While a hole in a tooth is pretty easy to see, it's not always so easy to spot cavities that are hiding in between your teeth. These cavities, professionally known as interproximal cavities, are harder to immediately spot. They can also be a bit more difficult to prevent, too, which means you need to take extra care to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Signs You Have an Interproximal Cavity Often, you won't realize that you have one of these cavities until the enamel has worn away. The cavity now goes down to the dentin, the layer under the enamel. This can cause the tooth to become more sensitive to hot and cold drinks or food. You may also experience some pain if you chew with that part of your mouth. Looking at that part of your mouth in the mirror may not immediately yield any results. If you ever have odd mouth pain and you're not sure why, it's time to call us. A professional exam will let you know if it's an interproximal cavity or something else. Why Are these Cavities Harder to Prevent? It's more difficult to prevent interproximal cavities because they often form in areas that can't be reached by toothbrushes. That's why it's so important to floss. Flossing gets between the teeth and removes the plaque that leads to interproximal cavities. If you don't floss at least once a day, you're leaving yourself at risk of developing this type of dental issue. What Can You Do?If you suspect you have an interproximal cavity, you need to come see us right away. We can do an x-ray to confirm that a cavity is there. Then we can treat it using fluoride gel if the cavity isn't too bad. If it is more severe, we may need to do a root canal.