Anticaries Drugs

Anticaries drugs are used to treat and prevent dental caries, the medical term for tooth decay or cavities. Dental caries form when acids produced by bacteria feeding on trapped food in the teeth erode the teeth’s enamel and dentine. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are the bacteria usually accountable for dental caries. Many anticaries agents, such as fluoride, chlorhexidine, and xylitol, have proven to be effective against dental caries.

Dental caries destroy teeth and are the primary cause of tooth loss in individuals. Dental caries affect the enamel (outer layer of the tooth), cementum (calcified outer covering of the root of the tooth), and dentine (a layer next to the enamel). Dental caries is an infectious disease; however, it is preventable. Good oral health can prevent ...