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Dental Caries Dental Caries or tooth decay is an infectious microbiological disease of the teeth that results in localized dissolution and destruction of the calcified tissues. Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli can produce great amounts of acid (acidogenic), are tolerant of acidic environments (aciduric), are vigorously stimulated by sucrose, and appear to be the primary organisms associated with tooth decay in man. Remineralizaion of the damaged tooth structure occurs as the local pH rises above 5.5. Saliva contains high concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions in solution, which serve as a supply of raw material for the remineralization process. Caries lesion progress as a series of exacerbations and remissions as the pH at the tooth surface varies with the changes in plaque metabolism. Organisms which cause caries are termed cariogenic. The degree to which a tooth is likely to become carious is described as its cariogenicity potential.
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