Dental Care: Below are some tips on how to prevent tooth decay or painful cavities in Teeth A dental cavity typically occurs when the bacteria present in the mouth cause tooth decay. In medical terms, this is called ‘dental caries’. In many cases, it appears as a small chalky deposit, which may eventually develop into a large cavitation. Sometimes, a lesion may be directly visible. However, other methods of detection such as radiographs are required for less visible areas to judge the true extent of tooth destruction. Caries or tooth decay is caused by teria in the mouth that convert all foods, specially starchy and sugary ones, into acids. These acids, in combination with saliva and food particles present in the mouth, form a sticky substance called plaque. It sticks to the outer-most layer of the teeth, and with time and poor oral hygiene; slowly makes its way in. Gradually, the acids move toward the inner layers of the teeth and if not treated by dentist, they may soon reach the sof...