Dentists' and public health's methods and recommendations for taking care of your smile ultimately come from a legion of university professors. And scientific conferences. And research journals. And national and local institutes and societies. All using the tools and power of science to fight tooth decay.

What are the most fundamental topics in the field of cariology? What are the most fundamental topics in the science of cavities? Dentistry... because, well, teeth, obviously. But there are a couple other major topics, too. Microbiology...because bacteria living on your teeth cause cavities. And chemistry...because fluoride (an ion of an element on the periodic table) fights cavities.

So sit back and relax...put on a lead shield if you'd like...because you are about to peer into the fascinating and nitty gritty details of fluoride and tooth decay, just like a dental X-ray does.

Facts about cavities and teeth pop up all over the place here at Fluoride Exposed because preventing them is such a big part of the science of fluoride. But the places at Fluoride Exposed where you can read in most detail specifically about fluoride, teeth, cavities, and tooth decay are: