The Battle Against Dental Caries

Did you know your mouth is a battlefield for cariogenic bacteria? S. mutans,

sanguis, mitis, salivarius, A. naeslundii,

and Lactobacilli are lurking in your saliva. These bacteria are key players in dental

plaque and caries formation. For coronal caries, we can blame S. mutans and Lactobacilli.

If it’s root surface caries, Actinomyces viscus is often the culprit. Early plaque is

dominated by S. sanguis. When caries reaches the DEJ, they become what

we call "frank caries." Pit and fissure caries are the most common, involving S.

sanguis and fellow streps. They narrow at the enamel and spread like an inverted