'anti-cariogenic' originates from English formation of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'cariogenic' (from New Latin/Modern scientific formation 'cario-' from Latin 'caries' meaning 'decay' and '-genic' from Greek 'genēs' meaning 'producing').

'cariogenic' comes from New Latin/Modern scientific coinage based on Latin 'caries' ('decay') + Greek-derived suffix '-genic' ('producing'); the modern compound 'anti-cariogenic' was formed in English by adding the prefix 'anti-' to indicate opposition to the process denoted by 'cariogenic'.

Initially the roots referred to 'producing decay' (i.e., 'cariogenic' = producing caries), but with the addition of the prefix 'anti-' the compound evolved to mean 'acting against or preventing decay' (i.e., preventing dental caries).