Abstract
Dental caries is the most prevalent infectious disease worldwide. There are different causes of tooth caries such as the dietary habit and oral hygiene. The morphology of the tooth also plays an important role in the formation of caries. The organic material of the tooth is made up of hydroxyapatite crystals. These crystals are demineralized in the presence of high acidity. The pH of the mouth environment is critical in the mineralization-demineralization process. It is a well-known fact that when carbohydrate consumed in daily diet with the help of bacteria the sugar is fermented and lactic acid is formed. Consequently the pH of the environment decreases which will lead the dental caries formation. The porpuse of this review is to give a comprehensive look at dental caries in terms of microbiology, diet, oral hygiene together with professional and social preventive measures.
Highlights
Tooth decay is a significant health problem worldwide
The pH of the mouth environment is critical in the mineralization-demineralization process. It is a well-known fact that when carbohydrate consumed in daily diet with the help of bacteria the sugar is fermented and lactic acid is formed
The porpuse of this review is to give a comprehensive look at dental caries in terms of microbiology, diet, oral hygiene together with professional and social preventive measures
Summary
Tooth decay (dental caries) is a significant health problem worldwide. It affects the vast majority of adults and children, from 60% to 90% of them. Six to nine children in every 10 are affected by tooth decay (Marinho et al, 2013). Dental caries is an infective transmittable bacterial disease characterized by a multi factorial pathology (Xhemnica et al, 2008). Main players in the etiology of this disease are: cariogenic bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates, a susceptible tooth, the host and the time, the relationship of which is described in the following Venn diagram (Richard et al, 2010). Carbohydrates play a very important role in the development of caries. High consumption of carbohydrates (especially sugar and starch) in diet, to fermentation the following sequence: Starch hydrolysis Glucose glycolysis Pyruvate fermentation Lactic acid www.ccsenet.org/ijb
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