Broad oral microbiota and dental enamel

The Broad oral microbiota and dental enamel refers to the complex ecological and physical interface between the diverse microbial community of the oral cavity and the mineralized surface of the teeth. The oral microbiota is a sophisticated ecosystem comprising over 700 species of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that typically reside within a structured biofilm known as dental plaque (Dewhirst et al., 2010). Dental enamel, the hardest substance in the human body, is a non-vital tissue composed primarily of hydroxyapatite crystals that protect the underlying dentin (Lacruz et al., 2017). This system is the primary site for the development of dental caries, a disease driven by a shift in the microbiota toward acidogenic species like Streptococcus mutans, which ferment dietary sugars into organic acids that dissolve the enamel matrix (Selwitz et al., 2007). Therapeutic strategies do not target a single receptor but rather aim to modulate this environment, often through the use of fluoride to promote the formation of acid-resistant fluorapatite or antiseptics like chlorhexidine to reduce the pathogenic microbial load (Featherstone, 2000; StatPearls, 2023).

Other names

Oral microbiomeDental plaque-enamel interfaceOral microfloraDental biofilmTooth enamel

Promotion of enamel remineralization through fluorapatite formation; inhibition of bacterial enolase and carbohydrate metabolism; disruption of microbial cell membranes; inhibition of glucan synthesis.