Four things are required for caries to form: the surface of the tooth (enamel or dentin), caries-causing bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates (such as sucrose), and time.[20] This involves food sticking to the teeth and creating acid from the bacteria that form dental plaque.[21] However, these four criteria are not always sufficient to cause disease, and a protected environment is required that promotes the development of carcinogenic biofilms. The disease process of dental caries is not inevitable, and different individuals will be susceptible to different degrees depending on the shape of their teeth, oral hygiene habits, and storage capacity of their saliva. Dental caries can occur on any tooth surface exposed to the oral cavity, but not the structures that are retained within the bone.[22]
Dental caries is caused by biofilms (dental plaque) lying on the teeth and maturing to become carcinogenic (cavities-causing). Some bacteria in biofilms produce acid in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose.[23][24]
Caries occur more often in people at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale than in people at the upper end of the socioeconomic scale.[25]
bacteria
