Preventive strategies enhance protective factors and reduce pathologic factors to balance risk. Disease can be halted and early lesions remineralized.
Remineralization & Demineralization
- Caries is a dynamic process involving both protective factors and pathologic factors.
- Teeth are subjected to an ongoing cycle of demineralization and remineralization.
- To help prevent or reverse the caries process and tip the balance towards "no caries", we can:
- Decrease the likelihood of the child being colonized by mutans streptococci by providing preventive care and treatment for mothers.
- Limit the number of times the teeth are subkected to acid attacks by decreasing the frequency of consumption of dietary carbohydrates.
- Make teeth more resistant to acid through the use of fluoride.
- Enhance remineralization through the use of fluoride.
Figure courtesy of JD Featherstone JD. Caries management by risk assessment. J Calif Dent Assoc. 2003.