Biomaterial Database

Fluoride, remineralization and root caries. 1994

J D Featherstone

Department of Oral Sciences, Eastman Dental Center, Rochester, New York.

This paper reviews the probable mechanism of dental caries and the role of fluoride in the inhibition or reversal of that process. The initial stages of root caries are comparable to enamel caries, being the acid dissolution of mineral resulting from acids generated by bacterial metabolism. The fermentation of carbohydrates by oral bacteria including mutans streptococci and lactobacilli initiate the root caries process, removing mineral from among the organic matrix which is primarily composed of collagen. Subsequent to this demineralization, the organic material can be further broken down by bacterial enzymes. Fluoride inhibits mineral loss during the acid dissolution process and enhances remineralization in a similar manner to that which occurs in dental enamel.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003804	Dentin	The hard portion of the tooth surrounding the pulp, covered by enamel on the crown and cementum on the root, which is harder and denser than bone but softer than enamel, and is thus readily abraded when left unprotected. (From Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992)	Dentine,Dentines,Dentins
D005460	Fluorides, Topical	Fluorides, usually in pastes or gels, used for topical application to reduce the incidence of DENTAL CARIES.	Fluoride Varnishes,Topical Fluorides,Varnishes, Fluoride
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006863	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration	The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH	pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D014089	Tooth Remineralization	Therapeutic technique for replacement of minerals in partially decalcified teeth.	Remineralization, Tooth
D017213	Root Caries	Dental caries involving the tooth root, cementum, or cervical area of the tooth.	Caries, Cervical,Caries, Root,Cervical Caries,Cary, Cervical,Cervical Cary