Tib neeg tau siv los ntseeg tias caries yog provoked los ntawm dej qab zib nrog cov ntsiab lus qab zib. Cov kws tshaj lij los ntawm Australia tau tsis lees paub qhov lus dab neeg no. Cov kws tshawb fawb tau pom tias cov khoom qab zib tsis muaj qab zib thiab cov dej qab zib muaj kev phom sij rau cov hniav ntau dua li cov khoom qab zib. Txoj kev tshawb no tau ua nyob rau hauv Melbourne. Thaum lub sijhawm nws, cov kws tshawb fawb tau sim ntau dua nees nkaum dej qab zib.
Tsis muaj suab thaj lossis cawv hauv lawv cov muaj pes tsawg leeg, tab sis muaj phosphoric thiab citric acids. Ob leeg ua rau muaj kev pheej hmoo rau kev kho hniav. Tsis tas li ntawd, rau ntau qhov ntau dua li qab zib, uas raug liam ntawm caries. Tib neeg tau hais ntxiv tias cov kab mob ntawm cov hniav feem ntau tshwm sim los ntawm cov khoom qab zib, kws kho mob hais. Qhov tseeb, qhov no nyob deb ntawm rooj plaub. Ib puag ncig acidic ua rau muaj kev puas tsuaj ntau rau cov enamel. Cov kab mob uas ua rau muaj kab mob siv qab zib rau zaub mov. Thiab tsuas yog thaum saturated, cov kab mob txaus ntshai tsim cov kua qaub, uas ua rau cov enamel tsis zoo. Qhov tsis muaj suab thaj hauv cov dej haus tshem tawm thawj qhov txuas hauv cov saw hlau. Cov kab mob ua rau cov kab mob tsis tsim cov kua qaub. Nws twb muaj nyob rau hauv dej qab zib, hniav "da dej" nyob rau hauv nws.
Raws li qhov tshwm sim, qhov siab ntawm cov kua qaub thiab cov kab mob ua kom cov kab mob caries. Hauv qhov mob hnyav tshaj plaws, nws muaj peev xwm nthuav tawm cov ntaub so ntswg ntawm cov hniav thiab nkag mus tob rau hauv cov enamel, ua kom cov hniav puas tag. Txhawm rau zam qhov tshwm sim zoo li no rau kev noj qab haus huv ntawm cov hniav, cov kws tshawb fawb qhia tawm tsam kev haus dej haus uas tsis muaj suab thaj lossis acidity siab.