Dental caries is a multifactorial disease characterized by the destruction of the hard tissues of the teeth as a result of acid-induced demineralization of dental plaque.
Bacteria naturally found in the mouth feed on the food debris accumulated on the surface of the teeth, releasing acids that eventually destroy layers of tooth tissue.
When left untreated in time, small cavities may begin to form, which over time can become deeper, reaching the more inner layers of the teeth. This slow process is completely painless until it reaches the nerve.
As high as the hardness of tooth enamel is, the action of bacteria that form bacterial plaque, and the waste that is released, damages the enamel irreversibly. This can happen in both definitive teeth and infant teeth.
According to a National Survey of Infant Oral Health, the prevalence of cavities in primary teeth is 36 percent.
