The White Spot Carious Lesions 3.
In the past dental caries was thought to be a constant and continuous process, currently it is viewed as episodic in progression.
The surface of enamel is
dynamic and in a constant state of flux depending on the microbial and chemical
consistency of saliva and plaque.
Changes in these
environments (saliva and
plaque) can either have a detrimental or beneficial
affect on the enamel surface. The detrimental affect can be identified as the
early, reversible event in dental caries, the white spot lesion.
The early observation
and clinical evaluation of white spot lesions on the tooth surface provide the dentist
with important information about the state or the disease process (active or
inactive).