Dental caries: etiology, classification, histopathology
Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology · Dental (BDS)
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Study notes
A white chalky spot appears on a molar's chewing surface but the surface still feels hard. What does this mean? This is an early (incipient) caries lesion — a white spot. Acids have demineralized the subsurface enamel, but the surface layer is intact. At this stage the process can still be reversed: fluoride helps remineralize the enamel. If acid attacks continue, the surface collapses into a cavity that needs a filling.
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