Dental caries. Changes in the colour of the upper incisors (right) indicating dental caries. Dental caries is the decay and crumbling of the teeth. It

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Dental caries. Changes in the colour of the upper incisors (right) indicating dental caries. Dental caries is the decay and crumbling of the teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a substance which covers the surface of unclean teeth. The bacteria break down sugar in the mouth, producing an acid which progressively destroys the teeth. A filling may be used to repair a decayed tooth, but in severe cases, root canal surgery or tooth extraction may be required.

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Photo credit: © DR ARMEN TARANYAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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