Dental Caries: A Microbiological Perspective

Saliva covers all surfaces and serves various important mechanical and nutritional functions in the oral cavity: digestion, swallowing, cleansing, lubrication, bactericidal, and ______

A// Tooth structure: The structure of enamel, and of dentine is important: some areas of the same tooth are much more susceptible to carious attack than others, possibly because of differences in mineral content (especially ______)

The typical resting pH (6.5-6.9) is slightly more acidic than stimulating pH (7.0-7.5), but often varies depending on the secretion rate. It has a high buffering capacity, which tends to neutralize acids produced by plaque bacteria on tooth ______

Dietary carbohydrates. Once the surface layer of enamel has been lost, the infection progresses via dentine to the pulp resulting in pulpitis and later ______

The four main factors involved in dental caries are: 1) Host factors 2) Diet 3) Time 4) Plaque microorganisms -These complex factors can interact in numerous different ways but all are required for the initiation and progression of ______

What is the most cariogenic sugar?

What factor influences the period for the sugar retained in close contact with the enamel surface?

What is the characteristic curve that shows what happens after the consumption of sugar in relation to dental caries?

What happens after sugar intake, leading to demineralisation of tooth surfaces?

Which of the following factors are involved in dental caries?