the tooth’s surface is weakened enough for a hole to develop, allowing bacteria to break through your enamel – the tough outer layer of your teeth – and enter the inner layers, the dentine and the pulp.
These holes are known as cavities.
Cavities develop when plaque—a soft, sticky film that forms on the surface of your teeth—is allowed to build up. This film contains millions of bacteria that feed on food particles left behind after eating. As they break down these particles, they produce acids that gradually erode tooth enamel.
While certain medical conditions, medications, and even drinking bottled water without fluoride can increase your risk, the biggest contributor to cavities is a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates. Bacteria in plaque thrive on sugary and starchy foods like fizzy drinks, sweets, cakes, fruit juice, and dried fruit. The more sugar and starch you consume, the more acid these bacteria produce—speeding up the breakdown of your enamel.
The good news? Cavities are largely preventable. Brushing and flossing regularly removes plaque before it can cause harm, helping to protect your teeth from decay.
To understand the stages of tooth decay, let’s look at the different layers of the tooth that it can affect.
Teeth have three layers: enamel, dentine and pulp.
Enamel is the outer layer of the tooth. It is the white coating you see, and it is the hardest substance in the human body. Its job is to protect the soft, sensitive inside of the tooth.
Dentine is a yellow-coloured layer that sits beneath the enamel. Dentine is softer and more porous than enamel, with lots of tiny tubes that lead to the inside of the tooth.
The pulp is the soft and vulnerable innermost layer, made of nerve tissue and blood vessels.
Decay starts at the enamel and if untreated, progresses through to the dentine and then the pulp.
As decay progresses it becomes more painful and harder to treat. Catching it early will save you a lot of discomfort and expense.
The first stage of tooth decay is the formation of a small brown or white mark – or lesion – on the enamel. You probably won’t be able to see it, and it won’t be visible on an x-ray, but your dentist will easily spot it. At this stage, there is no pain, and the damage is reversible with proper oral care and fluoride treatment.
What You Can Do:
If an enamel lesion is left untreated, the demineralisation progresses into enamel decay, forming small cavities or holes. You may or may not start to notice sensitivity to sweets, cold, or hot drinks.
In Stage Two, the damage is no longer superficial. Your dentist will be able to see how deep the cavity is by taking an x-ray.
If your tooth decay has reached this stage, it won’t be possible to reverse it, as the body can’t regrow tooth enamel. But your dentist will be able to stop it from going even deeper and making things much worse.
Treatment:
Once the decay reaches the dentine—the softer layer beneath the enamel. Stage Three comes with slight toothache or discomfort. At the very least, you will feel sensitive to hot and cold food and drinks. How much it hurts will depend on how far the decay has spread, and on your personal pain tolerance level.
Dentine is sponge-like and porous, allowing bacteria to spread quickly and easily. Treatment at this stage is much trickier; you must act fast.
Treatment:
The pulp is the innermost part of your tooth, containing nerves and blood vessels. When decay reaches this area, it can lead to severe pain, swelling, and infection (abscess).
To stop your pain and clear the infection it is likely your dentist will perform a root canal treatment. This is an intricate procedure that involves drilling into the tooth and removing the infected pulp, then thoroughly cleaning the area and filling the canal in with a special material.
Treatment:
When decay is left untreated for too long, the tooth may become so damaged it needs to be removed. This can lead to further complications, such as shifting teeth or bone loss in the jaw.
Treatment:
The good news is that tooth decay is highly preventable with routine care and lifestyle habits. At Modbury Dental Practice, we recommend:
Think you may have a cavity? We make sure to spot any potential problems early, saving you from needing costly and complex treatments down the track.
If you’re experiencing tooth pain or haven’t had a check-up in a while, don’t wait for the problem to worsen. Book an appointment with our friendly team today and take the first step toward a healthier smile.
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