Dental caries is commonly called tooth decay. It is the infection of the tooth which destroys the morphologic and sometimes the physiologic features of the tooth. It is most commonly caused by the acid producing commensal bacteria present in the mouth .
Dental caries is mainly of 2 types :
1) Smooth Surface caries.
2) Pit and Fissure caries.
Some examples of the acid producing bacteria : Lactobacillus , Streptococcus Viridans (Str.Mutans)
The common causes of dental caries is the fermentation of the carbohydrates by the acid producing bacteria which make the environment acidic,this acidic environment damages the dentin and one commensal bacteria produce a adhesive agent (Dextrin) which binds the debris together and binds it to the tooth surface which ends up in Dental Plaque .

  • There are many classification for Dental caries , as it takes a whole lot of time to discuss we will talk about it later.            Dental caries affects all the Calcified parts of the tooth structures and there are different micro organisms which affect the respective parts :

1) Enamel                - Streptococcus Mutans     2) Dentin                 - Lacto Bacillus

3) Cementum          - Actinomycetes

DENTAL CARIES : It is an Infectious Microbiologic Disease of the teeth that results in localized dissolution and destruction of the calcified tissue

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