Managing Denture Biofilm Related Diseases.
The oral cavity harbors more than 700 microbial species and is one of the most
complex ecosystems ever described.
While the majority of these microbes are considered commensal,
some of them are responsible for oral infectious diseases such as dental caries,
periodontitis, halitosis and stomatitis.
The advancement of modern science has greatly furthered
our understanding of oral microbes and their roles in host health and disease.
It has also led to the development of new tools for early detection,
effective treatment, and prevention of oral microbial infections.
This perspective provides a general understanding of oral microbiology,
and its clinical relationship to oral infectious diseases,
with a specific focus on denture-related microbial infections.
The perspective also discusses the potential for developing innovative
interventions for managing denture-related disease based on recent
advances in our understanding of oral microbiology and denture-associated biofilms.
The association between microbes and oral diseases had long been suspected.
Dr. W. D. Miller is generally recognized as the father of modern dental microbial pathogenesis.
His 1890 seminal book titled Microorganisms of the Human Mouth
makes the first connection between bacteria in dental plaque and tooth decay,
and remains a foundation of current understanding of dental disease.
For a long time, oral microbes had been indiscriminately regarded
as pathogens. In fact, their removal from the oral cavity has become the main objective of
dentists.
Not until recently, did we realize that like microbes associated with other parts of the
human body, most of the oral microorganisms are commensal and might have protective role
in preventing the colonization of pathogens.
Dent Open J. 2015; 2(3): 80-86. doi: 10.17140/DOJ-2-116
