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Toothache
Tooth pain
Bad breath
Sensitive teeth
Tooth cavity
Hole in tooth
Cavity in between teeth
Nerve pain in tooth
Pain in tooth
Shooting pain in tooth that comes and goes
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
Dental caries occur when the hard outer layer of your tooth, the enamel, gets destroyed, sometimes forming small holes or cavitations. Common causes include eating and drinking sugary foods, frequent snacking, dry mouth and poor oral hygiene.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Treatment includes improved dental hygiene, dietary changes, and dental procedures such as fillings, crowns, root canals, or even tooth removal in severe cases.
Reviewed By:
Luri Lee, DMD (Dentistry)
Dr. Luri Lee graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology. She then continued her education at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. During her time in dental school, Dr. Lee was the recipient of the Spencer N. Frankl Scholarship for her strong academic performance and active participation in the school and community. Following dental school, Dr. Lee stayed at Boston University to complete a one year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program. In 2020 Dr. Lee was recognized among the “10 Under Ten” by the Massachusetts Dental Society for her contributions to the dental community and her volunteer work in Panama. Dr. Lee is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and is a member of the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society and Academy of General Dentistry.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Jul 18, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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With a free 3-min Dental Caries quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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Q.
Fussy Baby? When Babies Start Teething & Medical Relief Steps
A.
Most babies start teething around 6 months, with a normal range of 3 to 12 months, and typical signs include drooling, swollen gums, chewing, and mild fussiness while high fever or severe illness usually means something else. Safe relief steps include gentle gum pressure, a chilled teether or washcloth, and pediatrician-guided acetaminophen or ibuprofen at age-appropriate doses, while benzocaine gels, homeopathic tablets, amber necklaces, and alcohol-based remedies should be avoided. There are several factors to consider about sleep disruption, when to start brushing with fluoride, cavity prevention, and warning signs that need a doctor, so see the complete guidance below before deciding on next steps.
References:
* Massignan C, Sciannamè F, Gnoato G, Bertossi D, De Biase C, Zotti F. Teething: a review of the literature. Minerva Stomatol. 2017 Aug;66(4):183-191. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4970.17.04090-X. PMID: 28836585.
* Owais AI, Al-Battikhi MN, Ma'ani AB, Al-Bakri LI, Hammad HM. Teething and its signs, symptoms and treatment in children: A review. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2018;42(6):415-420. doi: 10.17796/1053-418X-42.6.5. Epub 2018 Sep 21. PMID: 30239062.
* Llewellyn A, et al. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for teething in infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Oct 20;10(10):CD012423. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012423. PMID: 27763788.
* American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Infant teething and its management: a literature review. Pediatr Dent. 2016 Sep;38(5):371-375.
* Memarpour M, Niknam N, Ghafourifar R. Clinical signs and symptoms associated with primary tooth eruption: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Iran J Pediatr. 2015 Feb;25(1):e201. doi: 10.5812/ijp.201. PMID: 25780312; PMCID: PMC4350170.
Q.
Can’t Remove Plaque? Why Your Teeth Decay & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Plaque is a sticky bacterial film that reforms within hours and, if not removed effectively, hardens into tartar that brushing cannot remove, leading to enamel acid attacks and decay even when you brush daily, especially with poor technique, no flossing, frequent sugars, or dry mouth. Medically approved next steps include brushing with fluoride for 2 minutes twice daily, flossing every day, limiting frequent sugar exposure, and getting regular professional cleanings, with urgent care if you have severe pain, swelling, fever, or trouble swallowing; there are several factors to consider, including tartar that needs a dentist and when early damage can be reversed, so see below for complete details.
References:
* Srinivasan, M., & Marra, F. P. (2021). The Role of Dental Plaque Biofilm in the Etiology of Dental Caries: An Updated Review. Contemporary Clinical Dentistry, 12(4), 311–316.
* Takahashi, N., & Nyvad, B. (2016). The role of bacteria in the caries process: ecological perspectives. Journal of Dental Research, 95(5), 502–507.
* Wright, J. T., et al. (2016). Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the use of fluoride. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 147(11), 904–912.e5.
* Schwendicke, F., et al. (2021). Non-restorative treatments for active cavitated carious lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dental Research, 100(9), 905–914.
* Moynihan, P., & Kelly, S. A. (2014). Dietary sugars and dental caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dental Research, 93(8), 834–839.
Q.
Child in Pain? Why a Pediatric Dentist Near Me is Vital + Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
A pediatric dentist near you is vital when a child has tooth pain because kids have unique dental needs, and prompt care can quickly relieve pain from cavities, infection, injury, teething, or gum issues while preventing serious complications. There are several factors to consider. See below for medically approved first steps at home, when to book urgent dental care or go to the ER for red flags like swelling, fever, or trouble breathing, and what to expect at the pediatric visit.
References:
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34211603/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34685338/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29329774/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30353065/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27847953/
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Selwitz RH, Ismail AI, Pitts NB. Dental caries. Lancet. 2007 Jan 6;369(9555):51-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60031-2. PMID: 17208642.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(07)60031-2/fulltextMathur VP, Dhillon JK. Dental Caries: A Disease Which Needs Attention. Indian J Pediatr. 2018 Mar;85(3):202-206. doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2381-6. Epub 2017 Jun 23. PMID: 28643162.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-017-2381-6Kutsch VK. Dental caries: an updated medical model of risk assessment. J Prosthet Dent. 2014 Apr;111(4):280-5. doi: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2013.07.014. Epub 2013 Dec 10. PMID: 24331852.
https://www.thejpd.org/article/S0022-3913(13)00269-2/fulltextGao X, Jiang S, Koh D, Hsu CY. Salivary biomarkers for dental caries. Periodontol 2000. 2016 Feb;70(1):128-41. doi: 10.1111/prd.12100. PMID: 26662487.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/prd.12100Balaji SM. Dental caries: Research perspective. Indian J Dent Res. 2018 Jan-Feb;29(1):3. doi: 10.4103/ijdr.IJDR_61_18. PMID: 29442078.
https://www.ijdr.in/article.asp?issn=0970-9290;year=2018;volume=29;issue=1;spage=3;epage=3;aulast=Balaji