What Is Dental Caries?

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, cavities, or caries, is a breakdown of teeth due to activities of bacteria. The cavities may be a number of different colors from yellow to black.

A dynamic process characterized by repeated episodes of demineralization and remineralisation occurring over a period of time.

If caries are not treated on time may lead to tooth destruction.

Risk factors

Food rich in carbohydrate

Frequent eating of sugary foods eg chocolate, toffees

Socio economic status: low and high

Decrease saliva flow e.g. dm,

Bacteria eg.streptococcus mutants,

Drugs e.g. antihistamine

Age; babies’ secondary to bottle feeding and use of pacifiers

Epidemiology

2.43 million

Disease is more common in the developed world than in the developing world due to high rate consumption of simple sugars like sucrose.it is common in adults and children in recent times

Symptoms

-Tooth pain or achy feeling, particularly after sweet, hot, or cold foods and drinks

-Visible pits or holes in the teeth.

-brown colouration of affected teeth

Investigations

-Primary diagnosis involves inspection of all visible tooth surfaces using a good light source, dental mirror and explorer.

-Dental radiographs (X-rays): This may show dental caries before it is otherwise visible, especially caries between the teeth. Dental x-rays are use in diagnosing pit and fissure caries.

Early uncavitated caries is often diagnosed by blowing air across the suspect surface, which removes moisture and changes the optical properties of the unmineralized enamel.

-Probing: soft/easily separated material at the crevices/fissures probe can go into the tooth if cavity formed.

Caries is a process.

(1)use of flouride in the early stages of dental decay helps in remineralising itself hence stoping or reversing decay.flouridification of drinking water and use of right amount of flouride in tooth paste is necessary in this

Many fillings are made of dental amalgam or composite resin.

Materials use in filling

(a)Amalgam is a silver-gray material made from silver, mercury, copper or other metals.

Amalgams are used in molars and premolars because the metal is not seen in the back of the mouth. Composite and ceramic materials are used for all teeth.

(B)Composite resin offers a better appearance because it is tooth-colored. Newer resins are very durable.

(3)root canal treatment

If a cavity is large, the remaining tooth may not be able to support enough filling material to repair it. In this case, the dentist will remove the decay and cover the tooth with a ceramic inlay, onlay or artificial crown. These may be made in the office or in a lab.

Sometimes bacteria may infect the pulp inside the tooth even if the part of the tooth you can see remains relatively intact. In this case, the tooth will need root canal treatment. A general dentist or an endodontist will remove the pulp and replace it with an inert material. In most cases, the tooth will need a