Dental plaque results from a large
accumulation of bacteria on the teeth. Although the native
oral flora in the
mouth contributes to host
nutrition by breaking down nutrients into
vitamins, dental plaques are areas that contain about one thousand more bacteria than found in normal
saliva. The ability of bacteria to attach and accumulate on the tooth begins when the tooth is first coated with a thin film of
proteins from the saliva providing for a secure attachment site for
bacteria colonization.
The bacteria can then attach to the tooth and begin to produce
dextran, which is synthesized from
sucrose. In this process, sucrose is
hydrolyzed into
fructose and
glucose and the residual amount of fructose that is left is fermented into
lactic acid, which attacks tooth enamel resulting in dental carries.
Dental carries, or
cavities, therefore result from the direct destruction of the
protective enamel of the teeth by
bacterial products.
Info from:
Davis, M.D., R. Dulbecco, H.N. Eisen, and H.s. Ginsberg, 1990. Microbiology, 4th editi0n. J.B. Lippincott, Philidelphia.
Madigan, M.T., J.M. Martinko, and J. Parker, 2000. Biology of Microorganisms, 9th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.