See caries.

soft decayed area in a tooth; progressive decay can lead to the death of a tooth

an active process of tooth destruction resulting from interactions between teeth, food, and bacteria

High levels of lead, copper, zinc and chromium in the body tissues may tend to increase the tooth's susceptibility to decay.

Tooth decay is the commonly known term for dental caries, an infectious, transmissible, disease caused by bacteria. The damage done to teeth by this disease is commonly known as cavities. Tooth decay can cause pain and lead to infections in surrounding tissues and tooth loss if not treated properly.