Cariology Final Study Guide Flashcards
Hard tissues of the tooth
Dentin, enamel, cementum (DEC)
Soft tissues of the tooth
Pulp
Where are occlusal/pit and fissure caries?
On the biting surface of posterior teeth
Where are smooth surface caries located?
On the facial and lingual sides of teeth
Where are cervical caries located?
At the neck of the teeth where the enamel and cementum connect
Where are proximal caries located?
At the articulations between teeth at both the mesial and distal sides
Where are root caries locate?
In the cementum
What is cementum?
Hard tissue that covers the root of the tooth
What are rampant caries?
They develop and progress quickly
What are incipient caries?
They are small and at the early stages
What are arrested caries?
Caries that have not progressed further, such as by improving oral care, use of fluoride, or they improved on their own
What are recurrent caries?
They develop under/around the filling
Xerostomic caries
These occur because there is little saliva in the mouth, which protects against caries
What three external factors can impact caries production?
Radiation (damage to salivary glands), Medications (xerostomia can be a side effect), and systemic conditions (i.e. diabetes)
What age group do we classify Early Childhood Caries (ECC) under?
71 months or younger (under 6 years)
Caries is the most common chronic disease amongst children. How much more likely is it compared to asthma and hay fever?
5 and 7, respectively
Which theory of caries is most accepted? Who proposed it?
Acidogenic (chemo-parasitic) by W.D. Miller
What three factors must be present to produce caries?
Plaque (bacteria/biofilm)
Host (tooth structure and saliva)
Diet (carbs/sugar substrates
Describe the caries process
- Bacteria ferments carbohydrates
- Organic acids are produced and act on the hard tissues (enamel, dentin & cementum) 🡪 Minerals of the hard tissues are destroyed (demineralization)
- Demineralized tooth + proteolytic enzymes 🡪 cavitation/cavity/decay/caries
What ions come out of the tooth when acid acts on the tooth surface?
Calcium and phosphate
What is the critical pH? What is the normal mouth pH?
5.5; 6.7 to 7.4
What are the four most cariogenic bacteria in the mouth?
- Streptococcus mutans
- Streptococcus sobrinus
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Actinomyces viscosus
Which of the four oral bacteria are most common on the cementum, forming root caries?
Actinomyces viscosus
Streptococcus mutans is most associated with caries in what location?
Enamel caries/coronal caries