Biomaterial Database

Dental plaque ecology related to caries and periodontal diseases. 1979

E Newbrun

Dental plaque consists of a dynamic microbiota which responds to ecological changes. There are major technical difficulties in obtaining representative plaque samples and in dispersing, cultivating, identifying and quantifying the microbial components. Cumulative findings on plaque microbiota associated with dental caries and different forms of periodontal disease support the specific plaque hypothesis. However, the data do not permit designation of any single organism as the distinct aetiological agent. The characteristic pattern is autogenic succesion, in which one or more microbial species alter the plaque environment and are replaced or succeeded by other species.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010510	Periodontal Diseases	Pathological processes involving the PERIODONTIUM including the gum (GINGIVA), the alveolar bone (ALVEOLAR PROCESS), the DENTAL CEMENTUM, and the PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT.	Parodontosis,Pyorrhea Alveolaris,Disease, Periodontal,Diseases, Periodontal,Parodontoses,Periodontal Disease
D003731	Dental Caries	Localized destruction of the tooth surface initiated by decalcification of the enamel followed by enzymatic lysis of organic structures and leading to cavity formation. If left unchecked, the cavity may penetrate the enamel and dentin and reach the pulp.	Caries, Dental,Carious Lesions,Dental Cavities,Dental Cavity,Dental Decay,Dental White Spots,Carious Dentin,Decay, Dental,Dental White Spot,White Spot, Dental,White Spots, Dental,Carious Dentins,Carious Lesion,Cavities, Dental,Cavity, Dental,Dentin, Carious,Dentins, Carious,Lesion, Carious,Lesions, Carious,Spot, Dental White,Spots, Dental White
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
D004463	Ecology	The branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their ENVIRONMENT, especially as manifested by natural cycles and rhythms, community development and structure, interactions between different kinds of organisms, geographic distributions, and population alterations. (Webster's, 3d ed)	Bionomics,Ecologies
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D013048	Specimen Handling	Procedures for collecting, preserving, and transporting of specimens sufficiently stable to provide accurate and precise results suitable for clinical interpretation.	Specimen Collection,Collection, Specimen,Collections, Specimen,Handling, Specimen,Handlings, Specimen,Specimen Collections,Specimen Handlings
D013295	Streptococcus mutans	A polysaccharide-producing species of STREPTOCOCCUS isolated from human dental plaque.
D018407	Bacterial Physiological Phenomena	Physiological processes and properties of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Physiology,Bacterial Processes,Bacterial Physiological Concepts,Bacterial Physiological Phenomenon,Bacterial Process,Physiology, Bacterial,Bacterial Physiological Concept,Concept, Bacterial Physiological,Concepts, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomena, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomenon, Bacterial Physiological,Process, Bacterial,Processes, Bacterial