PH landscapes in a novel five-species model of early dental biofilm.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite continued preventive efforts, dental caries remains the most common disease of man. Organic acids produced by microorganisms in dental plaque play a crucial role for the development of carious lesions. During early stages of the pathogenetic process, repeated pH drops induce changes in microbial composition and favour the establishment of an increasingly acidogenic and aciduric microflora. The complex structure of dental biofilms, allowing for a multitude of different ecological environments in close proximity, remains largely unexplored. In this study, we designed a laboratory biofilm model that mimics the bacterial community present during early acidogenic stages of the caries process. We then performed a time-resolved microscopic analysis of the extracellular

SUBMITTER: Schlafer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3179500 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature