caries

noun

car·​ies ˈker-ēz How to pronounce caries (audio)
plural caries
: a progressive destruction of bone or tooth
especially : tooth decay

Examples of caries in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web His mouth also didn’t have any evidence of tooth loss, dental caries, or periodontal disease. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Jan. 2023 The results showed that the teens who chewed peppermint gum had significantly lower levels of caries (tooth decay) than the teens who did not chew peppermint gum. James Robinson, Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2022 Numerous studies have found that fluoridating water is a safe and cost-effective way to reduce the number and severity of dental caries (tooth decay and cavities). Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 21 Oct. 2022 The second group has had an increase in dental caries (cavities), periodontal (gum) disease, and tooth grinding. Rachel King, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2021 Lower salivary flow is considered a risk for dental caries. Jeffrey Ebersole, The Conversation, 18 May 2021 Dentistry dates as far back as 5,000 B.C. when people in India, Egypt, Japan and China thought dental caries were a result of a tooth worm. Staff Reports, The Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caries.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, decay; akin to Old Irish ara-chrinn it decays

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of caries was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near caries

Cite this Entry

“Caries.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caries. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

caries

noun
car·​ies ˈka(ə)r-ēz How to pronounce caries (audio)
ˈke(ə)r-
plural caries
: a progressive destruction of bone or tooth
especially : tooth decay

Medical Definition

caries

noun
plural caries
: a progressive destruction of bone or tooth
especially : tooth decay

More from Merriam-Webster on caries

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