Tooth decay
deformation of teeth made by acids from bacteria
Tooth decay, also known as caries (lit. 'rottenness', from Latin), is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The resulting dental cavities may be many different colors, from yellow to black. Symptoms may include pain and difficulty eating. Complications may include periodontal disease (i.e., inflammation of the tissue around the tooth), tooth loss, infection, or dental abscess formation. Tooth regeneration is a field of ongoing stem cell-based study that aims to find methods to reverse the effects of decay; current treatments are limited to symptom management.
The cause of cavities is acid from bacteria dissolving the hard tissues of the teeth (enamel, dentin, and cementum). The acid is produced by the bacteria when they break down food debris or sugar on the tooth surface. Simple sugars in food are these bacteria's primary energy source, and thus a diet high in simple sugar is a risk factor. If tooth demineralization is greater than tooth remineralization from sources such as saliva, caries results. Risk factors include conditions that result in less saliva, such as diabetes mellitus, Sjögren syndrome, and some medications, including psychostimulants, antihistamines, and antidepressants.
The public source identifies “Tooth decay” as deformation of teeth made by acids from bacteria. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tooth, decay and deformation.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tooth decay”, the useful work is to connect “deformation of teeth made by acids from bacteria” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q133772. The Library of Congress control number is sh85036872. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tooth decay”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tooth decay primary sources, Tooth decay archive and Tooth research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tooth decay”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tooth decay” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.