Dental caries Definition of dental caries: a destructive process causing decalcification of the tooth enamel and leading to continued destruction of enamel and dentin, and cavitation of the tooth. Factors involved in the etiology of dental caries: 1-Teeth: there are certain diseases and disorders affecting teeth which may leave an individual at a greater risk for caries. 2- Bacteria: The mouth contains a wide variety of bacteria, but only a few specific species of bacteria causes dental caries. 3-Fermentable carbohydrates:bacteria in a persons mouth convert glucose,fructose and most commonly sucrose in to acids these acids cause demineralization of the tooth structure. 4-Time: when sugars are eaten continuously throughout the day, the tooth is more vulnerable to caries for a longer period of time, and caries are more likely to develop because the PH never returns to normal levels. Treatment of caries:  A- Preventive: personal hyigene care consists of proper brushing and flossing daily.The purpose of oral hyigene is to minimize any etiologic agents of disease in the mouth. The primary focus of brushing and flossing is to remove and prevent the formation of plaque which causes dental caries. B-Medically: -Tooth filling:in the early stages of caries the dentist will be able to remove the decayed surface of the tooth to restore the shape and function of the tooth. There are two types of fillings: amalgam, composite -Root canal therapy:when the decay is too extensive root canal therapy maybe necessary for the restoration of a tooth  the canals are instrumented with endodontic files to clean and shape the canals and they are usually filled with a rubber-like material called gutta percha.The tooth is then filled and a crown can be placed. More preventive measures: Dental sealents: a sealent is a thin plastic-like coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the molars. This coating prevents the accumulation of plaque in the deep grooves and thus prevents the formation of pit and fissure caries the most common form of dental caries. Sealents are usually applied on the teeth of children, after the molars erupt. Back to the list