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The Role Of Streptococcus Mutans In The Formation Of Dental Caries: An Ecological Perspective, Jason Yeshaya Friedman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The teeth are among the most distinctive and productive features of the human species. It is the longest lasting surface of the body and can be used in research studies many years after death. Yet, in the living individual, the integrity of the teeth is constantly assaulted by a microbial challenge so great that dental caries, or decay, ranks as one of the most widespread medical afflictions. According to studies, dental caries rank third in medical costs, behind only heart disease and cancer (Loesche 1996). This review will attempt to describe what is responsible for dental caries, namely a bacterium …