Cavities, also known as dental caries, are a sign of tooth decay. As the decay progresses, small holes begin to develop in the teeth. If not treated, they can become larger and cause more problems.

Mark Gurarie is a writer covering health topics, technology, music, books, and culture. He also teaches health science and research writing at George Washington University's School of Medical and ...

A tooth abscess is a collection of pus that forms inside a tooth or its surrounding structures. The abscess itself is one of the later stages of tooth decay, and typically occurs before tooth loss.

Gum disease — medically known as periodontitis — affects 47.2% of adults over age 30 in the U.S. About 8.5% of them may have severe periodontitis. Gum disease is a severe infection or inflammation of ...

Teeth deep cleaning, or periodontal scaling and root planing, is a common procedure that treats gum disease by removing bacteria above and below the gumline. It may prevent future tooth loss. Share on ...

A lump inside the mouth can be alarming because it is easy to imagine the worst. In many cases, mouth bumps turn out to be harmless. They may come from irritation, a blocked salivary gland, swollen ...

Throbbing pain in the tooth usually indicates that there is an injury or infection in the mouth. In most cases, this will be a cavity or an abscess. However, there are many possible causes of ...