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Tooth surface biofilm bacteria encompass highly diverse, structured polymicrobial communities that colonize tooth surfaces and form dental plaque, a resilient biofilm composed of hundreds of microbial species embedded in extracellular polymeric substances. Early colonizers (e.g., Streptococcus spp., Actinomyces spp.) adhere to the acquired pellicle, followed by succession and incorporation of other taxa (e.g., Veillonella, Fusobacterium, and Porphyromonas). These bacterial consortia are central to oral health and disease, implicated in dental caries (via acidogenic and aciduric species) and periodontal diseases (via pathogenic biofilm shifts). The unique physical structure of biofilms confers resistance to antimicrobials and immune defenses, making them a major clinical challenge.

Other names

Dental plaque bacteriaOral biofilm bacteriaTooth-associated biofilm microorganismsSupragingival plaque bacteriaSubgingival plaque bacteria

Disruption of bacterial cell walls/membranes; Inhibition of bacterial adhesion and colonization; Biofilm matrix degradation (via enzymes or physical methods); Quorum-sensing inhibition; Oxidative killing (e.g., photodynamic therapy, cold plasma)