DENTAL CARIES

¹ Department of Oral Pathology and Dental Research, College of Dentistry, Baylor University. Dallas, Texas

1. In my opinion, the singular phenomenon characteristic of dental caries is yellow pigmentation. Its presence indicates caries, its absence excludes it. Clinically it shows up as brown discoloration and can be seen best in ground sections, better in dentin than in enamel. Chalky enamel is not various until pigmentation appears.

2. Caries is caused by penetration of microorganisms into the organic matter of the tooth. If the narrow crooked roads of the prism sheaths are used frontal caries develops with cloudy enamel and transverse striated rods (signs of acid action) forming the spearhead and yellow pigmentation follows behind. If caries develops along the enamel lamellae, or if frontal caries reaches the tufts or dentin or starts at the surface of the clinical root at the cemento-enamel junction, undermining caries develops.

3. In my histological study there were 3 different phases observable in dental caries. The first phase is produced by acid action. The caries defining, apparently proteolytic phase is characterized by production of yellow pigment in the dental tissues while they still retain their tissue character. The third is the necrotizing phase in which the tissue is turned into necrotic debris resulting in cavity formation. Histologically it could not be decided if it is a separate phase or an advanced stage of the second phase. The separate appearance of these phases, histologically, suggests their independence with separate bacteriological backgrounds.