Cariasis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A disease of the teeth in which bacterial acid gradually destroys the hard structure, creating cavities and holes
2. Decay of tooth tissue caused by acids produced by bacteria that feed on sugars in the mouth
3. Progressive damage to teeth caused by acidic byproducts of oral bacteria, resulting in cavitation and mineral loss

Etymology: Doctors have long used "caries" for the rotting of bone or teeth, borrowed directly from a Latin word meaning rot, decay, or the gnawing of worms. The Latin noun comes from a root for rottenness, and English medicine kept its sense of slow, progressive destruction. "Cariasis" is not a standard medical term. It appears to be a formation from "caries" plus the Greek-derived suffix "-iasis," which names a diseased condition. That suffix is found in older medical words such as "elephantiasis," from Greek "elephas" (elephant), and in "psoriasis." A form built this way would therefore mean a state of decay or caries-like disease, but it is a coinage rather than an established English word.