Caries – a disease of the tooth hard substances.
What is tooth decay?
Caries is a disease of the tooth hard substances. It is caused by several influences. First of all, a bacterial plaque must be present on the tooth surface. If there is an additional supply of sugar, for example through the absorption of sweets, the bacteria from the plaque metabolize this sugar and this produces acid. This acid attacks the enamel, the outer layer of the tooth and dissolves minerals from it. At this point, the tooth becomes soft and porous so that the bacteria can penetrate deeper into the inside of the tooth until they finally reach the next layer, the dentin.