What it means
پوسیدگی (pusidegi) is the Persian word for tooth decay or a cavity. It comes from the native Persian verb پوسیدن (pusidan), meaning to rot or to decompose, plus the abstract noun suffix -گی (-gi). The word applies broadly to any kind of decay, but in everyday health conversations it most commonly refers to dental cavities. A close synonym in clinical settings is حفره دندانی (hofreh-ye dandâni), meaning dental cavity, though پوسیدگی is the word you will hear from dentists and in daily speech alike.
How to use it
- دندانم پوسیدگی داره. (Dandânam pusidegi dâre.) “My tooth has a cavity.”
- دکتر گفت باید پوسیدگی رو پر کنم. (Doktor goft bâyad pusidegi ro por konam.) “The dentist said I need to get the cavity filled.”
- پوسیدگی دندان از خوردن شیرینی زیاد میاد. (Pusidegi-ye dandân az khordan-e shirini ziâd miyâd.) “Tooth decay comes from eating too many sweets.”
- بچهام پوسیدگی داره، باید بریم دندونپزشک. (Bachch-am pusidegi dâre, bâyad berim dandânpezeshk.) “My child has a cavity, we need to go to the dentist.”
Cultural note
Dental care awareness has grown significantly in Iran over the past two decades, with school health programs increasingly focusing on پوسیدگی prevention from a young age. Sweet tea, traditional pastries, and dried fruits are central to Iranian hospitality culture, and dentists often cite high sugar consumption as a leading cause of پوسیدگی among all age groups. The word is used without any stigma in conversation and appears in public health campaigns across Iran.