Your dentist is the most likely to find cavities during a regular dental check-up. They will probe your teeth to find any soft spots or use x-rays to check between your teeth.

If you have had a cavity for a while then you may get a toothache, particularly after you eat or drink something sweet, hot or cold. Sometimes it is possible to see the pits or holes in your teeth. Other symptoms of tooth decay include:

• Holes where the food gets stuck
• Chipped-off areas what your tongue often goes into
• Dark spots on the teeth

If left untreated, tooth decay may result in pain that lasts for several hours.