Demineralization and Remineralization of Teeth
Description:... Dental caries is defined as a multifactorial, transmissible, infectious oral disease caused primarily by the complex interaction of cariogenic oral flora (biofilm) with fermentable dietary carbohydrates on the tooth surface over time. At the tooth surface and sub-surface level, dental caries results from a dynamic process of attack (demineralization) and restitution (remineralization) of the tooth matter. It is essential to understand that carious lesions, or cavitations in teeth, are signs of an underlying condition, an imbalance between protective factors (i.e., those favouring remineralization) and pathologic factors (i.e., those favouring demineralization), balance tilting towards the latter. In clinical practice, it is very easy to lose sight of this fact and focus entirely on the restorative treatment of caries lesions, failing to treat the underlying cause of the disease.
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