Dental caries Caries is Latin for ‘rot’ or ‘rotten’. ‘Rotten teeth’ are the signs of a disease called ‘dental caries’ or ‘tooth decay’. In dentistry an individual area of rot in a tooth is called a ‘carious lesion’. A rotten tooth is called a ‘carious tooth’. Dental caries or tooth decay is a disease which occurs in childhood.

Did you know? Although tooth decay is often considered to be an affliction of modern society associated, in particular, with modern dietary habits, there is evidence that it existed in ancient times. Because of their physical structure and chemical composition, teeth are often the last remains of prehistoric man, and fossil deposits have been found which exhibit signs of tooth decay. Dental caries has been identified in the teeth of Egyptian mummies, in the skulls of ancient Greeks, and in the remains of Romans in Britain.

Treatment and cure Caries can be treated by one or more of the following: Changing the microflora, using agents such as chlorhexidine and topical fluoride; Reducing the amount of dietary sucrose, by dietary choice; Decreasing the frequency of eating, by dietary choice; Adding flouride, particularly through daily application during tooth brushing; Increasing salivary flow, using mechanical stimulation during vigorous chewing to enhance flow.

‘A clean tooth will never decay’ Preventive measures: careful brushing flossing restricting sugar consumption use of flourides mouth wash Since dental caries is an infectious disease, many scientists have taken into account the possibility of using vaccination as a community preventive measures against it.

Expresii măsea de minte dinte de lapte dinte fals, artificial dinte de aur a-şi arăta dinţii a-şi scoate un dinte printre dinţi a scrâşni din dinţi a vorbi printre dinţi a-şi lua inima-n dinţi

wisdom tooth calf’s tooth, milk tooth false, artificial tooth, ivory gold filling Fig. to show one’s teeth, to show fight to have a tooth out, drawn, extracted, taken out Fig. through clenched teeth to gnash, grind, grit one’s teeth to mumble, to mutter to pluck up courage