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Dental cavity, also known as tooth decay, [a] is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. [6] The resulting cavities may be a number of different colors, from yellow to black. [ 1 ] Symptoms may include pain and difficulty eating.
It is a meticulously formed microbial community, that is organised to a particular structure and function. [12] Plaque is rich in species, given the fact that about 1000 different bacterial species have been recognised using modern techniques. [13] A clean tooth surface would immediately be colonised by salivary pellicles, which acts as an ...
Different areas of the oral cavity present different ecological niches, and each species has specific properties for colonizing different oral sites. S. mutans is most prevalent on the pits and fissures, constituting 39% of the total streptococci in the oral cavity. Fewer S. mutans bacteria are found on the buccal surface (2–9%). [7]
The most common bacteria that causes mouth infections are Streptococcus species. [8] Poor dental hygiene promotes the accumulation of these bacteria at the tooth root, eventually causing a cavity or dental caries. The decaying tooth root provides bacteria with an enclosed environment with low oxygen content.
Cell surface structures including pili and fimbriae allow the bacteria to adhere to oral surfaces. These adhesion molecules also play an important role in biofilm formation and promote aggregation with late tooth colonizers to form dental plaque. [2] The presence of S. parasanguinis in the oral cavity is associated with a healthy microflora. [3]
Dental caries—Dental caries are known as cavities or tooth decay. Bacteria in the mouth use foods that contain sugar or starch to produce acids which eat away at the tooth’s structure causing destruction to the enamel of the teeth. Meanwhile, the minerals in saliva (calcium and phosphate) together with fluoride are repairing the enamel. [3]
Bacteria occupy the ecological niche provided by both the tooth surface and mucosal epithelium. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] Factors of note that have been found to affect the microbial colonization of the oral cavity include the pH, oxygen concentration and its availability at specific oral surfaces, mechanical forces acting upon oral surfaces, salivary and ...
Back teeth showing fissure system. Dental caries is an upset of the balance between loss and gain of minerals from a tooth surface. [3] The loss of minerals from the teeth occurs from the bacteria within the mouth, fermenting foods and producing acids, whereas the tooth gains minerals from our saliva and fluoride that is present within the mouth. [3]