THEORIES OF DENTALcariea

THEORIES OF DENTAL CARIES
Dr.Baha Hamdi AI-Amiedi
Ph.D.Microbiology

DENTAL CARIES
Progressive bacterial damage to teeth exposed to saliva.
--one of the most major causes of all diseases and major cause of tooth loss.
--ultimate effect-to breakdown enamel and dentin and open a path for bacteria to reach pulp.
Consequences-inflammation of pulp
Four major factors involved in etiology:-
Cariogenic bacteria
Bacterial plaque
Susceptible tooth surface
Fermentable bacterial substrate (sugar

Chemical (acid) theory Parasitic (septic) theory The Acidogenic theory The Proteolytic theory
Proteolysis chelation theory
CHEMICAL (ACID) THEORYIn 17th and 18th century,there emerged a concept that teeth are destroyed by acids formed in the oral cavity by fermentation of food particles around the teeth..

PARASITIC (SEPTIC) THEOR YMicroorganisms were associated with the carious process...

ACIDOGENIC THEORYW.D Miller was the first well known scientist and investigator of dental caries and published his results in 1882.
According to him dental decay is a chemoparasitic process
It is a two stage process there is decalcification of the enamel which also results in the destruction of the dentin. in the second stage there is dissolution of the softened residue of the enamel and dentin.

In the first stage there is destruction is done by the acid attack where as the dissolution of the residue is carried by the proteolytic action of the bacteria s
This whole process is supported by the presence of carbohydrates microorganisms and dental plaque