Dental caries

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

the bacteria infection of the mineralised tissue of the tooth

Question 2

How does it occur?

Answer 2

due to combination of certain bacteria types being present within dental plaque that use non-milk extrinsic sugars to produce acids that cause enamel demineralisation

Question 3

Control build up of bacterial plaque

Answer 3

to practise its regular removal by using good oral hygiene techniques

Question 4

Increase tooth resistance

Answer 4

to acid attack by incorporating fluoride into enamel structure

Question 5

Modification of diet

Answer 5

to include fewer cariogenic foods + drinks + reduce their frequency of intake

Question 6

Causative factors

Answer 6

diet containing high NME, poor oral hygiene allowing accumulation of plaque + bacteria it contains,

stagnation areas of teeth such as occlusal fissures, overhanging restorations + abutments with dentures + appliances

the action of bacteria on the NMEs to produce acid, which demineralises the tooth structure + allows cavities to develop

Question 7

Increase the tooth resistance to acid attack

Answer 7

the outer layer of tooth (enamel) is made up of inorganic crystals of calcium hydroxyapatite arranged as prisms running from ameldodentinal junction to tooth surface

the incorporation of fluoride results in replace meant by fluorapatite crystals which is much more resistant to damage by weak organic acids formed by plaque bacteria