Abstract
Caries remains a significant problem in most developed countries of the world, affecting from 60 to 90% of schoolchildren and the vast majority of the adult population. Dental caries is most common in Asian and Latin American countries, where the incidence of children and adults is approaching 100%. In addition to cariesogenic factors that constantly and continuously affect the hard tissues of the teeth, leading to the demineralization of enamel, there are protective mechanisms (composition and properties of saliva, fluorides) that can shift the balance towards the remineralization process. Thus, the carious process can be stopped and even reversed if the integrity of the hard tissues of the teeth is preserved.