Dental caries. An infectious and transmissible disease

Pediatr Clin North Am. 2000 Oct;47(5):1001-19, v. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(05)70255-8.

Abstract

Of the infectious diseases that affect humans, dental caries may be the most prevalent. Pediatric primary medical care providers are usually the first health care providers to examine the oral cavity of a child and so need to be able to recognize suspicious dental lesions. This article provides information on recognizing caries and reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of caries and odontogenic infections.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cariostatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dental Care / methods*
  • Dental Caries / diagnosis*
  • Dental Caries / epidemiology*
  • Dental Caries / prevention & control
  • Dental Caries / therapy
  • Dentition, Permanent
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Male
  • Preventive Dentistry / methods*
  • Risk Factors
  • Streptococcal Infections / diagnosis
  • Streptococcal Infections / therapy
  • Streptococcal Infections / transmission
  • Tooth, Deciduous
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Cariostatic Agents