Dental caries

Abstract

Dental caries uniquely is prevalent worldwide and the annual oral health costs in Europe are estimated at €79 billion [1]. Essentially, the tooth’s outer covering, dental enamel and subsequently the sub-adjacent dentine are attacked and eventually destroyed by bacterially produced acid. If untreated this often results in infection of the alveolar bone of the jaw leading in turn to systemic infection including endocarditis. If the tooth is lost, supporting bone of the tooth socket is also resorbed exposing roots of previously healthy adjacent teet to further attack by oral bacteria and toothbrush wear. Therapeutic treatment is only possible before the enamel surface is breached, after which restoration materials are inserted following drilling out of porous carious tissue. Since enamel is acellular, enamel caries occurs without the participation of host cells and is essentiall a chemical process.