Dental biofilm mineral reservoirs and fluid ion composition

Dental biofilm mineral reservoirs and fluid ion composition represent the complex biochemical microenvironment of dental plaque that dictates the balance between tooth demineralization and remineralization (Vogel, 2011, 'Plaque fluid'). The plaque fluid is the aqueous phase surrounding the biofilm bacteria, serving as the immediate medium for ion exchange with the enamel surface (Margolis & Moreno, 1994, 'Composition and physicochemical properties of dental plaque fluid'). Mineral reservoirs, primarily composed of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride, are sequestered within the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and bacterial cells (Rose et al., 1993, 'Binding of calcium by Streptococcus mutans'). When fermentable carbohydrates are metabolized into organic acids, the resulting pH drop causes these reservoirs to release ions into the plaque fluid, which helps buffer the acidity and provides the necessary components for enamel repair (Cury & Tenuta, 2014, 'Enamel remineralization: controlling the caries disease or treating early caries lesions?'). Therapeutic interventions, such as fluoride treatments and CPP-ACP, aim to enrich these reservoirs to enhance the formation of acid-resistant fluorapatite and maintain mineral saturation (Gao et al., 2016, 'Effect of fluoride and calcium phosphate on enamel remineralization').

Other names

Dental plaque fluidBiofilm mineral contentPlaque ion reservoirsExtracellular polymeric substance mineral bindingPlaque fluid electrolytes

Enhancement of the ionic saturation of the plaque fluid to favor the formation of fluorapatite and hydroxyapatite; sequestration of fluoride and calcium ions within the biofilm matrix for slow release during acid challenges; buffering of plaque pH to prevent mineral loss from the tooth surface.