Carl is a 65 year-old patient presenting for a new patient exam. Upon clinical examination, the dental hygienist notes visual white spots on the cervical thirds of the maxillary anteriors and a D2 lesion is present on the radiographs on tooth #31-M. Carl states he had two fillings placed six months with his previous dentist. Based on the information given, what is the caries risk for this patient?

The caries risk for this patient includes;

• addiction to sugary and carbonated food and drinks,

• Having carious lesions during the last six months.

• Need to see special health care providers to meet some medical needs or needs assistance in self care.

Explanation:

Caries is a word synonymous to cavity that describes the progressive destruction in terms of cavitations of the tooth by decay. It describes the hole bored through the dental enamel and the decay of its hard tissues caused by the by-product action of bacteria in the mouth.

We see how the dentist had a visual of white spots (WSLs) on the cervical thirds of the maxillary anteriors meaning that there are white spot lession and demineralization of teeth wasn't controlled.

D2 is one of the D -series of the dental classification system – the dentist then checks for lesion within the middle third of dentin in this case.

D2 caries lesions can be detected by direct visual inspection and this should be to determined whether there is surface cavitations, every occlusions must have been removed before the inspection.

Carl has a recurrent caries around restorations this falls in the category of having an oral risk factor.

Remineralization is key to treat WSLs. A regular home care of Oral Hygiene and Fluoride Exposure is how this would be done with specially formulated paste.

The risk factors for both WSLs and Cavities are thus;

Presence of plaque , knowledge of plaque control and the patient’s motivation, daily use of fluoridated toothpaste daily and rinse, Brushing everyday, Floss at least once a day, Eat a well-balanced diet low in sugar and heavy starches, Drink plenty of water and Minimizing the intake of coffee, soda and alcohol.