Poor oral hygiene can lead to a build-up of plaque which may lead to decay of the tooth. Tooth decay (commonly called a cavity) creates a hole that weakens the tooth structure. When the cavity damage is picked up early and is relatively small, your dentist can fill the area with a common filling and easily fix the problem. However, if decay is left untreated, it can penetrate all the way to the centre of the tooth and attack the nerve of the tooth. This will result in a more complicated issue which may lead to an infection of that area (an abscess) and the nerve may die. Regular visits to your dentists are vital to assess the health and condition of the tooth as well as early cavity detection.