No matter how solid your oral hygiene routine is, everyone has bacteria living inside their mouths. These bacteria, along with the sugary and acidic foods you eat, are at the root of tooth decay.

Tooth decay, the cause of cavities and dental caries, occurs when bacteria inside the mouth produce acid that breaks down the minerals like calcium and fluoride that comprise your tooth’s enamel (the hard, protective surface of the tooth).

So, how do you know if you have tooth decay? Although tooth decay often causes no signs or symptoms in its earliest stages, the following are some of the most common signs and symptoms of tooth decay.

Signs and Symptoms of Tooth Decay

1. Sensitivity to Hot or Cold Temperatures
Even in mild cases of tooth decay, you might experience tooth sensitivity.

2. Tooth Discoloration
Tooth decay exposes the darker layer of dentin below the enamel.

3. Holes on Your Teeth
You might be able to see small or larger holes in your teeth.

4. Persistent Bad Breath
Tooth decay can cause a bad smell or taste in your mouth.

5. Swollen Gums
Excess bacteria cause both tooth decay and gum disease. So, symptoms of gum disease often accompany tooth decay.

6. Toothache
Advanced tooth decay exposes a tooth’s interior pulp, causing a painful infection and painfully triggering your nerves.

7. No Symptoms Whatsoever
Tooth decay commonly occurs with no symptoms at all. Only more advanced stages of tooth decay, in which a tooth’s dentin or roots are exposed, tend to cause painful symptoms.