2&3 what happens to the structure of the tooth Flashcards
what is a plaque biofilm?
an organised bacterial population
what 3 things are required for caries?
dental plaque
tooth
diet
how does saliva allow bacteria to adhere to enamel
enamel is a smooth surface so bacteria cant adhere w/o a primer
proteins in saliva glue to enamel
-allowing bacterial adhesion
-selective attachment
what does bacteria do when attaching?
creates new niches for other bacteria
what is a white spot lesion?
what’s left over when plaque removed
what does a wsl look like?
light, chalky on surface of enamel
why can enamel still be mineralized with caries?
when aced demineralizes saliva washes off so demineralization happens on sub-surface
what are the characteristics of an enamel lesion?
subsurface loss
enlarged gaps between rods
-mineral loss
rod length preserved
what shape do interproximal caries take?
triangle
what is a scar of wsl an effect of?
remineralization
what kind of surface does an active wsl have?
rough
what kind of surface does an inactive wsl have?
smooth
how does an inactive lesion look?
plaque can be removed
no cavitation
what does a wsl close to gingival margin, gingival bleeding and gingivitis with no plaque suggest?
good oral hygiene done prior to attending but not done regularly
why is the pH lower in an active lesion?
uses glucose/sucrose to produce acid much more efficiently than inactive
as bacteria live well in acidic environment it will survive & thrive
