DEOH Assignment 203 (Student ID: 7559879) Dental caries is a multifactorial disease, resulting from the interrelationship between biological, social, and environmental factors. Numerous risk factors are involved in the onset and progression of the disease. To fully understand the effects of different risk factors on tooth decay, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms and causes involved. New Zealand is a culturally versatile country that includes individuals with diverse ethnic groups. Ethnicity is believed to be one of many factors that put a person at greater risk of developing the disease and can accelerate its progression. In New Zealand, the "non-white" population typically suffers from poverty and has poorer oral health. Within ethnicity, socioeconomic status plays an important role (involves income, demographic area, diet, and education). Dental caries in children is a problem that cannot be ignored as it can affect the oral health and general well-being of adults. Dental caries is the product of localized chemical dissolution of the tooth surface caused by metabolic events that occur in the biofilm (dental plaque) that covers it. the affected area (Fejerskov, Kidd, Nyvad & Baelum, 2012). The carious lesion develops over time due to a complex interaction of bacteria, acids and carbohydrates with saliva and teeth (Manton, Drummond & Kilpatrick, 2012). Host factors: teeth, microbes, and diet are all interrelated in the oral cavity. The caries process is determined by the quality of the tooth and saliva (important role in remineralization by providing hydroxyapatite). The bacteria present in the oral cavity are known as dental plaque, t...... middle of paper ......D3AC2DBE95C9AE6593E4A43C4FE805Manton, D., Drummond, BK, & Kilpatrick, N. (2012). Dental caries. In A. C. Cameron and R. P. Widmer (eds.). Manual of pediatric dentistry (pp.39-52). London: Mosby-Elsevier. Ministry of Health (2013). The health of Māori adults and children. Retrieved from http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/health-maori-adults-and-childrenSchluter, P., Durward, C, Cartwright, S., & Paterson, J. (2007). Maternal self-report of oral health in 4-year-old Pacific children from South Auckland, New Zealand: Results from the Pacific Islander Family Study. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 67(2), 69-77. Sherman, C. (2011). Dental health of children from low socio-economic backgrounds: socio-political nursing in the New Zealand context. Whitireia Nursing Journal, 18, 15-24. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/957056713?accountid=14700