Essentials of dental caries

  • E. A. M. Kidd
UK: Oxford University Press price £29.95, pp 180 ISBN 0198529783 | ISBN: 0-198-52978-3

Many individuals involved in dental education worry about the teaching of cariology to students. Although caries results in so much treatment, the process is generally poorly understood. Undergraduates feel more comfortable talking about the physical properties of a composite resin than the process that led to it being required. However, a few dental leaders have pioneered integrated caries research with teaching and Edwina Kidd is one such leader. Now in its third edition, the text is aimed at the undergraduate and those preparing for initial postgraduate studies, such as MFDS. Slightly slimmer than the second edition at 180 pages, it has been extensively rearranged. The diagnosis section is a particular strength of the text, as are the sections on fluoride and saliva. The text is only minimally referenced, although there are sufficient pointers for interested readers to take their studies forward. The book benefits from numerous clinical photographs and clear line drawings which serve to illustrate the narrative well. The histology section is an excellent example of this and a good place to start for those aiming to revise their knowledge of dental hard tissues.

The clinical management of caries is restricted to a single chapter at the end of the text and describes the use of rubber dam, fissure sealants and the placement of temporary dressings in an attempt to arrest and stabilise the progression of the disease. This section is very much an overview and readers would need to consult additional texts in order to understand the management process completely. Indeed, the management of deep carious lesions and the removal or otherwise of carious dentine is a contentious issue, and students should always check with their teachers before pursuing a treatment methodology. This may however change, as a recent systematic review found that partial caries removal in symptomless teeth did not result in increased pulpal symptoms.

This is a highly accessible entry-level text which achieves its stated goals of providing the 'essentials of dental caries'. It is recommended to all undergraduates and those pursuing the first stages of postgraduate work.