Dental caries What is it?
Dental caries - or tooth decay - means damage to the enamel and underlying dentine of the teeth, which causes cavities to form. If these are neglected, bacteria can get into the teeth and ultimately damage the nerves and blood vessels that supply them, causing pain and finally loss of the teeth.
What is the cause?
Tooth decay is caused by our modern sugary diet and by neglecting to brush and floss the teeth. A layer of plaque - a thin, sticky film of bacteria - builds up and when sugary products are eaten, the plaque turns the sugar into acid that can cause decay.
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