Biomaterial Database

Dental plaque formation. 2000

B Rosan, and R J Lamont

Department of Microbiology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.

Dental plaque is a complex biofilm that accumulates on the hard tissues (teeth) in the oral cavity. Although over 500 bacterial species comprise plaque, colonization follows a regimented pattern with adhesion of initial colonizers to the enamel salivary pellicle followed by secondary colonization through interbacterial adhesion. A variety of adhesins and molecular interactions underlie these adhesive interactions and contribute to plaque development and ultimately to diseases such as caries and periodontal disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D003773	Dental Plaque	A film that attaches to teeth, often causing DENTAL CARIES and GINGIVITIS. It is composed of MUCINS, secreted from salivary glands, and microorganisms.	Plaque, Dental
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001422	Bacterial Adhesion	Physicochemical property of fimbriated (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL) and non-fimbriated bacteria of attaching to cells, tissue, and nonbiological surfaces. It is a factor in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity.	Adhesion, Bacterial,Adhesions, Bacterial,Bacterial Adhesions
D013298	Streptococcus sanguis	A gram-positive organism found in dental plaque, in blood, on heart valves in subacute endocarditis, and infrequently in saliva and throat specimens. L-forms are associated with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.	Streptococcus sanguinis
D016966	Porphyromonas gingivalis	A species of gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria originally classified within the BACTEROIDES genus. This bacterium produces a cell-bound, oxygen-sensitive collagenase and is isolated from the human mouth.	Bacteroides gingivalis
D044622	Dental Pellicle	A thin protein film on the surface of DENTAL ENAMEL. It is widely believed to result from the selective adsorption of precursor proteins present in SALIVA onto tooth surfaces, and to reduce microbial adherence to the TEETH.	Enamel Pellicle,Salivary Pellicle,Salivary Acquired Pellicle,Acquired Pellicle, Salivary,Pellicle, Dental,Pellicle, Enamel,Pellicle, Salivary,Pellicle, Salivary Acquired
D018441	Biofilms	Encrustations formed from microbes (bacteria, algae, fungi, plankton, or protozoa) embedded in an EXTRACELLULAR POLYMERIC SUBSTANCE MATRIX that is secreted by the microbes. They occur on body surfaces such as teeth (DENTAL DEPOSITS); inanimate objects, and bodies of water. Biofilms are prevented from forming by treating surfaces with DENTIFRICES; DISINFECTANTS; ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS; and anti-fouling agents.	Biofilm
D018829	Adhesins, Bacterial	Cell-surface components or appendages of bacteria that facilitate adhesion (BACTERIAL ADHESION) to other cells or to inanimate surfaces. Most fimbriae (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL) of gram-negative bacteria function as adhesins, but in many cases it is a minor subunit protein at the tip of the fimbriae that is the actual adhesin. In gram-positive bacteria, a protein or polysaccharide surface layer serves as the specific adhesin. What is sometimes called polymeric adhesin (BIOFILMS) is distinct from protein adhesin.	Adhesins, Fimbrial,Bacterial Adhesins,Fimbrial Adhesins,Adhesin, Bacterial,Bacterial Adhesin