Advances in Dental Research, Vol 8, 246-253, Copyright © 1994 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
Mechanisms of dental plaque formation
A. A. Scheie
Department of Oral Biology, Dental Faculty, University of Oslo, Norway.
Much effort has been placed on elucidating the diverse mechanisms of
microbial adhesion to tooth surfaces. Both specific and non-specific types
of adhesion have been envisaged. Pioneer colonizers represent a selected
part of the oral microflora, and it has been assumed that specific
adhesin-receptor interactions between the microbial surface and the
pellicle account for this specificity. Whereas microbial adhesion to tooth
surfaces is a general prerequisite for initiation of plaque formation,
microbial multiplication is probably the dominant feature in the build-up
of dental plaque. Local environmental factors which influence the
establishment and composition of the ultimate plaque community are
therefore of greater importance than initial adhesion per se. The highly
individual and site-related characteristics of the plaque flora illustrate
the selective power of the environment. Environmental conditions are not
uniform. Thus, each site represents its own conditions are not uniform.
Thus, each site represents its own distinct ecosystem, and the microbial
composition at the site depends on the outcome of a variety of
host-microbial and microbial-microbial interactions. The relative in vivo
significance of these interactions is difficult to assess.
