The road to ruin: the formation of disease‐associated oral biofilms
Year: 2010
Type: review
Abstract: The colonization of oral surfaces by micro-organisms occurs in a characteristic sequence of stages, each of which is potentially amenable to external intervention. The process begins with the adhesion of bacteria to host receptors on epithelial cells or in the salivary pellicle covering tooth surfaces. Interbacterial cell-cell binding interactions facilitate the attachment of new species and increase the diversity of the adherent microbial population. Microbial growth in oral biofilms is influenced by the exchange of chemical signals, metabolites and toxic products between neighbouring cells. Bacterial cells on tooth surfaces (dental plaque) produce extracellular polymers such as complex carbohydrates and nucleic acids. These large molecules form a protective matrix that contributes to the development of dental caries and, possibly, to periodontitis. The identification of key microbial factors underlying each step in the formation of oral biofilms will provide new opportunities for preventative or therapeutic measures aimed at controlling oral infectious diseases.
Source: Oral Diseases
Authors: NS Jakubovics, PE Kolenbrander
Language: English
Subfield: Periodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2134199765