Oral bacterial biofilm and mixed oral bacterial consortia

Oral bacterial biofilms, commonly known as dental plaque, are highly organized polymicrobial communities embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 2023). These mixed consortia consist of diverse bacterial species, including early colonizers like Streptococcus species and late-stage pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, which communicate via quorum sensing to coordinate virulence and survival (PubMed, PMID: 30103504). In a healthy state, these biofilms exist in a symbiotic relationship with the host; however, environmental changes can trigger dysbiosis, leading to the acidification of the microenvironment or the induction of inflammatory responses (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2015). This shift is the primary driver of oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontitis. Therapeutic interventions aim to disrupt the biofilm's structural integrity, inhibit the metabolic activity of acidogenic bacteria, or prevent the colonization of pathogenic species on the tooth surface (StatPearls, 2023). Because the EPS matrix acts as a protective barrier, these biofilms exhibit significantly higher resistance to antimicrobial agents compared to planktonic bacteria, posing a significant challenge for clinical treatment (Journal of Oral Microbiology, 2021).

Other names

Dental plaqueOral microbiotaMixed oral bacterial consortiaDental biofilmPolymicrobial oral biofilm

Antimicrobial agents target oral biofilms by disrupting bacterial cell membranes, inhibiting metabolic enzymes such as enolase, interfering with the synthesis of the extracellular polymeric matrix, or preventing initial bacterial adhesion to the dental pellicle (StatPearls, 2023; Journal of Dental Research, 2019).