The Structure of Dental Plaque Microbial Communities in the Transition from Health to Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease

Abstract

The human oral cavity harbors diverse communities of microbes that live as biofilms: highly ordered, surface-associated assemblages of microbes embedded in an extracellular matrix. Oral microbial communities contribute to human health by fine-tuning immune responses and reducing dietary nitrate. Dental caries and periodontal disease are together the most prevalent microbiallymediated human diseases, worldwide. Both of these oral diseases are known to be caused not by the introduction of exogenous pathogens to the oral environment, but rather by a homeostasis breakdown that leads to changes in the structure of the microbial communities present in states of health. Both dental caries and periodontal disease are mediated by synergistic interactions within communities and both diseases are further driven by specific host inputs: diet and behavior in the case of dental caries and immune system interactions in the case of periodontal disease. Changes in community structure (taxonomic identity and abundance) are well documented during the transition from health to disease. In this review, changes in biofilm physical structure during the transition from oral health to disease and the concomitant relationship between structure and community function will be emphasized.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Oral Candidiasis: A Disease of Opportunity

“…One area that gained considerable interest in recent years is the interaction between C. albicans and the cariogenic bacteria S. mutans, within the context of dental caries (or tooth decay), the most common oral disease [168,169]. Caries development is mediated by the metabolic interactions between the microbial species that make up dental plaque, the biofilm formed on the tooth surface, causing fluctuations in pH, ultimately resulting in irreversible destruction of the tooth [163,[169][170][171][172]. S. mutans is long considered to be the main cariogenic species responsible for development of dental caries; however, there is growing evidence attributing a role for C. albicans in mediating dental caries development via interactions with S. mutans [163,165,[173][174][175] (Figure 2).…”

Nanoparticles as Anti-Microbial, Anti-Inflammatory, and Remineralizing Agents in Oral Care Cosmetics: A Review of the Current Situation

“…Among the oral diseases, the most prevalent were dental caries and periodontitis. Together, they represent the most common infectious human disease in the world [36].…”

The Role of Candida albicans Secreted Polysaccharides in Augmenting Streptococcus mutans Adherence and Mixed Biofilm Formation: In vitro and in vivo Studies

“…Dental plaque is one of the earliest biofilm models studied as it is composed of diverse microbial species co-adhering to the surface of teeth and interacting within a matrix of exopolysaccharides (Kidd and Fejerskow, 2004;Zero et al, 2009;Klein et al, 2015;Tanner et al, 2018;Valm, 2019). Within the plaque biofilm, the bacterial species Streptococcus mutans is considered to be the critical effector for the development of carious lesions (Klein et al, 2015).…”

“…Dental caries (or tooth decay) is among the most prevalent human diseases characterized by localized and irreparable destruction of the tooth (Isalm et al, 2007;Zero et al, 2009;Rouabhia and Chmielewski, 2012). Combined with its strong binding to teeth, the ability of S. mutans to produce large quantities of glucans, produce acid and survive in acidic environment, ultimately results in dissolution of hydroxyapatite in tooth enamel and dentin (Isalm et al, 2007;Koo et al, 2013;Lemos et al, 2013;Klein et al, 2015;Valm, 2019). Interestingly, although S. mutans has long been considered the main cariogenic species, recent evidence seems to attribute a potential role for the fungal species Candida albicans, via interactions with S. mutans (Metwalli et al, 2013;Falsetta et al, 2014;Pereira et al, 2018;Xiao et al, 2018).…”