虫 歯(むしば)

むしば

noun

cavity; decayed tooth; tooth decay

medicalhealth

1. cavity; decayed tooth

A tooth damaged by decay, or the hole in a tooth caused by decay.

虫歯(むしば)がある。

I have a cavity.

虫歯(むしば)の治療(ちりょう)は痛(いた)かった。

The cavity treatment was painful.

虫歯(むしば)があるので、歯医者(はいしゃ)に行(い)かなければならない。

I have a cavity, so I have to go to the dentist.

2. tooth decay; dental caries

The condition or process of teeth decaying.

虫歯(むしば)になる。

To get a cavity.

甘(あま)いものを食(た)べすぎると虫歯(むしば)になる。

If you eat too many sweets, you'll get cavities.

子(こ)どもの頃(ころ)から歯(は)を磨(みが)く習慣(しゅうかん)をつければ、虫歯(むしば)を予防(よぼう)できる。

If you develop the habit of brushing your teeth from childhood, you can prevent cavities.

虫歯(むしば) literally means "bug tooth," reflecting the old belief that cavities were caused by worms.

Common patterns

虫歯(むしば)がある (to have a cavity)
虫歯(むしば)になる (to get a cavity)
虫歯(むしば)を治(なお)す (to treat a cavity)
虫歯(むしば)を予防(よぼう)する (to prevent cavities)

Common collocations

虫歯(むしば)の治療(ちりょう) (cavity treatment)
虫歯(むしば)予防(よぼう) (cavity prevention)

Related words

歯(は): Tooth
歯医者(はいしゃ): Dentist
歯磨(はみが)き: Tooth brushing
歯科(しか): Dentistry

The medical term for tooth decay is 齲歯(うし) or 齲蝕(うしょく), but 虫歯(むしば) is overwhelmingly more common in everyday speech.

Related Words

Related: 歯(は) (tooth)

Related: 歯医者(はいしゃ) (Dentist)

Related: 歯磨(はみが)き (Tooth brushing)

Related: 歯科(しか) (Dentistry)

Related: 抜歯(ばっし) (tooth extraction)

Compare: 歯周病(ししゅうびょう) (periodontal disease)

general

Added 2026.1.13 15:25 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

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