Dentistry :: essays research papers

I began this paper with certain(a) ideas regarding the carries process. It is a k at one timen fact that fluoride helps to prevent carious lesions. Not a whole lot of studies or information is out there on what I sought out to visualise. That would be the relationship between atomic number 20 inorganic orthophosphate and carious lesions. I am familiar with the remineralization process of enamel, and so I decided my topic would appropriately be that calcium phosphate can prevent carious lesions by helping to remineralize the enamel. It was difficult to find material to support this topic. While researching, I came across numerous products that arrest calcium phosphate and claim to what I would like it to do. Carious lesions get dressedt just develop over night. It is a process and it takes a long time, any where from six months to two years. Dental caries is a dynamic process characterized by alternating periods of demineralization and remineralization (Harris and Garcia-Godoy 45). Enamel is tranquil of densely packed hydroxyapatite crystals. The hydroxyapatite crystals are made up of tricalcium phosphate. During demineralization this is what is bemused. at one time enough of this mineral is lost, part of the tooth structure will collapse forming a cavity. Remineralization is when those ions lost are redeposited in a demineralized area. It all starts small. We have that tremendous acquired pellicle which is like fly paper for bacteria. When the bacteria accumulates a plaque is now present. The bacterial plaque will produce acids, which can eventually pose the enamel structure to collapse (Winston 1580). Since calcium and phosphate are what is lost during demineralization, for the remineralization to occur we must replace these minerals. Saliva naturally contains calcium and phosphate (Winston 1580). Each person can have a different salivary minginess of these minerals. It was plunge that men have a amplyer concentration of salivary calcium than w omen (Sewon 917). There are any number of factors that play hand in hand with a high level of salivary calcium. High calcium content of the saliva gives us a high rate of remineralization after initial demineralization. It was noted that the number of decayed, missing, or alter teeth was lower in patients with high salivary calcium (males). or so drawbacks to having this much mineral content in the saliva are more than bleeding on probing. This is due to an increase in plaque. It was also found that this calcium rich plaque hardens very rapidly.