Methanethiol (methyl mercaptan) is an important contributor to oral malodour and periodontal tissue destruction. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum are key oral microbial species that produce methanethiol via methionine gamma lyase (mgl) activity. The aim of this study was to compare an mgl knockout strain of P. gingivalis with its wild type using a 10-s...

BACKGROUND Caries and periodontitis are important human diseases associated with formation of multi-species biofilms. The involved bacteria are intensively studied to understand the molecular basis of the interactions in such biofilms. This study established a basic in vitro single and mixed-species culture model for oral bacteria combining three complimentary methods. The setup allows a rapid ...

Oral biofilms play a major role in the etiology of oral diseases, and have broad implications for quality of life, systemic health and economic costs. Hypotheses regarding the mechanisms by which oral biofilms exert their pathogenic potential have evolved over time. Early theories in which oral diseases were associated solely with the quantity of colonizing biofilms have been replaced by the un...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Enterococcus faecium is a normal bowel commensal and lactic acid bacterium that is rarely found in the oral cavity. This study investigated whether a non-pathogenic and non-biofilm strain of E. faecium functioned as a probiotic strain toward biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans, which is an etiological agent for dental caries. METHODS The effects of E. faecium on s...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical plaque disclosing agent erythrosine as a photosensitizer in the photodynamic killing of the oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans grown as a biofilm. METHODS S. mutans biofilms of 200 microm thickness were grown in a constant-depth film fermenter. In addition to determining localization of the photosensitizer within biofilms usin...

BACKGROUND Candida albicans co-aggregates with Streptococcus gordonii to form biofilms and their interactions in mucosal biofilms may lead to pathogenic synergy. Although the functions of glucosyltransferases (Gtf) of Mutans streptococci have been well characterized, the biological roles of these enzymes in commensal oral streptococci, such as S. gordonii, in oral biofilm communities are less c...

Dental caries and periodontal disease are among the most prevalent diseases known to man. Both are associated with the bacteria contained in dental biofilm. Dental biofilm is complex, with a well-organized structure. Up to 500 bacterial species have been identified in dental biofilm. Studies have shown that plaque accumulates rapidly on clinically plaquefree teeth. For oral and systemic health,...

Periodontitis and caries are infectious diseases of the oral cavity in which oral biofilms play a causative role. Moreover, oral biofilms are widely studied as model systems for bacterial adhesion, biofilm development, and biofilm resistance to antibiotics, due to their widespread presence and accessibility. Despite descriptions of initial plaque formation on the tooth surface, studies on matur...

Dental diseases are among the most prevalent afflictions of humankind. These diseases are associated with the formation of biofilms harboring pathogenic bacteria. Fructosyltransferases (FTF) are extra cellular enzymes of several oral bacteria. FTF are associated with the formation of extracellular polysaccharide matrix (fructans) which play a role in biofilm formation and oral bacteria physiolo...

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the dependency of secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) on the risk markers of the oral environment, such as the quality of the saliva, the dental biofilm, the oral Candida and Lactobacillus spp. in children. Methods: The study was conducted on a total of 116 children who were divided into four groups, which were: diabetes, asthma, orthodontic appliances...