Glossery of Terms
Dental caries:
Tooth decay / Cavities
Acidogenic:
Produces acid
Cariogenic:
Causes tooth decay
Non-cariogenic:
Does not cause cavities
Cariostatic:
Arrest or halts decay process
Anti-cariogenic:
Therapeutic effect to reverse caries
Fermentation:
Energy-yielding anaerobic breakdown of carbohydrates by microbes. "Alcoholic fermentation" is usually carried out by yeasts. Oral bacteria prefer to make organic acids such as formic, acetic (as in vinegar), and lactic acids.
