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Genetics of cavities

Abstract:

Dental caries is an infectious, chronic, and multifactorial disease. It is estimated that it affects 60-90% of school children, as well as a considerable number of adults. The presence of dental caries is determined by environmental, genetic, and microbial factors including the usual bacterial flora, poor eating habits, infrequent tooth brushing and inefficient oral hygiene, exposure to fluoride, fluid and salivary composition, ions, proteins and anatomy, and dental structure. According to various studies, caries disease is due to genetic factors, with a 60% risk, and to elements of the host’s genome. Currently, investigations of a genetic model that could be related to the etiology of caries have been reported based on its susceptibility according to: genes according to the morphological development of tooth enamel, genes according to the preference of certain flavors, genes according to the pathway of signaling, and genes according to the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA).