Factors that Indirectly Affect Caries

Question 1

What is detergence of saliva?

Answer 1

How viscous saliva is

Question 2

How does detergence of saliva change with age?

Answer 2

Children have higher detergence, as people grow older detergence decreases, especially with the use of certain medications. Kids = long rope of saliva, adults = not

Question 3

Prolonged sleep position

Answer 3

The protection that saliva offers your teeth is affected by your sleeping position and gravity. Most protected = lowest side.

Question 4

Genetics

Answer 4

Can affect the solutes in the saliva, which can lead to an imbalance of necessary ions. For example, F ion can replace OH ion in hydroxyapatite and make it impervious to caries)

Question 5

Flaccid tissue

Answer 5

Due to little or movement of the mouth. Ex. Individuals with down syndrome tend to leave their mouth open which causes saliva to pool in one area and be absent from another

Question 6

Prenatal diet

Answer 6

Based upon what mom eats during the first 3 to 6 months of her pregnancy, while the fetus’ teeth are forming

Question 7

Enamel quality

Answer 7

Affects the amount of caries

Question 8

Alignment

Answer 8

Overlapping contact areas create non self-cleaning areas that can lead to an increase in caries and periodontal problems

Question 9

Postnatal diet

Answer 9

Fluoride is extremely important until 8-9 years of age. Also, children who are bottle-fed with Kool-Aid or orange juice tend to develop more caries

Question 10

Rate of saliva flow

Answer 10

High flow = low decay

Low flow = high decay

Question 11

Hygiene

Answer 11

Don’t brush/floss regularly = develop more decay and halitosis (bad breath) that those with good hygiene