The Chemistry of Dental Caries

Caries is a disease in which the dental tissues are attacked and may be destroyed by acid from bacteria in the oral environment. The disease is most prevalent in the young, when it chiefly involves the enamel, and frequently develops immediately after the enamel emerges into the oral cavity. The disease invariably develops beneath the bacteria-rich dental plaque, which, even when dental hygiene is good, can accumulate at sites where the turnover of saliva is small or where oral surfaces are not effectively cleaned. The carious lesion of enamel has been well documented both by clinical studies and by the histological examination of sections cut through lesions in extracted teeth. A number of pharmaceutical products have been used to inhibit the formation of plaque. The most successful prevention and control of dental caries seems to have resulted from the use of fluoride.