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Key Points
- The process whereby dental caries progresses from demineralization to tooth cavitation is a continuum, spanning the initial bacterial infection, the acid attack of tooth surfaces, and demineralization/remineralization cycles.
- The four basic elements required for dental caries formation are the tooth, time, sugar, and bacteria.
- Specific acidogenic organisms in dental plaque, notably the MS (i.e., Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus) bacterial group and some strains of Lactobacillus species, are those bacteria most often implicated in dental caries.
- The concept of risk-based dental caries management is based on the belief that dentists can use clinical indicators to classify caries risk status to predict future caries experience, as well as on the assumption that preventive services and recall frequency can be planned more appropriately with that information in mind.
- Sound clinical judgment is necessary to determine dental caries risk and appropriate care. Gathering information from and about patients is critical in determining caries risk.
- Dental caries modifying factors include previous caries experience, age, family behaviors, diet, white spots/incipient lesions, tooth morphology, fluoride exposure, caries progression, and oral hygiene, among others.
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