Dental Caries (Cavities)
Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache - Mae West
image by: The Incomparable Caries
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Why do some people get more cavities than others do?
Dental caries is the most prevalent infectious disease in humans, affecting 97 percent of the population in their lifetime. The result of the disease process known as dental caries, getting cavities is a complex and multifactorial scenario. Caries is biofilm-induced, acid demineralization of the teeth, and it requires the right combination of conditions in order to progress. When tooth enamel is subjected to a pH lower than 5.5, it begins to demineralize. Above this so-called critical pH, a mitigating repair process—remineralization—can occur.
Remineralization is in turn influenced by the presence of salivary minerals, available fluoride ion and salivary flow rate. It is when the…
Resources
A Cavity-Fighting Liquid Lets Kids Avoid Dentists’ Drills
Nobody looks forward to having a cavity drilled and filled by a dentist. Now there’s an alternative: an antimicrobial liquid that can be brushed on cavities to stop tooth decay — painlessly. The liquid is called silver diamine fluoride, or S.D.F. It’s been used for decades in Japan, but it’s been available in the United States, under the brand name Advantage Arrest, for just about a year.
You Don’t Need to Be a Dentist to Fill a Cavity
Midlevel ‘dental therapists’ can care for underserved Medicaid patients—but dentists see competition.
How does the fluoride in toothpaste prevent cavities?
Researchers believe there are several mechanisms by which fluoride achieves its anticaries (cavity-preventing) effect. It reduces the solubility of enamel in acid by converting hydroxyapatite into less soluble fluorapatite; it may exert an influence directly on dental plaque, reducing the ability of plaque organisms to produce acid; and it promotes the remineralization of tooth enamel in areas that have been decalcified by acids.
To Cut Tooth Decay: A Laser vs. a Drill
Several published studies have found lasers can often allow patients to skip numbing anesthetic when getting cavities treated. But there's scant evidence showing the lasers provide long-term benefit to teeth, as some dentists claim.
Why Sharks Don't Get Cavities
The carnivorous fishes' teeth may be terrifying. But they're also models of oral hygiene.
Why do some people get more cavities than others do?
Dental caries is the most prevalent infectious disease in humans, affecting 97 percent of the population in their lifetime. The result of the disease process known as dental caries, getting cavities is a complex and multifactorial scenario.
End Cavities
The Children's Dental Health Project (CDHP) created these resources to help policymakers, health providers and health advocates advance strategies to both improve children's health and reduce costs. By preventing early tooth decay — or at least managing it — states can improve population health.
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