Six factors that play a role in caries development

5 important questions on Six factors that play a role in caries development

Why are starchy foods very cariogenic? And what is the danger behind combining a sliced bread with jelly?


Give examples if needed.

Starch is reduced to --> fructose + maltose by --> salivary enzymes

--> They have very retentive factors (bread, rice, snacks)
when there is already plaque -->more retentive + build up

When combined with a simple sugar --> the combination is worse than either by itself (jelly bread)

Give 3 examples in which the sequence of eating food can be beneficial for the teeth.

- Alternate cariogenic bite + cariostatic bite ---> keeps oral pH higher

- Eating crunchy foods with a meal --> lets you make more saliva to --> clear the oral cavity  quickly

- Drink sugary beverages with your meal, rather than separately --> drinking between provides separate acid attack

- What does the plaque biofilm consist of?

- Explain how the bacteria produces acid

- Which requirements must the bacteria in the biofilm have to play a role in the development of dental caries?

Plaque biofilm
- bacteria
- polysachharides (carbs)
- proteins
- lipids

As the biofilm matures --> the bacteria creates by-product acids from --> sucrose + glucose --> the composition of the biofilm changes and is more harmful to the tooth

Those that play a role in dental caries must be:
- acidogenic = ability to produce acid
- aciduric = ability to tolerate and thrive in a acid environment


Lactic acid = most abundant
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What kind of role does tooth structure and tooth alignments play dental caries development?

Tooth structure
- shallow grooves are less susceptible to dental caries

Tooth alignments
- straight teeth are less susceptible to dental caries

Name 4 ways in which fluoride can protect our teeth from dental caries.

1. Daily use of fluoridated toothpaste + mouthwash
- adds to reservoir of mineral available in oral cavity (absorbed by mucosal tissues)

2. Professional application of fluoride --> will arrest developing caries

3. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste --> Salivary fluoride levels are elevated up to 3 hours after brushing with fluoride toothpaste

4. Fluoride accumulates in plaque fluid and is held against enamel

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